by Ron S. Nolan
Phillips and several CREOS were sitting at tables in the rear of the lounge when the newcomers arrived. Phillips recognized Astra at first sight. He whispered to his associates, "That's the 'Gene Demon' that the Reverend has been preaching about. I'll bet you anything that they brought another Ark on that derelict ship that just crash landed topside. You people keep an eye on her–I have to let the SDL know." Then he bolted for the exit.
Genie dragged Astra and Jasmine, who was now a welcomed patron in the lounge, off to the end of the bar to engage in serious girl talk leaving Sabien and Torch to fill each other in on recent events.
Sabien deadpanned, "Hard trip?"
“We made it somehow. But you know, ever since I met your sister..."
"Right...you don’t need to explain any more, I can imagine."
Torch yawned. "Look, sorry to be a party pooper but I'm exhausted." He stood, gave Sabien a bear hug and said, “See you tomorrow, buddy."
Astra joined Torch on the way out and he walked her to her cabin. Just when he started to kiss her, the door opened and her mother said, "Goodnight, Torch," and then quickly pulled her inside and closed the door.
-- CHAPTER 27 --
Next Day
Shuttle Maintenance Section
The maintenance area was packed with corporate shuttles. Several mechanics were performing maintenance and pre-launch checks readying the ships for the return trip to Earth to pick up more equipment and passengers. Ore haulers returning with full tanks of water and hydroponic growing systems seemed to be in high demand as the likelihood of armed conflict and supply interruptions escalated.
The cracked fuselage and crates full of parts from the crashed Explorer were haphazardly scattered at the rear of the bay. Vladamir was perched on one of the severed landing struts, focused on entering numbers into a hand calculator and murmuring in Russian. He jumped when Torch tapped his shoulder. "Woops didn't mean to startle you. We are just passing through on our way to engineering."
Sabien thanked Vladamir for delivering his sister safely and asked about the Explorer, "Will it fly again, Vladamir?"
"But of course, I see no reason why she shouldn't. I just need a few parts and the machinists here can make whatever I need. It should only take us a couple of weeks to get it back in shape."
Torch replied, "I know my dad wants to assist you. As soon as the backlog clears, you should have all the help that you need. Sabien and I can pitch in too if needed. We'll be in the engineering shop next door."
As they left, Sabien asked, "Do you think he really can put it back together?"
"Maybe...it's just a matter of how much time and money he wants to spend. I gave Melinda two of our giant diamonds to pay for the trip up here. They should be very well endowed financially."
"Ah, diamonds. That is why I brought you here."
"Great, how is your project coming?"
"While you and my sister were on holiday, fooling around south of the border, one of the moonbase bioengineers and I came up with what we believe to be a new, improved approach."
"Hey look, hanging out with your sister has been no picnic. What did you figure out?"
"For one thing, the obvious finally sunk in. Totally sealing off the Arctic would eventually suffocate the tundra and lead to even more environmental damage."
Torch nodded. "I thought about that too. We need to be more selective on what gets sealed off and what remains permeable."
"Exactly! My new colleague and I spent several hours talking about this very topic. Nice guy, first name is Kingly. He gave me an idea. Watch this."
He keyed his notepad and a 3D hologram appeared depicting two microscopic devices that rotated around one another.
Sabien pointed to the one-labeled 'Penetrator'. "This is a carbon nano tube powered by a bio-molecular motor. Several thousand of them would fit on the head of a pin."
"Looks cool, but what do they do?"
"They will penetrate the soil and carry the diamond maker nanos to a depth of one meter before they become activated. Keep that depth factor in mind. It is a key component to the design."
Sabien pointed to the device labeled 'Assembler' on the hologram. "This one extracts carbon from the soil and compresses the molecules into a thin diamond plating which will make an airtight seal."
Torch scratched his head. "So far this sounds a lot like our original X-Plant concept."
"Yes exactly, but each of the Assemblers now has its own GPS connection and logic control unit so that they won't replicate south of sixty six degrees North latitude nor at a depth of less than one meter. This won’t stop the present emissions from the upper meter of soil, but as those gases are depleted, carbon emissions should gradually decline. The microbes, plants and animals in the upper-level of the tundra should mostly be unaffected. This is definitely a decade’s long approach, but it is much better than turning the tundra into a sterile, crystalline desert.”
Torch got the idea. "So the Penetrators deliver the Assemblers which make a diamond seal at a depth of at least one meter and the effects won't extend past the Arctic Circle. And that minimum depth limit will allow at least some excavation room in order to sink and install infrastructure and COM lines.
Sabien added. "Plus, the Penetrators and Assemblers will pass harmlessly through any biological organisms that they inhale, ingest, or that physically come into contact with them.”
"I'm sold. How do we disperse them?" Sabien loaded a hologram of a shuttle. He circled the new additions that he had recently installed. "We will use these new pods to transport and release the nanomachines. They have their own propulsion and guidance systems."
He replaced the shuttle with an orbital schematic. "All we have to do is release the pods at the proper velocity and inclination and they'll enter stable Earth orbit. If we park them at an altitude of 25,000 miles, they will be beyond the path of satellites locked in geostationary and medium earth orbits.
The pods will remain in place until we send an activation radio signal. Then one will arc in over Alaska and the other over Siberia."
Sabien cued an animation on his notepad and explained, "When the pods hit the atmosphere, they'll release thousands of golf ball-sized projectiles–each carrying millions of Penetrators and their Assemblers. As a bonus, they will even begin absorbing CO2 as they descend through the atmosphere."
Torch asked, "Isn't raining golf balls from space kind of dangerous?"
Sabien laughed, "Not really...but it should make for a spectacular fireworks display…plus maybe a brief electromagnetic pulse. We're essentially ready to commence right away. Come on; let me show you the real thing."
Sabien took Torch to the shuttle, opened one of the pods and pointed out the technical details and then gave it a pat and sealed it tight. “We’re good to go whenever you give the world.”
"Sabien, how did you put all this together so fast?"
"It wasn't that hard. Your dad helped me cut a deal with one of his tenants, QuarkTech Manufacturing. They claim they can make almost any nanomachine conceivable and offer super fast turnaround times. I've already run a bunch of tests. We're good to go."
"Wonderful. Give me until tomorrow morning to make arrangements. Then let's go do it!"
Sabien held up his hand. "...There is one more thing though."
"That figures, what is it?"
Sabien confessed, "The only problem with this whole plan is that I'm not that comfortable with my piloting skills. In fact the last time I flew a ship off planet was back in my Junior Space Academy days and these new shuttles are state-of-the art."
Torch thought for a moment. "Okay, I understand. I've never even taken a lesson, so we need a pilot. What do you think about asking Vladamir to command the shuttle?"
"Torch that is a great idea. Let' see what he thinks. He could still be stressed out after crashing his rocket.”
Torch and Sabien went back into the bay and sat down next to Vladamir, briefed him on their plan and asked if he was available and qualified
for a mission in a mining shuttle.
Vladamir jumped up and exclaimed, "You must be joking. Of course I can fly a shuttle; I am Russian Hero Cosmonaut Vladamir Kapintsky. I can fly anything, anywhere.” They all started laughing. It was contagious, even Vladamir joined in on the backslapping that ensued.
Torch and Sabien left the maintenance bay and headed to headquarters to request flight clearance from Torch’s dad who immediately said, "No problem. Good luck."
Torch called Vladamir and told him, "Our mission is approved. We are scheduled for departure at zero eight hundred hours. Oh, Sabien would like to know what you want him to bring along for training at the Kapintsky Flight School."
Vladamir chuckled and then held his ancient calculator in front of the camera lens and said, "See if you can find another one of these gems and a slide rule. I will teach you the same methods used by American astronaut Gordon Cooper when, due to onboard computer failure, he had to manually calculate speed and reentry approach on the Faith 7 mission. All he had back then was a wristwatch and a slide rule, yet he splashed down only four miles from the recovery ship.
And then there was Buzz Aldrin who used his slide rule to perform last minute calculations to land on the moon in Apollo 11. Oh...if you can find one, a sextant would come in handy too."
Sabien listed the requested items on his notepad. "I better get busy."
"Okay...enough for now, I have to find Melinda to tell her that I will be gone for a few days. I'll see you all in the morning."
Later that evening, Torch, Sabien, Astra and Jasmine were seated at a table in the lounge, deep in conversation and obviously enjoying one another’s company.
When the ladies excused themselves to attend the fresher, Torch grabbed Sabien's elbow and said quietly, "Is it me, or is Jasmine starting to look a lot more like a real beauty every day? Astra told me that she is exceptionally bright as well. Is she still evolving? What’s the deal?"
Sabien replied, "So you noticed that too? I really don't know what I have gotten myself into, but I have to admit that I am starting to enjoy her company. She is very kind hearted and has an amazing viewpoint about life and the universe.
"Who would have thought that I would be hooked up with a creature from outer space?"
Torch chuckled, "Sounds like one of those Sci-Fi novels written by Ron S. Nolan."
"Who?"
"Ron S. Nolan, One of his novels was about a plant that turned into a beautiful woman and a guy that fell in love with her."
"What?"
"Never mind. We're scheduled for an early departure tomorrow. Two days out, two days back. You play chess?
"Maybe in between flight lessons."
"I'll see you in the morning. Don't forget your slide rule and calculator."
-- CHAPTER 28 --
After Sabien and Torch ran a series of diagnostic checks on the pod systems and Vladamir had conducted his standard preflight walk around, they boarded the shuttle, received departure clearance from the flight director, moved down the ramp and lifted off. They could see Melinda, Astra and Jasmine watching through a window in Sander’s office, waving and throwing goodbye kisses.
Torch keyed his microcell and announced, "Farewell Deep Space Mining, Wish us luck. See you in a few days. This is Torch Sturtevant signing off. Then he added, "Bye Dad."
"Bye Son, take care."
Four Days Later
With the pods securely installed in stable orbit, the shuttle returned to the moonbase with Sabien seated at the controls. Vladamir congratulated him as they disembarked. “You are now a Shuttle Pilot First Class. You don’t even need a computer! Make sure to keep your slide rule and calculator handy. They will save you when your ship's computer goes berserk. Mine have done just that more times than I want to remember.”
After welcome home hugs from Astra and Jasmine, Torch gathered his gear and prepared to leave. Just as he turned, Sabien grabbed his arm and handed him a shiny, metallic device about the size and shape of a deck of playing cards. He pointed to the front face. "This is the pod launch controller. This button here activates the pod entry sequence. And this is really important, before you press it; be sure to broadcast a warning."
"Warning about what?"
"Each of the billions of Actuators will be exchanging electromagnetic signals with the Penetrators. This might cause all sorts of data corruption and communication blackouts. Some people in high places might even panic and do something stupid."
"Gotcha, I'll try not to lose it."
"I put a message on the back to remind you."
Torch turned the controller over and read the words that were handwritten on a piece of tape. "Very funny. You are definitely a complete weirdo."
Sabien pretended to look shocked and replied, “I could use a beer. Let's take the ladies to the bar and see what we've been missing.”
They entered the hallway and were surprised to see it bustling with traffic headed in the direction of the Luna Lounge. One of the base CREOS wearing an SDL armband carried a poster that bore Astra's face and the words 'GENE DEMON'.
Torch grabbed Astra's arm and said, "Hold it. Maybe we should take a rain check on the beer."
Sabien agreed. “I don't like this. I'll take the girls to my quarters, why don’t you find Genie and find out what the heck is going on? I’ll meet you back in the bar.”
******
The Luna Lounge was packed with CREOS supporters gathered on one side and VIDAS backers congregated on the other. The roar was so loud that Torch could barely hear the USACO News announcer when a caption scrolled onto the vidscreen. 'Global Temperatures Hit a new Record High', which was largely ignored as more protesters packed into the bar–many wearing t-shirts with "'GOD IS THE ONLY GENE MASTER' emblazoned on the front and others displaying Astra’s picture above the words, ‘GENE DEMON’.
Phillips began leading the CREOS in their standard chant, 'God is the Only Gene Master'. A voice rang out, "Throw these creeps out Genie."
Another patron agreed, "Yeah, Genie get rid of them."
Genie located Phillips, pulled him to the exit and emphatically said, "Okay Phillips, this is a bar not a town square. Take your demonstration somewhere else. Go back in and get your group out of here or I will call your boss at security."
Phillips motioned for the CREOS to retreat and they followed him to the SpeeZees Lab where they blocked the entrance and resumed their chanting. Moments later, Sanders and Miguel arrived with a half dozen company security men wearing side arms.
Phillips urgently waved a notepad back and forth and shouted, "Over a hundred base residents have signed this petition. We demand that the Ark be delivered to the SDL."
He held out the notepad. Miguel took it and showed it to Sanders who immediately realized that he had a serious wildfire to deal with. In order to buy some time and restore control he said, "I'll consider it. Let's call it a night. Now go back to your quarters. That's an order!"
The CREOS slowly dispersed leaving behind hastily drawn SDL graffiti that covered the walls and doorway.
Back in his quarters, Phillips broadcast a text message to the base CREOS that stated "I'm officially calling for a work strike. Next shift we will shut down operations until Sanders hands over the Ark. Spread the word!"
Early the next morning Miguel joined Sanders and Torch in his office. Miguel summarized, "We've got a real mess on our hands. About half of the base and mine workers are no shows. Ore production is dead in the water. Several of our key tenants have reported a rash of sick calls too. We have guards posted in front of the cabins assigned to Torch and his team, but I fear that there may be many SDL converts among our security staff–not just Jason Phillips and his buddies at SpeeZees.”
Sanders told Miguel to set up a meeting in the Luna Lounge. Miguel donned a headset and spoke into the mic, "This is Miguel Castaneda. All non-essential personnel are ordered to report to the Luna Lounge ASAP. This is mandatory. The meeting will begin in fifteen minutes."
The lounge was
packed when Sanders made his entrance followed by Miguel and Torch. Sanders climbed on top of the bar and waved everyone to be quiet. "This will be short. Listen up everyone. Any person interfering with our mining operations or research labs will be out of here on the next shuttle. Any questions?”
Phillips came forward and asked, "What about the Ark? It is a blasphemy to God."
"Now hear this. Listen carefully; the Ark is under my jurisdiction. I'll handle it my way and I take full responsibility for its security. If you are off duty, go to your quarters and wait for further instructions. The rest of you get back to your posts."
One of the CREOS yelled, "Sanders is a Godless dictator." Genie pointed at him and screamed, "OUT!"
Sanders concluded. “Until further notice, all non-essential personnel are restricted to their quarters. The base is hereby locked down.”
Genie added, "Okay, you heard the man, this bar is closed–everyone out."
-- CHAPTER 29 --
After twenty-four hours of relative peace and tranquility, Sanders rescinded his lockdown proclamation and normal routines resumed, but there were lots of hushed conversations taking place that generated a high voltage atmosphere throughout the moonbase.
Sanders called his son. "Torch, here we are again– watching another lunar sunrise. My staff members are relaxing outside. Feel free to invite our guests but I want you to have an armed escort. Things are still pretty tense."
Torch and Astra suited up and walked along the path to the solar array followed by the guard who understood their desire for privacy and lagged behind to give them space. Astra still hadn't become accustomed to the partial gravity and every stride sent her on and off the path launching her forward ahead of Torch. She lost her balance, pirouetted, took a giant step which elevated her off the ground and slammed into his arms. Torch could see her lips moving, but could hear nothing. He flipped the COM switch on the wrist of her suit and was surprised to hear her singing "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine" from an old county song that he had played for her during a quiet period on their flight from the orbiting factory to the moonbase.