Utopia

Have you ever been to the planet that call Utopia?. I have.

My interest in Utopia began after I saw a log on the darknet. A traveller going on and on about the wonders of the planet. Further research showed that he wasn't the only one talking about it.

Numerous individuals had stories to tell about that wondrous plane. A free world with no taxes, no surveillance, no dishonest government telling you what to do.

Sick and tired of the politics and violence surrounding Earth and the Sol system, I decided to leave.

My destination ; Utopia.

In the three hundred long years since the second Renaissance, humanity had pushed forward into space. We had a vast system of colonies across the galaxy.

There were no official records of Utopia; it was off the charts.

The logs on the darknet provided theories on how one might get there. Oddly enough, all communications ceased the moment a traveller logged his sighting of Utopia.

On the 7th of October 2388 I embarked on a solo mission into deep space. Journeying into the unknown.

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I look out my viewport and I can see it; a dull gray mass in the distance. My flight log reads 15 years : 3 months, but thanks to hibernation it feels like a good night's sleep to me.

It turns out that Utopia was not a planet. It was actually a gigantic space station with a moon at it's core.

I start a trajectory analysis in preparation to dock with the object; and then it hits me. A pulling force dragging me towards the station.

I fire up my thrusters in an attempt to break free, but it's useless. I am pulled into the station and my ship hurtles through the landing deck.

I regain composure and step out the ship. The landing deck is a mechanical wasteland, with hundreds of decaying ships littered around.

I move toward the most recent looking ship, and I find a human body sprawled by the side. In his hands I find a console.

A tap on the screen reveals a message:

Communications scrambled

Utopia a mirage

Structure radiating

Death imminent

It then dawned on that I had been deceived. There was no utopia, at least not here.

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Further analysis of his files revealed the truth about Utopia. It was piloted by an AI of unknown origins, and for the past two centuries it had been sending messages to Earth and it's surrounding systems.

Telling wondrous tales about the glory of Utopia. Many had left; none had returned. Now I knew why.

He theorized the AI was after human spaceflight technology, and the droids tearing my ship apart at the moment confirmed this.

He had figured out a way to get a message out, but had died before he could implement it. It was up to me to send one final message to warn humanity of the dangers of Utopia.

If you are reading this message then it means I achieved my objective.

I was foolish and naive believing that man had the capacity to build a paradise in space. Now I know better.

There are no utopias, at least none that man can create. Human nature trumps over all our deals. What was once pure becomes tainted when we show our hand.

I do not have much time left. The structure emits powerful radiation that's damaging to all living organisms. I'll probably be dead within the hour.

May this message reach my brothers on Earth and in space. My race has ended, yours is still on. Do not repeat my mistakes.

This is the end of my journey.

                                                Louis K.V

                                              11 January 2403

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This is an entry to a writing contest with the theme "Utopia" by @calluna

Image credit @jacksondavies