What Might Remain

The children murmured, as children often do, and the secrecy of this particular field trip never helps matters. “Alright, alright.” The teacher called loudly. “It’s all very fascinating, I’m sure. The legendary trip after all.” The professor spun the door open. “But if you are all so curious, let's begin, hmm?” No effort was made to control or get past the children. Professor Gulpova had made some attempts in previous years, and far too many had been useless. He merely waited until the eager children shoved themselves into some comfortable arrangement before sliding into the elevator himself. Pulling four levers all at once, and another two very shortly after. Something only some of the oldest of their kind ever learned to do, but even that was changing. Such was the point though, at least regarding this rite of passage. A preparation for the future, and a warning from the past. A combination of fear, despair, courage, and hope. A trip to unconquered territory. To something these young ones had ever even seen before. Something which made their eyes widen as the elevator went up… and up… and up. And, at long last, surfaced, a term used once a year. Once for every new class of students. Some would study it. Others would no doubt stand firmly against it.  But that made this trip all the more necessary. A trip worth taking, and a debate worth starting. The trip which marked the rights and responsibilities of a citizen of this, relatively new empire.  A field trip… to the surface.

There was a visible shock as the pod rose out of the water. Most children were told nothing was above the water, and few could have made the trip on their own. Not there was much reason too, because as it turns out the truth wasn’t far off. “We don’t know much about the species that did this.” Professor Gulpova began. “Only that it was, in fact, one species. And what that as you can see, expanded rather far.” A few islands remained, and some sections of lands appeared to be coming back. That portion of the ice once in the north and south pole was returning was not contested, but many experts were still debating how much societal damage the returning ice might cause. “A large amount of the resources seems to have survived including some very impressive weaponry.” He turned to face the class. “Would any like to guess what this weaponry is now for?”

“We’re using weapons?” One student question.

“But we aren’t fighting anyone.” Another chimed in.

“...We’re not using it to fight…” Salva stated a bit quietly before looking up. “We’re using it as a power supply.”

“Very good, Salva.” Professor Gulpova stated. “Have you seen any of it before?” Salva shock her head.

“Dad always said it was dangerous.” Salva stated. “And that handling can be tricky.”

“Quite so.” Professor Gulpova replied. “Nuclear energy is very powerful, but often hard to control. Had we not found a small number of buildings used for that purpose however, we would be far less advanced than we are today.”

“But… I mean.” A wordless sentiment that most of the students shared.

“We knew very little about where it came all from back then.” Professor Gulpova answered. “For a long while we thought their rain was like ours. Things simply falling from the sky.” He pointed upward getting a few chuckles. “It would certainly better explain some of their devotions, but at last it seems only one survived.”  The student went silent, and Professor Gulpova dropped some various papers on coins on to the floor. The students all gathered around trying to see, but eventually began to pass the various objects around.

“What are they?”

“What would they even do.”

Questions like those, and theories about the answers slowly grow for whispers to loud discussion. “Interesting guesses!” Professor Gulpova raised his voice, and the student looked at him. “Some I must admit I have not heard before, but all of them are far too kind I’m afraid.” He collected the objects as they were passed back to him. “What you have seen today seems to be a measurement system. A measurement… of worth.”  Several children roared out questions once again. 8 tentacles came out as others tried to run to the glass, and the history lesson began. The story of a once great empire brought to it knees, and eventually to dust and overgrowth. A kingdom that went from a love of art to an obsession with this “money”, as they called it. Endlessly concerned with getting to the top at no matter cost. And they knew this not because of the rulers of long since crumbled building, but because of the many the system had abandoned. And many records of lost hope and broken dreams left behind. A lesson left to them by history, and one they as a people believe was worth remembering. Every child was given a few copies of the letters they found most interesting. Their only assignment that day was to read them. Read the warning of experts, and misery of those forgotten. In the end however, they were to keep only one. The one that most spoke to them. The one forgotten goal of the past they wanted to bring into the future.