Written in the Maze
I'll make this prettier later, but in the meantime, enjoy my musings.
It's all about the ...
Cheese.
Three years, no results. Sam stared out on the green pasture at the small herd of cattle. They continued to graze, slowly devouring another patch of the somewhat sparse field. Soon he'd have to round them up and move them to the other pasture, but for now, he just watched them while lost in thought. The darkness of space hung in the background, a pale blue dot in the distance.
The memories had just begun to fade and Sam found himself thinking less of Earth. All transmissions had ceased about five months after the cows arrived, leaving Sam, a small crew, and about 45 cows drifting in a lazy orbit. The problems with the herd superseded the ones with the communications equipment, especially as supplies began to dwindle. The small farm could sustain the human crew, but not the cows. They worked hard on the one solution that would save the herd: reproduction.
Every test had confirmed that the herd was healthy and able to reproduce. They even demonstrated a willingness, and yet, nothing. Fertilization had eluded them, as did the most elusive prize: milk. As far Sam knew, that was the whole point of this harebrained scheme to put cows in space. What he did not know was that they were still being observed and that milk production was just a stepping stone.
Back on Earth, greed had taken control long ago, leaving a militant and distrustful group of factions warily eyeing each other. While a largely bloodless shift, the planet's diversity had suffered the most. Years ago, it had been realized that victory didn’t’ come from enemy's death, but their desperation. Poison their land, starve their population, and they will yield.
The result was a highly regulated food market that was thoroughly dependent rigorous testing. Man's place at the top of the food chain was secured as other animals died off from the poisoned earth. The affects of their wars was literally palatable, as the bountiful cornucopia once available shriveled up.
Almost too late, the plan to start anew in space surfaced. At this time, available species were at a premium, since many had died off earlier. While not ideal, cows had proven a bit more resilient, and their population full enough to absorb the potential loss. And that's where Sam came in.
Sam's prowess as both a scientist and an astronaut were well-known. His early life on a cattle ranch was an added bonus and he was recruited. Secretively, the mission was cobbled together and with his help, a station pieced together with healthy soil and a stable biosphere. Getting several tons of live cattle to the station was the final and most complex piece. And now, unbeknownst to Sam, they still watched, hopeful for a miracle.
For them it was not about the milk. It was not about any potential calves. For back on Earth, the most prized commodity was but a mere byproduct of this whole endeavor. On Earth, it was always about the cheese.