by T I WADE
Meanwhile Vitalily and crew were beginning work on a third carriage to join the train. It would be ready when Lunar arrived in SB-V the next day.
At least Ryan had half of the load of gold for Earth. He knew that on the next trip America Two would be joining the mission, and hopefully fly faster with new thrusters, which would give the crew time to return to Earth with a full cargo. Her twelve powerful laser guns would certainly double the firepower, and everyone knew that the return would be the start of the battle for the red planet.
Chapter 10
A New Plan
The crew were exhausted as the four shuttles, on full thrust, headed out of Mars’ orbit to where Earth would be in 179 days. They had passed their departure deadline by 27 hours. Twenty-seven hours meant 29 days of extra flying, and SB-III was about to have half her fuel supply sucked out of her by the larger shuttles.
Once that happened in a few hours, Jonesy would have about as much chance of getting back to Earth as Captain Pete and Dr. Nancy had aboard the “Office”. Actually he had less chance, he wasn’t as experienced as Captain Pete.
First, it was time for sleep, and most of the crew in the last two shuttles fell in exhausted sleep once Jonesy set the Flight Autopilot with the shuttles 25 miles apart.
The last four days had been a grind, especially for the spacewalkers on the surface carrying the gold into the empty cargo bays.
SB-V had headed down with full fuel tanks, an extra 1,000 gallons of fuel in her rear cargo hold, and had spent twelve hours at the retreat with every inch of spare room being loaded with the new carriage for the train, and canisters full of plants, and shrubs. They packed in chickens and rabbits sedated in canisters with slow leaking bottles of oxygen to keep them alive. These sealed animal canisters needed to get into the cavern first. Lunar’s shuttle carried 20 crew members, and the entire chemist’s lab to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. She would need three more flights to take in everything needed for the new base to survive.
Max flew with her on her first flight, and he would have Vitalily helping him this time. Both men had practiced how to strap three canisters at a time in a triangular formation to each of the forward two carriages. They could take down a crewmember and 23 canisters in four trips within their three-hour spacewalk period leaving the canisters to be carried into the cavern on the fourth trip.
They managed this with only minutes of air time left in their suits when they returned to SB-V. Ryan wasn’t happy but the two men had carried one biologist, two dollys for moving the canisters, 23 canisters, all the animals into the cavern and had closed it down destroying much of the air pressure. It didn’t matter though as three hours later and with fresh suits, they destroyed the air pressure for the second time this time rolling in the second biologist and another 23 canisters full of plants and shrubs.
By this time the animals were in the command center, and safe. The first biologist who had exited the shuttle minutes before the fourth journey still had a fresh suit, had waited 110 minutes before the air pressure had regained enough strength to open the door to the globe room and command center. Then he had wheeled in the canisters one by one, and set up the animals in their fold down cages which had been packed with them into the canisters.
By the time the door closed to protect him from the next entrance, he had set up 100 meat chickens, 50 egg layers, 50 breeding chickens, 40 rabbits and 100 baby rabbits in their cages in the two rooms, and had only lost two chickens in the process. Now he had two hours to feed them before trying the door to allow in the second biologist.
By his time, the chemistry lab had been taken down the tunnel by Max who had taken over from Vitalily. The chemistry lab was 40 canisters, which didn’t need to enter the door until they were needed to be set up. Another 20 canisters of supplies were taken down, and three crew. Again the door was opened, and the three crew headed into the cavern with three canisters of water and food, and the radio.
These quick openings, Max knew would only take an hour before the pressure was safe again and it wasn’t long before the three crewmembers opened the inner door to enter the globe and command center.
Outside the tunnels the crew heading back to Earth were working three hours on, three hours off filling the refilling the shuttle’s cargo holds with the gold.
By the time SB-II arrived 24 hours later with Mars Noble aboard, two full cargo holds of suited up and ready to go crew, and every canister left in the retreat full of supplies. Since it wasn’t necessary to take water, or fuel, each protective canister was full of vital supplies, and personal items.
By the time the Burgos sisters flew in in SB-II, SB-V’s first cargo hold was full of gold, and thirty crewmembers were inside the cavern.
Jonesy was now alone as security in orbit while SB-IV arrived six hours after SB-II with another 20 crewmembers aboard to be transferred into the new base. This was her only flight to the tunnels, and once she dropped off the crew, Saturn launched her shuttle back into orbit.
The carriages were working nonstop. With Max, Vitalily, VIN and Mars working them, they went up and down every 20 minutes carrying canisters or crew. The canisters were piling up outside the cavern and in the tunnel towards the exploded hangar area. Here they waited until the crew arrived. The team carried down 4 crew at a time, two on each carriage. As soon as two loads of canisters were unloaded by VIN or Mars at the bottom of the tunnel, four crewmembers exited the shuttles and headed down the tunnel. They all had fresh suits on and waited like Joanne had first done for the second group.
Once all eight were there, and the earlier group of eight had exited the cavern into the safe globe room, the door was opened by somebody inside and all eight crew headed in carrying 8 canisters. Whoever was outside the door rolled in several more and four canisters each holding a spacesuit taken off by crew inside the globe room were rolled out. They were then tied onto the carriages and the next crewmember who needed a rest, headed up to wait out his three hour rest period.
Even with the exchanges, the available suits ran out, and it delayed the system for six hours while they were returned to be used again and again.
After 48 hours, 83 crew were safe inside the globe room and command center, and the final 80 canisters of supplies were left to be taken down.
As the canisters holding the suits had returned for the next person to wear, the canisters were refilled inside the cargo bays, or delicate items inside the shuttle atmospheres.
While Vitalily, VIN and Mars jockeyed the canisters down, every other available crewmember from the retreat, including all the Russians, loaded the gold.
SB-V was finally full of her gold cargo 12 hours before their destination time limit, and then they worked in three-hour shifts to fill SB-II.
Down below, the carriages with the last canisters of vital equipment for the base trundled down, VIN and Mars rolled in canister after canister into the cavern through the opened door for a solid twenty minutes. The whole area round them in the tunnel was like a lake of air slowly seeping away.
They’d rolled in the last of the canisters as Vitalily arrived with the last six. These were quickly carried in and the door closed. VIN had used duct tape to keep the helmet sealed around the door panel, and the man who had opened the door headed up to the shuttles with the crew as he was returning to the retreat.
“There is only twenty percent air pressure left in the cavern Max,” stated VIN. “I wouldn’t open the door for at least 48 to 60 hours. We are out of here buddy. See you in a couple of years.”
They got a muffled response from Max, and the team headed up the tunnel, full of a sea of air bubbles heading in every direction, for the final time.
The bubbles moved so fast that they were escaping through the tunnel exits when the three men began lifting out the carriages one by one and loading them into the cargo hold of SB-II.
The larger shuttle, crammed full of people needed to return the retreat’s crew back to the base.
SB-II was three quarters fu
ll of cargo when Ryan, who had worked outside as hard as any of his crew stated that enough was enough, and it was time to return to earth.
Both shuttles said goodbye to the tunnels, and the astronauts could see the area of the missing yellow ooze as high as 5,000 feet above the surface. They had moved about a tenth of the gold so far.
The two shuttles flew back to the retreat, unloaded the crew staying behind, and all extra space suits. They unloaded the train into the blue shield, squashed the two canisters holding the dissected robot soldier into the cargo bay, and within an hour of landing, headed up into the darkening sky of a Martian dusk.
Ryan and Kathy, who had worked as hard as the rest slept in the dormitory in SB-V, while Lunar accepted the Flight Command Autopilot, and with Shelley Saunders monitored the shuttle’s gauges as they drew away from the red planet.
Lunar’s husband Michael and Dr. Smidt had worked hard outside, and their eyes were red and had black bags, and were asleep before they had even left the Martian atmosphere twelve hours’ earlier. Michael was still sleep twelve hours later, and Lunar let him rest. She was proud of him.
There hadn’t been much time for goodbyes, and there were many friends staying behind. The sleeping areas were half empty, and there was a lot more room for the return journey.
Roo, Joanne and the kids were in the new cavern. Patricia the second medic was in the Retreat. Max was base commander, and Dave Black was happily returning to Earth board SB-II.
VIN was onboard SB-V, and Suzi was with Saturn in SB-IV. It had been a real rush, and most of the returning crew weren’t in the ships they were meant to be. Even Maggie was aboard Lunar’s shuttle fast asleep. She had been one of the last to get aboard, and she had worked as hard as any crewmember out there.
There had been a plan put together by Ryan, Igor, Boris and Jonesy as Chief Astronaut, but as yet, nobody had been told the plan how on they were going to get back to Earth. Everybody had just fallen asleep after launch from the retreat.
Lunar was worried. All of the four shuttles did not have enough fuel to reach Earth due to running 27 hours late of the return deadline.
Due to the delay, they had to travel an extra 1,740,000 miles to reach Earth. It didn’t sound much, but Earth would be traveling away from them, or in a similar direction they were traveling at over 60,000 miles an hour. Also, she in SB-V and Jonesy in SB-III had used more fuel than had been reserved for them, and Lunar felt much like Captain Pete had felt trying his best to get back to Earth the last time.
Ryan, Igor and Boris were still sleep in SB-V. Igor and Boris, although older than many of the crew had worked as hard outside next to Ryan carrying in the gold.
It took a few more hours before the crew began to wake, and water, food, and coffee was brewed for the crew in SB-V who looked like they had been overworked too long. Lunar was quite surprised that her father was rather calm and serene, drinking his coffee pouch. Nobody seemed worried that they might not get back to the blue planet.
“Dad, when are you going to tell us about your ideas to get us back to Nevada?” Lunar asked handing Maggie, and then her husband a pouch of hot coffee.
“Give Igor, Boris and I a few minutes to freshen up. I want to send a message to Pluto Katherine first, and then talk to Max, and Vitalily, and Mr. Jones while the message is on its way.
Lunar had done a daily report to Nevada. The loading of the gold, and delivery of crew and supplies into the new base had taken everybody else’s time. The team back on Earth were worried, and their computers had told them the same story the astronauts knew: that getting back to earth with the delay would be a problem.
Several minutes later a report was sent to Nevada, and Ryan got on the intercom. The intercom was an open channel between all ships and anybody only within 400,000 miles.
“SB-V to Martian Club Retreat, do you copy, over? Vitalily, are you or one of your crew on radio, over?”
“Retreat to SB-V, copied that, Patricia here. Vitalily is still sleep. Want me to get him, over?”
“Negative, let him sleep. He deserves some rest. Patricia how is the base, over.”
“As usual, nothing on radar. It is a nice morning down here, cameras working well, no sign of storms, but there is a wind out there. We will begin hauling in the topsoil later, and expect to close down two of the three shields as planned within ten days, over.”
“Remember, nothing, even the topsoil is to be left on the upper two levels. Thanks Patricia. Max you there at the new base, over?”
“Reading you loud and clear boss,” replied Max. “Patricia, how are you reading me, over?”
“Still very faint, but clear Max,” replied Patricia.
“I could just hear you too,” replied Max. “Lookout Mountain must be up and running, but at minimum power. Maybe the relay’s solar panels need a few more days of sunlight to power up 100 percent, but at least we have comms. Boss, the crew here are pretty squashed, but we need to wait out the 60 hours VIN suggested to get a decent air pressure back into the rest of the base. The temporary space toilet is working well, some are actually sleeping in the cryogenic chambers. They say it is pretty comfortable, more comfortable than space blankets on the floor. All our beds are still in the cavern, so we will set up the base day after tomorrow. By the way several of the biologists collected water from the river before entering the globe room. The water here tastes far better than the water from the crater. Also Ruler Roo and Joanne want to name this new base Mattville. Mattville, Planet Mars, The Universe is our new address for the postal service when they get to space deliveries. Tell them we need a new zip code.”
That made all the crew listening in smile. Max continued. “Tell Suzi that due to our water tasting, we should have a superior wine and beer supply for her, and Jonesy when they return, and we all hope that both of them change their minds about retirement and return to visit. Tell Suzi that the air from the base is leaking with the water into the underground cavern. She had asked me that question a few days ago. Also I have sent the exact atmosphere densities to your onboard computers. The air is still pretty deadly down there, and we will wear suits if or when we go down there, over.”
“Great job, Max,” replied Ryan. ‘We will be in contact again in 24 hours, out. Mr. Jones, you are awake since your name was mentioned I assume?”
“Max can be persuasive at times,” Jonesy replied from SB-III.
“Have you thought about our plan to get home?” Ryan asked with the entire crew in space listening in. By now everybody was awake in the shuttles.
“Yes, and I think it will work, as long as I can have my wife back,” Jonesy replied.
“Of course, Commander Jones, we’ll ship Maggie priority mail as soon as the postal service gets out here to deliver our mail,” joked Ryan.
“A little sooner would be nice,” remarked the Chief Astronaut. “I’ve spent the last 12 hours doing an analysis of what you, Boris and Igor suggested. My computers state that we must transfer my fuel to the shuttles within the next 20 hours, and then I will have enough reserve fuel to complete a 12-minute full burn. That will change my direction 11 degrees in front of where you guys will reach your orbit of Earth. My fuel reserves will be enough for 300 hours of side thruster operation, good for 291 days of controlled flying. My forward speed will be steady at 51,000 knots and ETA Earth, is never. SB-III, and I, will miss Earth by 41 million miles on its first pass when you guys get there in 197 days’ time, and 13.77 million miles as it passes by my deceased body a year later. I am dry, was not offered one hundred cases of vodka like you promised that Russian Goat Vitalily, and have supplies for 243 days aboard.”
Lunar, who hadn’t heard the plan was shocked at what Jonesy reported.
“And you want me to climb board with you darling?” laughed Maggie from SB-IV. “You must be joking? Look at the bright side, you can last twice as long without me?”
“Well, I’m sure a quiet retirement alone in space would relax you, Dad,” added Saturn sitting next to her mother.
“It will give you plenty of time to look for that space shark of yours.”
“Thank you ladies. Please allow the chief astronaut to continue with his report,” stated Ryan smiling.
“That is my report Boss, unless you want a detailed description of my upcoming death,” Jonesy added and was quiet.
“Sounds like a good thriller. Boris and I, and a few others would love to watch that scene Mr. Jones,” joked Igor.
“Pluto Katherine to SB-V, Pluto Katherine from Astermine, Base Nevada for Ryan Richmond. Your return message over?” came Ryan’s younger daughter’s scratchy voice over the radio from many millions of miles away. It was still a thrill for all the crew to once again have communications over such long distances, even though it took twenty minutes to reach Earth and return. “We have completed your computer calculations given to us 10 hours ago. We are happy to state that the rendezvous of SB-I and SB-III is possible in 120 days’ time. SB-I will leave Earth’s orbit in 17 days. We have enough fuel on base to fill both cargo holds of SB-I and we agree to a return flight of 122 days from the refueling and resupply of SB-III to LSO on your numbers. Total flight time for SB-III, we calculate is 242 days, for your three shuttles: 178 days, for SB-I: 229 days. We suggest you need to make two changes, which will decrease total flight time for SB-III by 7.9 days to Earth LSO orbit. SB-III must only increase its deflection angle by 10.15 degrees, not 10.97 degrees, and a full 17-minute burn is needed to reach a forward speed of exactly 52,600 knots. We understand that your fuel flow will be in reserve guidelines, but we can have Astermine I ready at the Orbital station to give you guys a splash and go once you get close. I await your reply, out.”
“SB-V to Nevada Base. Message received and understood,” replied Ryan over the radio. “I will compute in your changes and will report back in 24 hours. Looking forward to seeing you and the kids soon. Say hi to hubby and the whole crew. We here all hope things on Earth are getting better. Tell Martin Brusk I need a meeting on our return. Love you Pluts, out.”