“Are they really going to the neutron star?” Linda asked from across his desk where she was sitting.
It seemed to her that this mission was a horrendous risk. She still couldn’t believe that Pierre and LeAnn had volunteered to go. They were much braver than she was.
“There’s a lot of information that we’re recording that seems to be off,” explained Mase, recalling what Pierre had tried to explain to him. “We have to send a ship out there so we will know exactly what’s in store for us.”
“I guess I understand,” replied Linda, feeling a cold chill run down her back just thinking about being cooped up on a spaceship for the amount of time it would take to complete this mission.
“How’s Jolene doing?”
“Great!” Linda replied her face breaking out in a smile. “She’s taking her new job assignment very seriously and has been talking to Julie Gray on Star One every day. She wants to adopt some of the same techniques Julie’s using to set up our own food and oxygen systems. Of course, the new Tyco City cavern is going to be so big it will be entirely different than what Julie is doing on Star One. Jolene says it poses an entirely new set of challenges.”
Mase nodded. He had talked to Julie in depth about Jolene and had been pleased to learn that Julie had a very high opinion of the young woman. Mase had a suspicion that if Julie didn’t have Kathleen Preen as her chief assistant she would have offered the job to Jolene.
Mase knew he needed to meet with Jolene and explain to the young horticulturist the urgency of what he needed her and the specialized group she would be working with to do. He also had a few more people he wanted to bring up from Earth to help her with the project.
“Linda, have you spoken to Karen about coming up to Tycho City?” Mase asked. He had already approved and filled out the necessary paperwork for the young woman to come up to the Moon. He knew it had meant a lot to Linda when he handed her the completed paperwork and saw the relieved look in her eyes.
“Yes,” replied Linda, brushing her shoulder length brunette hair back behind her shoulders with her left hand. “She was very surprised and excited. She will be coming up as soon as she finishes her final exams at college.”
“That’s good,” replied Mase, nodding his head. “I assume she will be living with Jolene and you.”
“Of course,” Linda responded. “We have discussed it. She met Karen while we were going to college together. Of course, at that time Karen was still a teenager.” Linda stood up to leave the office. She knew that Mase still had several more meetings scheduled for that afternoon.
-
Several more days passed and Mase found himself in the Control Center, which was deep underground and close to the landing pads. The FarQuest had been launched from the Space Platform on a shakedown cruise to the Moon and back to Star One. Mase was in the Control Center monitoring the approach of the experimental spacecraft. He knew just the launch of the ship was going to cause some problems as very few people had been informed about the launch ahead of time.
He had already received several requests from Earth asking what was going on and why the ship had been launched without permission. Mase only shook his head as more requests continued to flood the com system. He had instructed the young woman sitting at the communications console to ignore them for now. Only a limited number of people, including the president and a few others on Earth, knew the true story as to why the ship had been launched. For the moment, until the president made an announcement, both Tycho City and Star One were ignoring all incoming communications.
“FarQuest, this is Tycho Control,” Mase spoke as he watched the ship on their tracking screen. A lot was riding on this test flight being successful. It was approaching very fast and would soon be going into a slingshot maneuver around the Moon. “Mase Colton here, Commander. We have you on our screens and are monitoring your approach.” Mase had worked with Tyler Erin in the past and was very familiar with the veteran shuttle commander.
“FarQuest to Tycho Control,” Commander Erin’s voice responded almost instantly. “We are fifteen minutes away from nearest approach. Everything is in the green, and we are dead center on our flight trajectory.”
“We concur, FarQuest,” replied Mase, glancing at the tracking screen. His people had been watching the FarQuest closely in case a rescue mission was needed. “We have two rescue shuttles in low lunar orbit in case a serious problem develops,” Mase stated. They had launched the two small rescue shuttles earlier as a safety precaution.
“Understood, Tycho Control,” Ty responded in a calm voice. “Hopefully the rescue shuttles won’t be needed.”
“Good luck, Commander,” Mase spoke evenly, hoping everything continued to go smoothly.
He knew the FarQuest was going to come within eighteen miles of the Moon’s surface as Commander Erin attempted to put stress on his ship’s systems. Mase just prayed the FarQuest didn’t end up shattered on the lunar surface. “We will check back with you just prior to you starting your slingshot maneuver.”
“Roger that, Tycho Control,” Ty responded.
Mase nodded and stepped back from the com system. He glanced around the small Control Center. There were a dozen men and women operating the different consoles. From here, they could monitor all shuttle operations as well as the mass driver launches. The various screens in the Control Center kept track of everything delivering real time data on various missions. Currently they were tracking the FarQuest and monitoring the ship for any potential problems.
“Everything’s still in the green,” Captain Stephanie Daniels reported. Daniels was the chief controller for the Control Center. She was military trained and had flown fighter jets before transferring to Tycho City. “That ship’s really moving. They’re going to take a lot of Gs on their slingshot around the Moon.”
“I’m just glad it’s not me,” Anthony added as he watched the large tracking screen and the bright green dot that indicated the FarQuest.
He had asked Mase if he could watch the test flight from the Control Center and Mase had given his permission. He felt sorry for Pierre and LeAnn, knowing what they must be going through as the Gs would soon start to pile on.
“Make sure we continue to monitor FarQuest closely,” Mase ordered as he sat down in front of the large tracking screen, which showed the ship approaching the Moon. He was prepared to order the ship to change its course if necessary. Captain Daniels had been briefed my Mase as to what was going on with the FarQuest and the mission the ship was soon to embark on. To say the captain had been stunned was an understatement.
Mase watched as the FarQuest came closer and closer to the Moon. He found himself leaning forward, watching the tracking screen intently. Mase stood up, walked the few steps over to the com panel, and sent a final message to the FarQuest.
“This is a systems check, FarQuest,” Mase spoke over the com as he watched the screen. “What is the current status of all onboard systems?”
“All systems still in the green, no problems noted,” Erin’s calm voice responded.
“Roger, FarQuest,” Mase replied in a steady voice. “Good luck.”
He sat back down to watch the near approach of the ship that he and Steve had spent billions of dollars on. They were about to find out if it had been worth it.
Anthony watched in silence. He could well imagine the excitement that both Captain Simpson and Commander Erin were experiencing flying this new ship. He felt a momentary tinge of jealousy. They were flying the type of spaceship that every pilot had always dreamed about, the first true interplanetary ship!
On the tracking screen, the ship came closer and closer to the Moon’s surface. It seemed to be skimming just above the jagged craters and mountains.
A few moments later, Captain Daniels turned toward Mase. “They are at their nearest approach, Sir,” she reported, eighteen miles above the Moon’s surface and starting to pull away.”
Mase nodded and kept his eyes glued to the screen. The ship was so close to t
he lunar surface that it would be visible from the ground if you were beneath it. He wished he had put some cameras in place to show the ship’s approach to the Moon. After a few minutes, he saw the FarQuest successfully complete its slingshot maneuver around the Moon and begin rapidly pulling away. He let out a deep sigh of relief and looked over at Anthony, who was smiling.
“They made it,” Anthony said. “That’s one hell of a ship, Commander.”
Mase nodded in agreement and decided to contact Commander Erin one last time.
“FarQuest, this is Tycho Control,” Mase spoke into the com system. “We are monitoring your flight and everything looks on the mark. Did you have any problems during the slingshot maneuver?”
“We confirm, Tycho,” Ty responded. “We had a few minor system problems from the gravitational pull and the slingshot effect, but everything checks out fine now. Thanks for keeping an eye out for us.”
“Any time,” replied Mase, feeling relieved that everything had gone so smoothly. “Have a good flight on your way back to Star One. Tell Commander Larson that he built us a good ship.”
Mase and Anthony stayed in the Control Center for another hour as they continued to monitor the flight of the FarQuest. The ship’s journey to the Moon and back to Star One was a short one compared to the trip it was about to make. There were eight brave men and women on the FarQuest who were about to embark on the greatest adventure in the history of the human race. In some ways, Mase almost wished he could go with them. He knew that Anthony did.
Chapter Seven
Mase stared at the message he had just received from Tim McPhryson. He had been ordered to return to Earth and meet with the president and a few others over the developing situation with the approaching neutron star.
“Go to Earth,” Anthony laughed, his eyes widening at the thought. “They have got to be kidding. It’s been over seven years since you were there last!”
“I’m afraid they are deadly serious,” Mase replied with a heavy sigh. “Senator Farley is demanding a full Congressional investigation into the unauthorized launch of the Jupiter probe ship. He also wants Steve removed from command of Star One.”
“The president’s not going to go along with that, is she?” Anthony asked with a look of deep concern spreading across his face. “Commander Larson has to stay in control of the space station.” Larson had been there from the very beginning, and he couldn’t imagine anyone else running Star One.
“No, the president isn’t going to cave in to Senator Farley and his demands,” Mase replied with a shake of his head. “I suspect that’s part of the reason I’m being summoned to meet with her. Get one of the long-range shuttles ready. You will be flying me to Earth later this afternoon.”
Anthony nodded. It had been a while since he had flown a shuttle all the way back to Earth. He would also make sure he had a well-qualified copilot since Mase would be on the trip.
A few minutes after Anthony left to go to the shuttle bays, Mase called Linda into his office. He needed to let her know what was going on.
“Yes, Sir,” Linda said as she sat down across from Mase. She looked at him inquiringly.
“Linda, I’m going to Earth for a day or two. Isaac will be in charge while I’m gone, so route any important calls through to him. The president is going to be making an address soon over this neutron star situation. I’ve left Isaac a recorded message he is to play in case I don’t make it back before the president’s address. Make sure that message is broadcast to all Tycho City personnel as well as at Farside one hour before her address. I want our people to hear this from me first. Once the message is broadcast there will be a full blackout of outgoing communications until I return.”
“A lot of people are going to be shocked,” commented Linda, knowing how she had felt when Mase had first told her. She would also be glad that Jolene would finally know the full truth. It had been difficult keeping this information from her best friend. “Is there anything else you need me to do?”
“Yes,” Mase replied. “A lot of people are going to have questions, particularly about their families. We need to set up a small group of people to help answer those. I need you to get with Doctor Klein and Isaac and pick six people to be available to help answer those questions. Once I get back, I will give those six a thorough briefing on the situation.”
“Okay,” Linda replied as she thought about who might be good at doing this. “I will have you a list of names when you return.”
Mase nodded. Over the last several weeks, he had grown to depend more and more on Linda. He was only now beginning to realize just how unique and talented she was. He knew he was wasting her talents by using her as a secretary. When he returned, he would be changing that by giving her a new job with additional responsibilities.
Linda watched as Mase left the office. She was growing more fond of her boss every week. She knew she needed to watch her feelings. It would be so easy to fall head over heels in love with the guy. Letting out a deep sigh, she turned her thoughts to the president’s address. Linda wondered just what President Kateland was going to say.
-
Mase looked through one of the small viewports at the approaching Earth. He could see it gradually getting larger as they got closer. They were in a small passenger shuttle that was used primarily to transport a few people between Earth and Tycho City for business meetings. There were only two such shuttles based on the Moon. The cockpit had room for a pilot and a copilot and six passengers in the small passenger compartment.
“Standby for entry into Earth’s atmosphere, Commander,” Anthony warned through the open hatch to the cockpit. He looked back at Mase, who was sitting in the first row of seats. “It’s going to be a little bumpy. After all, I haven’t done this in awhile.”
Mase nodded as he felt the shuttle begin to vibrate slightly as it encountered resistance in the outer reaches of Earth’s atmosphere. Over the next half hour, Mase felt the resistance increase until the shuttle leveled out at last and began making its final approach to the cape launch complex. He was still curious as to just why he had been called to Earth. Leaning back in his seat, he thought about what the meeting could be about. That it would involve the neutron star and Tycho City were foregone conclusions.
Ten minutes later, the shuttle landed and gradually rolled to a stop. Mase reached up, unbuckled his safety harness, and stood up. The entire cabin seemed to sway, and he felt extremely dizzy. He grabbed the side of the acceleration couch to help him keep his balance.
“Careful, Commander,” Anthony cautioned as he stepped through the hatch and put out a steadying hand on Mase’s shoulder. “You haven’t been in Earth normal gravity for quite some time. It will take you a few minutes to adjust.”
Mase nodded as he waited for the dizziness to go away. “How come you’re not affected?”
“I spend a lot of time working out in one of the special gyms in Tycho City. There are two of them that are kept at a full gravity for the pilots to use.”
“I may have to start doing the same,” Mase commented with a halfhearted laugh.
After a few more moments, the dizziness went away, and Mase followed Anthony to the hatch and watched as Anthony went through the necessary procedures to open it.
Swinging the hatch open, Anthony watched as the ground crew wheeled up a stairway so they could exit the shuttle. He held the commander’s arm as they descended the stairs, and he could tell Mase was breathing a little heavy. “You will get used to the gravity again after a while. Just don’t over do it.”
“Thanks, Anthony,” Mase replied as they reached the bottom and he saw a dark black ground car was waiting for him. “Get the shuttle prepped for our return flight. I want to get back to Tycho City as soon as this meeting is over.”
“Yes, Sir,” Anthony replied as he watched Mase get into the car. He turned back to the shuttle; he wanted to do a quick inspection before it was wheeled into a nearby hangar to be prepped for their return flight.
-
Mase arrived at the White House at 7:00 p.m. and was escorted quickly upstairs to one of the smaller conference rooms. He had been flown to Washington in an Air Force high altitude jet. It had probably been close to ten years since Mase had flown in such an aircraft. The pilot had orders to get Mase to Washington as quickly as possible. Once they reached Washington, Mase had been taken to a motel where a room had been reserved for him. He had been allowed a few hours to rest and change clothes before he was chauffeured hurriedly to the White House.
Two black suited security agents escorted Mase to his meeting and, opening a heavy oak door, indicated for him to enter. Stepping through, Mase was surprised to find a number of people already in the small conference room waiting expectantly for him.
“Good evening, Commander Colton,” President Kateland said, rising to her feet. “We are expecting Commander Larson to be arriving shortly.”
Mase looked at the president. This was the first time he had actually met her, even though he had spoken to her several times in the past over the com system in Tycho City. Susan Kateland was in her second term of office, only the second woman to be elected to the high post. She was a tall woman in her late forties with dark brown hair and a strong, determined face, which had aged markedly over the last month. Worry lines were visible on her forehead and under her eyes. They looked tired as if from a lack of sleep. Mase could easily understand what was responsible for her deep concern.
“I believe you know everyone,” she said, gesturing around the room and indicating for him to take one of the two remaining empty chairs.
Looking around the room, Mase was surprised at who was there. Tim McPhryson sat to the right of the president and Avery Karver, with four stars on his shoulders, the top man in the Pentagon, to her left.
Jane Kinsey, the chief operations officer for NASA, and her assistant Warren Timmons who worked primarily at NASA’s main computer center in Houston were also seated at the long table. The Vice President, Mark Edwards, sat at a chair on the opposite end of the table from the president with a serious look adorning his normally well-composed face.
Star One: Tycho City Survival Page 9