https://Voice.club - “Programming error,” Sybille suggested tentatively. She never made errors, but this data was surely impossible.
“Reprogram and run the probe again?” Andre and I nodded in agreement.
Second, third and fourth time, we got the same results.
“We have to accept that this data is correct.” The three of us looked at each other in amazement.
Our Earth 3000 Probe was a success. We had developed a tiny robot that could travel through time, sending back data and pictures of our future without affecting the balance of life on the planet.
“Pristine air,” I read the data analysis in wonder. “No sign of any trapped greenhouse gases. Zero pollutants, zero particulate matter.”
“I’ll take it, Johann!” Sybille laughed. “A perfect atmosphere.” We looked to Andre for the bad news, but he was also in a state of awe.
“The oceans are thriving.” Andre showed us all the vital signs. Significant cooling, coral reefs blooming in dazzling colors, healthy aquatic life.
Which green technologies had saved us? The pictures that were now pouring in would give us our answers.
Luscious trees and flowers everywhere. Orchards heavy with blossoms and fruit. Clear, sparkling lakes and rivers. Birds and animals we thought were gone forever making a comeback.
The pictures were making us homesick for a world we could barely remember.
" But … not a single windmill, solar panel, geothermal unit or electric car anywhere.”
“In fact, no cars of any kind. No energy production. No transportation.”
We were all silent, realizing the same thing.
“No humans,” Sybille finally whispered.
A collective shudder went through our group, then gradually turned into smiles of sad resignation.
We three were the only ones on the planet who knew about Earth 3000. We had guarded all knowledge from leaking beyond our tiny circle. The hundreds who worked for us only knew their own piece of the massive puzzle.
And now the secret must die with us. Tomorrow we would destroy all equipment and evidence, return to our precious lives. I stared at the pictures of Paradise one last time, committed them to memory, then wiped the incoming disk clean.