An excited apprentice attempts to make a planet for the first time, having watched the making of hundreds. But watching is not the same as doing.
This story is from Year 8, The Year of Revisitation
I revisit one of the stories I’ve already written, and write a new standalone story connected to or inspired by the existing one through a character, a place, an object, a continuation of events (okay, sequel), and so on.
Music: “Space Discoveries” by Andy Ray
Way back in Year One, I wrote a story about a device built by hopeful human hands (links below). In this new story, a vast cosmic being aims to build something grander and far more complex, a planet. And yet, this being is filled with some of the same qualities that humans have. Ambition. Aspiration. Self-doubt. Curiosity. And of course, hope.
Backstory Facts: The character Proto is named for the term “protostar.” The character Ring is named so because I have an affinity for ringed planets. (I love you, Earth. But my favorite planet is Saturn.)
[Video Description: Trailer. Duration, 41 seconds. Music: “Space Discoveries” by Andy Ray. Digital painting. At center, a planet with a dark smooth surface. A section has been cut out to show three layers beneath the planet’s surface. Two glowing rings surround the planet. Amorphous, plasma-like material swirls around the planet. Title card with the words “Short Story” and “Genre: Science Fiction” are displayed in front of the image. At bottom is the title. The title card and title fade. Animations of nebulous gases appear around in the planet, in an orbit perpendicular to the rings. The planet’s core throws out sparks of light, which soon begin to glow. Lines from the story appear over the image: “Nebulous gases shimmered as they swirled past me. Particles crashed and fused. Vapors thickened into plasma and then into liquid. Specks became pebbles. Pebbles became rock. Rock collided with rock. The layers of the sphere began to close into one sphere, imbued with a strong enough measure of gravity to draw a fine cloak of dust around itself as it spun into place.” A watermark of the site URL appears at bottom center throughout.]
Genre: Science Fiction, Science Fantasy
Tags: APPRENTICE, PLANET, PLANET-BUILDER, PROFESSOR, PROTO, RING
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