Project Alpha

by D. J. MacHale

  “Liftoff,” Alpha Control announced. “Ten seconds until main boosters.”

  “My mouth is too dry to swallow,” Piper said.

  “No problem,” Dash said calmly. “We’ve done this a thousand times.”

  “Yeah,” Carly said. “Except for the leaving Earth part.”

  “…three…two…one…engage. Godspeed, Voyagers.”

  The main boosters kicked in. The increased g-forces pushed everyone deep into their seats as the Cloud Cat accelerated rapidly and shot skyward.

  On the ground, there were cheers and tears.

  In front of their TVs at home, four families watched their children disappear into the heavens.

  The Cloud Cat gained speed as it fought to break free of Earth’s gravity.

  “Everybody okay?” Dash asked.

  “Good.”

  “Fine.”

  “Super fine.”

  Nothing was out of the ordinary, right down to the sky darkening outside of the forward window port. The crew had seen this all during simulations.

  “I have to keep reminding myself this is real,” Carly said.

  The ship began shaking as it battled the pull of gravity.

  “Whoa,” Piper said. “This is different.”

  “Alpha Control,” Gabriel said. “This buffeting is more intense than in training. My teeth are chattering.”

  “You’re fine,” Alpha Control said. “That’s expected.”

  “Not by me it wasn’t,” Gabriel replied. “I can’t see straight.”

  The buffeting grew more intense.

  Nobody admitted it, but it made them more than nervous.

  “Almost done,” STEAM declared.

  The shaking grew more intense; the crew was pushed further into their seats; and then without a warning the ride smoothed out.

  “Well,” Gabriel said, relieved. “That was…different.”

  “Look at this!” Piper declared.

  She had been clutching a tiny stuffed elephant for good luck. The toy was now floating in front of her. “We’re in orbit!”

  “Houston,” Gabriel said with glee. “We have no problem!”

  “Say again, Cloud Cat,” Alpha Control replied.

  “We’ve achieved orbit,” Gabriel answered, more businesslike.

  The automatic program that would bring the Cloud Cat to the Cloud Leopard made a course correction and sent the small shuttle on its way. Everyone gazed in wonder out of the forward window at the void of space and the multitude of stars.

  “It’s just like the simulations,” Carly said. “But man, it’s real!”

  “Look at that,” Dash declared, pointing to the far side of the forward window.

  All eyes went there to see the curve of planet Earth. The deep blue sea was a strong contrast to the dark continents. Strings of white clouds drifted over the California coast like pale cotton candy.

  “I wonder how many people down there are thinking about us,” Carly asked.

  Nobody ventured a guess. The concept was too staggering.

  “Fifteen minutes until rendezvous with the Cloud Leopard,” Alpha Control announced.

  A tiny, silver speck appeared in the distance. It was the Cloud Leopard, exactly where it was supposed to be.

  “Hey, Steamer,” Gabriel said. “How about I turn off the computer and bring us in myself?”

  “No sir,” STEAM said. “Not a good idea.”

  “C’mon!” Gabriel cajoled. “Then all that training will be for nothing.”

  “Better not,” STEAM said.

  “What do you think, Dash?” Gabriel said. “You’re the commander. Can I go for it?”

  Dash was torn. He didn’t want any problems, but he also wanted to show confidence in the crew. He glanced back to Carly and Piper.

  “Okay with me,” Carly said with a shrug.

  “Go for it,” Piper added. “It’s not like we haven’t done it a few thousand times.”

  Gabriel gave Dash a big, innocent, pleading smile.

  “Okay,” Dash said. “Just take it easy.”

  “Yeah!” Gabriel exclaimed. He pushed his flight glasses firmly onto his nose and placed his hand on the control pad.

  “Cloud Cat,” Alpha Control immediately said. “You are in manual mode.”

  “Yes, we are,” Gabriel replied. “Just trying to get the feel of this thing.”

  “I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” STEAM said.

  Gabriel focused on the growing spot in space that was the Cloud Leopard and increased the thrust to speed up the rendezvous.

  “This is way easier than the simulator,” Gabriel said.

  He put on even more speed. The Cloud Leopard took shape. The docking door was open and waiting.

  “Cloud Cat, reengage computer control,” Alpha Control commanded.

  “I got this,” Gabriel replied.

  The Cloud Leopard loomed larger.

  “We’re coming in too fast,” Dash warned.

  “I’ve come in way faster than this before,” Gabriel shot back.

  “Not when we were actually moving,” Dash said. “Go back to computer control.”

  “Relax, I got it,” Gabriel said.

  The Cloud Cat drifted to the right, moving off the center line for approach.

  “Reengage the computer, Gabe,” Dash said, the strain showing in his voice.

  “Almost there,” Gabriel said, squinting in concentration.

  “Reengage!” Dash shouted. “That’s an order!”

  Gabriel ignored him. He was too focused on bringing the ship in.

  Dash didn’t have the reengage control in front of him. Only the pilot did. But Dash had his own pair of flight glasses.

  “I’m taking over,” he announced, and put on the glasses.

  “No!” Gabriel shouted.

  Putting on the glasses transferred control of the Cloud Cat to Dash, the commander. He put his hand on the control pad and the Cloud Cat immediately slowed. Dash brought the ship back to the center line and gently eased it through the docking door.

  “Reengaging computer,” Gabriel declared, all business.

  He punched the control that brought the computer back online and the Cloud Cat eased gently into the launch bay. The vehicle settled onto the deck and the engines wound down.

  “Alpha Control, we have arrived at the Cloud Leopard,” Gabriel said.

  “Roger, Cloud Cat,” Alpha Control replied. “Welcome aboard.”

  Nobody said anything for several seconds as the launch doors of the Cloud Leopard closed. The moment the doors were sealed, the effect of the artificial gravity took over and the crew once again felt the weight of their bodies.

  “I had it,” Gabriel said angrily to Dash.

  “You were going too fast and you were off course,” Dash said.

  “And what was with the ‘that’s an order’ thing?” Gabriel asked, barely hiding his disdain.

  “I’m the commander,” Dash said. “And we were in trouble.”

  “We weren’t,” Gabriel argued.

  “It was a dumb thing to do,” Dash said. “Totally unnecessary.”

  “Whatever,” Gabriel shot back. “Next time leave the flying to me, Commander.”

  Carly leaned in between the two of them and said, “Can we go now?”

  The guys turned away from one another and unstrapped. Piper was already in her air chair and STEAM dropped the ramp for them to step off.

  “Well,” STEAM said. “That was excitement we did not need.”

  Gabriel stormed off and the others followed. As they rounded to the front of the Cloud Cat, several blue ZRKs flew in to inspect the vehicle for damages. The crew ignored them and strode straight for the elevator. Moments later, they were on the upper deck.

  Gabriel was angry. Dash was too. The girls were upset as well. What had started out as the adventure of a lifetime had quickly turned into a family squabble.

  STEAM led the group forward until they reached the doors to the navigation deck. H
e turned back to the others and said, “There is something very important that you must remember.”

  “Really?” Gabriel said, annoyed. “What’s that?”

  “We are in space. Yes sir!”

  The door opened onto the flight deck to reveal a panoramic view of space through the forward window of the Cloud Leopard.

  The kids were still speechless, but for a very different reason. Up until that moment, the only view they had ever seen through that window was of the desert. Now they were greeted by the infinite beauty of the universe.

  “I, uh, I…wow” was all Gabriel could say.

  The giant monitor above the window came to life with a live image of Commander Phillips.

  “What happened?” he demanded, peeved.

  “A miscommunication,” Dash said quickly. “I thought we were off course, so I authorized manual control. My fault.”

  Gabriel shot Dash a surprised look.

  “It was a mistake,” Gabriel said, genuinely sorry. “It won’t happen again.”

  “It can’t happen again,” Phillips said sternly. “Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” Dash and Gabriel said at the same time.

  “All right, then,” Phillips said, calming down. “Let’s start again. How does it feel to be in space?”

  “Amazing!” Piper said with enthusiasm. “The Earth is beautiful. And the stars…there are like…billions!”

  “What happens now?” Dash asked. “We stay in orbit for a while? Make sure the ship is secure? Settle in to our quarters?”

  “Uh, no,” Phillips said. “Look at your MTBs.”

  Everyone raised their arms to see that yet another countdown was in progress. The count moved below five minutes.

  “What happens in five minutes?” Carly asked.

  “Strap in to your flight seats,” Phillips said. “When the count reaches zero, the ship will be in position to break out of orbit and hit the proper trajectory for J-16.”

  “Whoa,” Gabriel said. “You mean we’re heading for deep space now? Right now?”

  “We could wait until the next orbit but what’s the point? Let’s get this show on the road.”

  The crew dove for the seats. Gabriel was in the far left seat. The pilot’s seat. Carly was to his immediate right. Piper slid into the next seat over and Dash’s seat was on the far right end.

  Gabriel put on his pilot’s glasses.

  “This will be a new experience for you,” Phillips said. “The jump to Gamma Speed will be a jolt followed by a smooth ride. This is a programmed event. There will be no need for Gabriel to take manual control. Is that understood?”

  All eyes went to Gabriel.

  He saw that he was being stared at and said, “I get it! I won’t touch a thing.”

  “One minute,” Phillips announced. “How is everyone feeling?”

  “Ready,” Dash announced.

  “Excited,” Piper replied.

  “Anxious,” Carly said.

  “All of the above,” Gabriel said.

  “In fifteen days, the Cloud Leopard will arrive and be inserted into orbit around the planet J-16,” Phillips said. “From now until then, you will be prepped on how to retrieve the element needed for the Source.”

  “One step at a time,” Dash said.

  “Thirty seconds,” STEAM announced.

  “I envy you all,” Phillips said. “You are the first humans to be traveling at Gamma Speed.”

  “Wait, what?” Carly said. “I thought you said this was all tested.”

  “Safe journey,” Phillips said. “I’ll be in touch.”

  The screen winked out and was replaced by the countdown.

  8…7…6…

  “Should we be worried?” Piper asked nervously.

  “Too late now,” Dash replied.

  …3…2…1…IGNITION.

  The kids were thrown back into their seats as the Cloud Leopard jumped from Earth’s orbit, pulled away from the planet’s gravity, and entered the state of Gamma Speed.

  Next stop, the far side of the universe.

  The heavy sensation from the sudden and dramatic acceleration lasted only a few seconds. After that, the ship settled in and there was barely any sense of movement at all.

  “That’s it?” Carly asked. “Are we really in Gamma Speed?”

  Gabriel touched his control panel and a map of the universe appeared. The Cloud Leopard was represented by a small green A that stood out brilliantly against the black void and brilliant white stars. The image was moving, though slowly.

  “We’re on our way,” Gabriel declared. “I don’t know whether to be freaked out or disappointed. It doesn’t even feel like we’re going anywhere.”

  “That’s a good thing,” Dash said while unbuckling his straps. “I wouldn’t want to be bracing myself like that for two weeks.”

  STEAM joined the group and said, “It is now my job to brief you on the next phase of the mission.”

  “Finally!” Gabriel declared.

  On the monitor, an image of the green planet J-16 appeared.

  “An unmanned probe was sent into space years ago,” STEAM explained. “It sent back these images. The planet is primitive, like Earth a million years ago. This video is from the probe as it made its landing.”

  The screen changed to a moving shot flying over a dense green tropical jungle. The probe’s camera captured images from below as it flashed over a thick canopy that could have been a rain forest in Brazil.

  “Atmosphere is breathable; gravity is like Earth,” STEAM said.

  The probe zipped over the top of the dense canopy, then swooped down low, passing by tall, swaying bushes with leaves the size of blankets. It descended low over a tangle of vines and masses of colorful flowers.

  “Where am I supposed to land in that mess?” Gabriel asked.

  “Stand by,” STEAM said.

  The thick ground cover gave way to a wide, grassy meadow that sat in a valley surrounded by distant, towering mountain ranges. Multiple waterfalls cascaded from the cliffs, completing the image of a tropical paradise.

  The image showed that the probe descended quickly and landed softly in the grass.

  “That is where you land,” STEAM said. “Navigation will lock onto the signal from the probe and guide you in, yes sir.”

  “What kind of life is there?” Carly asked. “Besides all the vegetables.”

  “Uncertain,” STEAM answered. “One thing we know is that there is no intelligent life. At least not as we know it.”

  “I’ll bet there are snakes,” Gabriel said. “It looks like the kind of place that has lots of snakes. I hate snakes.”

  “All the information you will need is stored in our data banks. We have two weeks to prepare,” STEAM said.

  “All right, then,” Dash said. “Welcome home, everybody.”

  —

  The crew took time to make themselves get used to life aboard the Cloud Leopard. Many of their waking hours were spent in the recreation room watching movies and playing games. They worked out in the gym and raced each other through the tubes.

  Meals were always a highlight. They ordered from an electronic menu, and soon after, the ZRKs would fly into the dining hall and deliver their food. When the meal was finished, the ZRKs would clear the table and clean up until not a single crumb was left.

  The ZRKs were a constant presence. They not only maintained the complex systems of the ship, but they cooked meals, made the bunks, and did the laundry.

  “I’m bringing some of these little guys home with me,” Gabriel would say multiple times a day.

  The journey wasn’t all fun. Gabriel constantly checked the progress of the Cloud Leopard against the set course. He also continued his flight training in a simulator. The plan was to use the hovercraft to move over the surface of J-16, so he spent much of his time getting used to handling that vehicle.

  Piper did daily medical checks on the crew, taking vital signs like temperature and blood pressure. She even did vision
and hearing checks. The data was entered and sent back to Base Ten so doctors could monitor the health of the crew.

  Carly needed to know the Element Fuser inside and out so she could prepare the Source when the time came. She took items from all over the ship like sugar, water, lint, food scraps…anything she could find to practice with the device and see what strange new compounds she could create. Mostly she came up with gook, but it made her confident that she had mastered the machine.

  Dash spent a lot of time in the simulators as well.

  Gabriel wasn’t happy about that. “I don’t care if he’s the commander,” he confided in Carly after a few days. “It’s not his job to fly. And he’s been monkeying with the Element Fuser and checking up on Piper too. It’s like he doesn’t trust us to do our jobs.”

  “He’s just trying to stay on top of things,” Carly said, attempting to calm him down.

  “Yeah, well, if he’s so good, maybe Phillips should have sent Dash out here by himself,” Gabriel said.

  The tension between Dash and Gabriel wouldn’t go away, but it was minor compared to the dramatic events that took place only a few days into the flight.

  Dash was on the track, running laps. As he finished his daily run, his eye caught a flash of movement in the gym below. It was too big to have been a ZRK, and too small to be one of the crew.

  “Hey!” he called. “STEAM? That you?”

  No answer.

  A shadow moved underneath the trampoline.

  “Gabe?” he called but got no reply.

  Dash quickly went to the circular stairs that led from the raised track down to the gym floor.

  “I know you’re there,” he called. “I saw you.”

  Dash moved slowly, cautiously toward the trampoline. His pulse raced. What was going on? Why wasn’t the person answering?

  “Stop messing, all right? This isn’t funny.”

  Dash couldn’t see beneath the trampoline because his view was blocked by two large exercise balls.

  “I know it’s you, Gabe. You’re going to jump out at me, right?”

  Dash got close enough to the balls to touch them.

  “All right,” he said. “Enough.”

  He shoved the two balls aside to reveal…

  …a golden retriever.

  Dash was so shocked, he couldn’t move.