Short Story - Alien in Central Park - Grant Eagar

This is the first chapter in my upcoming novel Alien in Central Park


The Pod
Melba felt a gentle caress of her cheek and opened her eyes. There stood her android mother. The likeness of Melba’s biological mother smiled and brushed a wisp of blue hair from Melba’s emerald eyes. “Welcome to a new day precious.”Melba sat up and stretched. “Salutations dear mother, what is the occasion?”Her mother forced a pensive smile. “Today is your day to board the pod. We’ve arrived at the earth colony's solar system.” Melba scratched her ear with her lions tail then scowled. “I don’t feel up to it today; maybe tomorrow.” She then lay back down and covered her head with her blanket. Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “Girl, we have arrived! There is no tomorrow. We just have a thirty minute window to launch the pod.”Melba peered out of the covers. “Perhaps we could wait until we reach the next colony?” “There is another child being prepared for that colony. You really don’t want to leave this way do you? It’s your destiny to visit the planet and report back on its progress.”Melba considered the robot and offered a wide smile. “Why don’t you go in my place and I’ll stay here. I’m sure you’ll do a much better job. I appreciate the gift of life and all, but going down to a hostile planet is more than I can deal with today.”The robot sighed and left the room, a minute later she returned with Melba’s robotic father and her robotic brother and sister. Melba tossed the pillows at them and sprinted to the door she was caught by her brother and sister and dragged kicking and screaming and tossed into the pod. “I’m sorry we have to part like this,” said her father blocking several punches and kicks then he slammed the hatch closed. She stared out the hatch at her robotic family with a look of pure hate then her face softened and she placed her hand against the portal and wiped a tear from her eye. The robots all touched the glass opposite to hers and she wept. A minute later her mother touched the eject button and the pod was sent on its way.  She watched the mother ship disappear in the distance.I hate you, I hate you all . . . Melba girl, there is no use mourning what is lost. They aren’t coming back. There is only one way and that is through this hell; you just as well fulfill the bloody mission. A month later after releasing the last of her long range satellites the pod slowed and intersected the planet’s orbit. After establishing a low earth orbit she began her mission of mapping the planet and finding a landing spot.  She sat at the controls wide eyed. She watched the blue orb approach her and she wept for the wonder of it. She floated over to a large portal and pressed her face against the window. Have I died and gone to Elysian. The planet is glorious to behold. The girl gently pushed off the wall and floated back to her seat. She strapped herself in and grasped the controls. Using the onboard computer she put the ship into a predetermined orbit fifty miles above Antarctica.