They shoaled in grey, shapeless clouds, drifting in the coral sea, stimulated by the warm sun. The clouds divided into wispy strands of protein, congealing into lifeforms which in turn floated onto the shore, lying inert in thick transparent clumps and blobs, like a ribbon of see-through plastic waste, only these deposits were alive. Tiernan watched transfixed as the organisms spread their gelatinous pseudopodia, fibrous like tentacles on a jellyfish, solidifying into rudimentary fins, arms, and legs. Some creatures even grew hard shells.
Some kind of miracle. He witnessed the Creation, the first moments of animal life beyond our planet. Overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of what was overpopulating the beach, Tiernan trudged through the bronze scree, climbing the ridge of rocks to face the living field. The mustard yellow leaves exploded into thousands of blood red roses in full bloom, erect scarlet stalks bearing rainbows of bell fruits: strawberry, tangerine, lemon, lime, sloe, grape, blueberry. He wondered if they were edible or poisonous. Tempted to try one, he thought of Adam and Eve, with their golden apple of life. He pulled one off its stalk,
What have I got to lose? Rose is dead. Claire has gone paranoid. I can’t reach Earth. I’m alone, here, in a virgin paradise. What better way to die than to taste the forbidden fruit?
The bells were covered in a soft rind, about the size of a butternut squash. Tiernan cut a small groove into the body of the fruit with his fingernail, carefully prising the sloe skin off the flesh. The flesh was as mushy as a bruised peach, watermelon red in colour, and divided into segments with sapphire pips. He’d never seen such a strange plant in his life. He lifted the fruit up to his mouth and took a large bite. The flesh was juicy and succulent. The flavour tasted of strawberries, blueberries, dipped in honey, with a bitter lemon citrus aftertaste.
‘This tastes good!’ Tiernan announced, smiling to himself, ‘This tastes really good!’
He finished the fruit, ate every mouthful. Feeling light-headed with happiness, deliciously bleary from the sea, and the sun, gorged to repletion, he made his way back to the beach. Watching as the creatures hugged the shoreline, Tiernan lay on the sand, and fell into a dreamless sleep.
When he awoke it was dusk. The dwarf sun receded. The huge moon Celebre filled the sky. A rust-red fug descended creating an unforgettable scarlet sunset. Tiernan surveyed the deserted beach. All of the mysterious animals had returned to the sea.
He crossed the living field of leaves, intrigued to find the blood-red stalks retracting into protective shells, roses reverting to buds. All life here seemed to depend on the dwarf sun.
Night fell.
Tiernan was relieved to see Carmen’s welcoming lights. The pod hatch door opened. He entered the starkness of the capsule determined to confront Claire about Rose’s fate.
