But what drew them to G889? Was it simple coincidence or something much greater? I believe that G889 was their destiny....
Firstly, let's examine the characters on
their own. From all walks of life, this group of people was anything
but conventional. They were all flawed in one way or another, yet
G889 - the experience, or the Terrians and planet itself - helped heal
these people.
The formidable woman had difficulty seeing past her son; and seemed unconcerned with people less fortunate than herself . G889 taught her to listen to other peoples' opinions and begin to accept them. Devon herself began to let others into her life, to trust them and not keep herself in a tight cocoon only Yale and Uly were allowed to penetrate. The best example of a new friendship is that with John Danziger. Devon also learnt to provide a leadership that was respected by everyone, and convinced Eden Advance to follow her anywhere. Her magnetic personality has much power on G889.
A father devoted to his daughter, a man
who would do anything for her. Yet Danziger also had his darker side.
Unwilling to trust the unknown, Danziger initially fought the strangeness
of G889 (particularly the Terrians, whom he termed "Diggers"). He
seemed eager to shoot and ask questions later. However, as the months
on G889 went by, a gradual change overtook the man and by the end of the
long winter, he demonstrated compassion
over the accidental killing of a grendler.
Truly, he is a man in touch with his emotional side.
He began as a cocky sleep jumper who believed
he was God's gift to all women. With his handsome appearance, it's
no wonder he had such a reputation which he upheld. But their were
hidden scars on Alonzo's psyche, facets of his personality that weren't
revealed until he reached G889. The absence of dreams was a major
stumbling point and dreaming was given back to him by the Terrians (albeit
in a strange fashion!). Along the way, Alonzo learnt to cope with
reality and truly live each day instead of escaping through cold sleep.
More than that, Alonzo learnt how to love.
Initially, Julia was one of the most confused members of Eden Advance. She was an unwilling spy for the Council and had managed to project an innocent image given her innate shyness. Julia's private war was one of the most profound changes in the group as she eventually took a stand against the powers that sought to control her. Julia fought to make her own destiny as she was finally able to live her own life and trust her own decisions. And Julia, too, learnt how to love.
He began as a "weenie". Or one of
a thousand other words that has been used to describe the government bureaucrat.
Morgan had the most difficult time of the colonists assimilating into the
new life on G889. He was never prepared to deal with the hardships
that crash landing brought and spent many of his early days complaining
or escaping into VR. Yet somehow, that changed. A frightening
experience with the geolock taught Morgan that lives, friendship and the
planet itself were all more important than personal profit. Morgan
still has his infuriating (yet lovable) moments, but they are only testament
to the profound change that has overcome the man.
G889 didn't exactly bring about a change
in Bess. Rather, she was called by the planet. Who else
but a sweet-natured Earth girl would have the ability to cope on a foreign
world so well? Bess was an invaluable resource in the early days
and a true friend and helper in later times. Her destiny on G889
was to make life easier for others, particularly Morgan. Yet she
was not without her own temptations, particularly in regards to her marriage,
a temptation that Bess overcame with flying colors. Bess also had
the unique experience of becoming part of G889's own life cycle...when
she provided transport for the pollen that brought Spring to them all.
Through the healing power of G889, Yale
discovered the truth behind his fragmented past. Perhaps it was his
experience in the tunnels of sunstones that allowed the implanted barriers
to be broken so Yale could fully come to terms with who he was: not a dangerous
criminal mind-wiped by the authorities, but a man manipulated by forces
he could not control. Once Yale realized this he could dissuade the
violent impulses and begin to understand his former life as Braydon Croix.
This is yet another example of the healing
power of G889.
A girl with not much of a future to look
through until she crashed onto G889. Upon the stations, the best
she could hope for was a debt filled existence, locked away from sunlight,
and with no chance of ever owning a cat. On G889 she could grow healthy
and free, and even have a (temporary) pet koba. True also learnt
to accept children who were different or strange...as shown through her
early jealousy of Uly to her eventual acceptance of him. While never
best friends, the teasing and fights evolved into a form of sibling rivalry
rather than hatred.
It has been said, numerous times, that
Uly provides the bridge (or link) between the Human and Terrian cultures.
The next step in evolution, perhaps. The beginning of the change
that would bring about the future for humanity - all upon one small boy.
To do this, Ulysses would have to be no ordinary child. He was perhaps
called to G889 specifically for a purpose, to begin a cycle that was always
destined to be. (Fanfic alert - watch this space for an upcoming
piece that examines this relationship!)
It has also been suggested that the Terrians
could not survive without human intervention. While the full story
of this remains to be seen, it is obvious that the Terrians are interested
in humans and need to communicate with them through the Dreamplane.
Dreams are another manifestation of destiny....
Not much was learnt about him other than
his terrible fear of the unknown. By confronting Baines with his
fears on a regular basis, perhaps Baines was able to accept strange things
a little more and begin to know the meaning of courage.
He lost many of his attachments, but gained
a usefulness quite different to any other robot! What a fate....
Two "down-to-earth" people who were taken
on a remarkable journey that surely changed them somehow.
Eden Advance could not have survived without them, they were important
as part of the journey's success.
Was Eben brought to G889 to die?
No, that fault lies with the Council. However, in her short stay
on the planet, Eben surely experienced a much richer life than anything
on the stations. The final few months of her life may have been the
most rewarding, and if it was her fate to die at that time, then
surely she would have much rather the time on a unique planet than stuck
in a metal world.
Perhaps G889 taught them to speak out? Or to speak? ;-) We never saw what happened in the months to come...
There is another factor of destiny on G889 to be considered - that of romance. By assuming the role of an optimist (and hopeful romantic!) it can be said that there are three perfect couples on G889. It wasn't random chance that brought them here, it was destiny. For how else could the pairs of Soulmates discover each other, with all the barriers to their connection in the typical world of the Stations? Devon Adair would never have met a simple "drone" like John Danziger, and Julia Heller would have stayed as far from Alonzo Solace as she could have!
Nonetheless, the experience of G889 managed to bring these two couples together in a way no other set of circumstances could have. The planet also had a profound impact on the marriage of Bess and Morgan. Had they stayed on the Stations, it is perhaps inevitable that society would have driven them apart. Marriages were of short duration only and for how long could Bess and Morgan have withstood the many pressures upon them? To say nothing of Morgan's less-than-perfect character....
G889 provides a thrilling and unique lifestyle for all who are called to her - the mythical planet quietly orbiting in a system upon the edge of colonized space. It promises hope for the future, for both of its species, and continues to fascinate with its sheer strangeness. G889 - and the beings upon her - are all part of life's destiny.
All statements upon this page are the personal hypothesis of the author. It is not my intention to provide a "truth" about mystical G889, rather I wish to present an interesting take upon the events that occurred. I must acknowledge the members of the "Earth 2" mailing list (earth2@stargame.org ) for certain ideas that sparked an avalanche of notions in the above piece. Pictures on this page have been 'gathered' over the past few years from various sites on the Internet. If I have 'stolen' your pictures please let me know and I will be happy to remove them.
"Earth 2" is the property of Universal/Amblin Entertainment. No copyright infringement is intended.