Star One: Tycho City Survival

by Weil, Raymond L.

  Mase was silent for a moment, his mind reeling in shock from what Linda had just said. “Linda, we’re on our way back. Send a message to Major Daniels and Captain Struthers to meet me in my office. Also, have Jolene and Isaac come too.”

  “What’s going on?” Anthony asked. He hadn’t been able to overhear the private conversation.

  Mase shook his head and proceeded to explain what Linda had said as they rushed toward their small shuttle. Mase knew the world had just become very small and much more dangerous.

  -

  “Are we sure both are dead?” Major Daniels asked, shaking her head in disbelief. Stephanie couldn’t imagine any part of the military going along with Senator Farley.

  “It’s confirmed,” Mase replied in a firm voice. “I just finished talking to Commander Larson on Star One and Teela has confirmed the information. We also know that Senator Farley was at the White House when the president was reportedly killed.”

  “What else is going on?” Isaac asked trying to understand the sudden changes on Earth. “Surely not all the military is backing the senator?”

  “Unfortunately, a lot of them are,” Mase replied as he took in a deep, steadying breath. “For weeks now, the senator and his group have been telling everyone the neutron star threat is a joke. He has gained public sentiment by promising to end marital law and the policies of the current administration. From the reports we are getting, over seventy percent of the military has gone over to his side.”

  “Seventy percent!” Major Daniels repeated, her eyes growing wide in disbelief. She found it hard to believe that so many could have turned against the president. It just served to indicate how bad the situation on Earth was becoming.

  “What about the launch complexes?” Isaac asked with deep concern on his face. “We still have a lot of people and supplies that need to come up. We can’t hope to survive on our own without them.”

  “Evidently General Karver was not in Washington when it fell,” Mase replied, relieved that they still had the general to depend on. Jane Kinsey and Tim McPhryson are also at the cape. The general is pulling all of his loyal units in to defend the launch complexes. He feels he can hold them until we get everything and everyone up here.”

  “That still might pose a problem,” spoke Captain Struthers, arching his eyebrows. “Some of the people on the primary lists may not be able to make it to one of the launch complexes if Farley and his crowd control most of the country.”

  Mase nodded, knowing they were going to leave some valuable people stranded on Earth. He had already thought about that. “Every effort will be made to get those people safely to the cape; if not, then others will have to be substituted.”

  “We’re going to have a lot of people coming up in the next several weeks,” commented Jolene, thinking about the monumental task in front of her. “Our systems are already being heavily stressed just from the people we currently have in Tycho City. It won’t take much more for everything to come apart on us.”

  “We may have a solution to that,” answered Mase, recalling the conversation he’d had with Doctor Wruggi on Star One several nights back. He looked slowly around the small group, knowing what he was going to suggest was a drastic measure, but it might just allow them to survive and reduce their use of non-replaceable supplies.

  “As all of you know, a new deep sleep drug was used on the crew of the FarQuest. This will allow them to sleep until they reach the neutron star and not use any of the ship’s consumables. I intend to use the same drug here at Tycho City to put as many of our own people into deep sleep as we can. Then, once the danger from the neutron star has passed, we can reawaken them.”

  “Deep sleep?” Isaac repeated, his eyes widening at the idea. “For how long?” He hadn’t thought something like this would be possible, at least not on the scale Mase was suggesting.

  “A year or more if necessary,” Mase replied evenly as his eyes moved across the group. “It will reduce our usage of food and water supplies until after the neutron star passes. It will also give us the necessary time to complete the new Tycho City cavern and the smaller ones.”

  “How many people are we talking about putting under?” Anthony asked curiously.

  Mase had allowed him to attend the meeting so he would know exactly what was happening on Earth. Anthony had been involved in training additional pilots for the shuttles and needed to know the conditions the pilots would be flying in.

  “As many as possible,” Mase replied. “I have already spoken to Doctor Klein, and he in turn has spoken to Doctor Wruggi who is sending another doctor and several nurses down that are familiar with the procedure. Star One is going to be doing the same thing with part of the people that are evacuating to the space station.”

  “Where are we going to get the people to build these deep sleep chambers?” Isaac asked as he thought about all the projects he currently had his engineers working on. “I don’t have anyone to spare at the moment, and I suspect the chambers will be highly technical constructs.”

  “I believe Captain Struthers can spare a few of his marines,” responded Mase, recalling what he had read in the marines dossiers. “A number of them have the technical training to be able to help. Also, many of the new evacuees from Earth should be useful. I know we have some engineers and others that could be used that have come up recently. Linda should have a list of those that are qualified. Get the rest of the people we need from them and let’s get this started. I am afraid we are rapidly running out of time.”

  “I have a lieutenant that is highly trained in technical matters that could lead the team,” Captain Struthers volunteered. “Her name is Macy Kingston. I can assign twenty of my marines to assist who have some additional training in technical matters.”

  “That sounds like a plan,” Mase replied with a nod. “Let’s get moving on this. The sooner we can begin constructing the deep sleep chambers and putting people under, the less strain we will have on our resources.”

  “What about the nukes that went off on Earth?” Major Daniels asked.

  Stephanie was concerned about a full-fledged nuclear war breaking out on Earth. The Middle East had always been unstable, and the fact that China had used nuclear weapons against Taiwan highlighted how badly the situation on Earth was rapidly deteriorating. Too many countries had nukes they could throw around, particularly if they fell into the wrong hands.

  “A terrorist group seized several launch facilities in the Middle East and struck Europe, as well as Israel,” replied Mase, recalling what Steve had told him. He had spoken briefly to Steve when he had returned to his office. “Of course, Israel retaliated. They took out all the launch sites in their nuclear strike. It looks as if that nuclear exchange is now over, and the situation in the Middle East has stabilized. Reports put the casualties in the tens of millions, and it will only go higher.”

  “What about Taiwan and China?” Captain Struthers asked. He had a cousin stationed at an American base in Japan.

  “Taiwan is a total loss, and China only suffered a few small strikes,” Mase answered. He couldn’t imagine some of the horrors that must be occurring in the vicinities of where the nuclear weapons had gone off. People would be dying for months from the increased radiation. “That nuclear exchange is also over.”

  “What does General Karver intend to do?” Isaac asked with deep concern in his voice. From what he had heard, the United States had fallen into a new civil war. Those supporting General Karver and the dead president against those supporting Senator Farley and the military that had sided with him.

  “General Karver is pulling all of his loyal troops back to the three launch facilities,” Mase informed them. “Troops are being brought in from all over the country using what air assets he has available. Those assets are also gathering up as many people as he can off the lists that Star One and we have furnished him while there is still confusion across the country over what is happening.”

  “That sounds like a big job,” Jolene said,
thinking about everything involved.

  “It is,” Captain Struthers said with concern in his eyes. He couldn’t believe that U.S. military units were even now fighting one another. “General Karver probably only has a brief window to pull this off. Right now there is a lot of confusion on both sides. Once that confusion dies down, any chance of moving people or soldiers around the country will evaporate.”

  “How big a window?” asked Anthony, concerned.

  His sister Jean had just come up a few days earlier. It had been a big relief to know that she was safe. Anthony had moved her into his apartment and taken her to meet Doctor Klein. She was scheduled to begin work at the Tycho City hospital in a few more days. He knew that many others still had loved ones at the cape or were preparing to go to the cape to come up to Tycho City.

  “I would guess twelve to twenty-four hours at the max,” Captain Daniels replied in a low voice. “After that it will be too dangerous.”

  “Once General Karver has pulled in all the troops and people he can, he intends to order the rest of the troops that can’t reach the cape to surrender,” Mase informed them. “He feels they will be better off going home to protect and be with their families in this emergency.”

  “I suspect many may have gone anyway,” added Stephanie, shaking her head over the events that were occurring on Earth.

  “A lot of people have died today,” Mase continued in a somber voice. “We can only hope the fighting stops soon.” In the back of his mind, he knew that it probably wouldn’t. The days ahead around the cape and the two military launch facilities were probably going to be full of violence and death.

  Everyone was silent as they thought about all the people who had died. However, the nuclear exchanges and fighting were nothing when compared to what Earth would face in a few more months as the neutron star continued to come closer. Once the weather began to change and storms intensified, the misery would only grow worse. Then later the earthquakes and the volcanic eruptions would begin, sealing the fate of the Earth.

  The group sat around for another few minutes discussing the situation and then broke up. They had a lot to get done if they hoped to have a chance to survive.

  -

  Mase, Linda, Jolene, and Anthony were eating out at a small restaurant that had always been one of Mase’s favorites. The restaurant was packed, and there was a long line outside waiting to get in.

  “I was talking to Margaret today,” Linda said as she picked at her food. “She says that Teela feels the weather could start getting bad soon.”

  “The neutron star and black hole are coming closer every day,” Anthony commented as he cut off a hefty slice off his steak.

  “Enjoy that steak,” Mase said, eyeing his friend. “They will be few and far between shortly.”

  Anthony’s eyes widened as he thought about that. Then he turned toward Jolene with a pleading look in his eyes. “You are going to have cattle in one of those habitats you’re working on, aren’t you?”

  “A few,” Jolene admitted as she looked over at Anthony. “About a dozen is all. Cattle are just too big, and they eat too much. We are focusing more on animals like pigs, chickens, and fish.”

  “Fish?” Anthony spoke, his face brightening. “Please tell me we’re talking about catfish.”

  “Catfish and several others,” replied Jolene, smiling. “We can grow them quickly and efficiently.”

  “So, no more steaks,” Anthony said as he cut off a smaller slice. He was going to take his time and enjoy this one. It was hard to imagine not having steaks to eat.

  “If we can build a larger ecological habitat later, perhaps then we can expand our cattle herd,” added Jolene, seeing the disappointed look on Anthony’s face. “But I am afraid that the number of cattle we have is always going to be severely limited due to space. Steaks are probably going to be few and far between.”

  Linda turned and looked over at Mase. She knew the commander had been under a lot of pressure recently and was spending a lot of time talking to Jane Kinsey about the supplies they still needed. “Are we going to be able to get all of our supplies and people up here?”

  “Hopefully,” Mase replied with a heavy sigh. “We have twenty-six shuttles available, counting the military ones. Jane Kinsey has ordered the shuttle’s maintenance checks after a flight to be shortened. Once a shuttle arrives here, we have twelve hours to refuel it, check its systems, and get it launched. It gets a twenty-four hour check when it lands back at the cape.”

  “That’s skipping a lot of safety protocols,” commented Anthony, thinking about all the intricate systems on the large shuttles. We could lose a shuttle or two because of it.”

  “I know,” replied Mase, somberly. “But we have no other choice. Already, Senator Farley’s forces are moving toward the cape. Heavy fighting will break out there soon. I spoke with General Karver earlier; he and his men do not intend to surrender until the cape has launched everything they have stockpiled there. That includes people and supplies.”

  “How heavy will the fighting be around the cape?” Jolene asked. She still found it hard to imagine Americans fighting Americans.

  “It could be very heavy,” answered Mase with a heavy sigh. “There are currently two carrier battle groups off the Florida coast, so General Karver should be able to control the air space around the cape. He has two full marine divisions as well as several army divisions he has put together just to the north of the cape complex. It just depends on how badly Senator Farley wants to take the cape and stop the launches.”

  “Farley’s a madman,” Anthony spoke, his eyes glinting in frustration. “A good fourth of the people we still plan on bringing up are trapped away from the cape and probably won’t be able to get there. Farley has restricted travel in the county until the military situation has been settled.”

  “A few are still straggling in,” added Mase, wishing more had been able to make it. There were a number of distinguished scientists that were still at various universities that now would not be coming up to the Moon or Star One.

  After they had eaten, Mase walked Linda to her quarters. Anthony and Jolene had gone on to pick up Jean and then they were headed off to watch a movie. It seemed strange that, in the middle of everything that was going on, people could still live a normal life.

  “My sister Karen is at the cape and should be coming up tomorrow,” Linda said with obvious relief and excitement in her deep brown eyes. “My parents are too old, and they feel their place is to remain on Earth.”

  Mase nodded, very few people over the age of fifty were coming up. Some of that was intentional. Only older people who were versed in a needed profession were being allowed to come up to either Star One or Tycho City.

  “I’m glad she’s coming up,” Mase responded. He knew that Anthony’s sister had arrived a few days earlier. “I received word late this afternoon that my brother Phillip and his family have managed to make it to the cape. Phillip called me and said they had to travel at night and use the back roads. He said they were lucky to have made it at all with all the new checkpoints being set up to control travel. Where will your sister be staying?”

  “Here with Jolene and me,” Linda said as they arrived at her small apartment building. Linda’s apartment was a two bedroom. “She gets the couch for the time being.”

  “Better than a tent,” said Mase, grinning. “I can’t wait to meet your younger sister.”

  Linda smiled. It had taken her several weeks to let her guard down with Mase. She still felt a little uncomfortable dating him since technically he was still her boss.

  “You will like Karen,” Linda said. Her little sister had a great sense of humor and was very mature for her age.

  “Have you decided on a job for her yet?” asked Mase, curiously.

  “Yes, I have,” replied Linda as they went up the stairs to her third story apartment. “She has always loved gardening. Jolene has a load of dwarf fruit trees coming up tomorrow on one of the shuttles, so I think we’r
e going to put her to work in one of the ecological habitats. She can help with planting the trees and taking care of them.”

  “Sounds like a great idea,” Mase said as they reached the door to her apartment. “It will at least give her something constructive to do.”

  Linda entered her personal door code, and her door unlocked. She opened the door and then turned back to face Mase. She leaned forward, and he gently kissed her lips.

  Mase stepped back, smiling. “I will see you tomorrow; I want to meet this sister of yours.”

  “I will bring her by the office when she gets here,” Linda promised as she stepped inside her apartment and closed the door behind her.

  She could feel her heart racing. She wondered if Mase knew just how much being near him affected her. Having Jolene and her younger sister living with her would definitely restrict any alone time she would like to have with the commander. Then again, she thought, Mase did have a large, roomy apartment of his own. However, she wasn’t sure if she was ready to move their relationship to that more intimate stage.

  -

  Mase was out at the mass driver watching the launches from the large viewscreen that Jackson Pierce had installed in his office. The viewscreen had been put in immediately after the accident a few months back.

  “Everything’s functioning fine,” Jackson said from behind his desk. “Since we’re only launching to Star One, there is no stress at all on the mass driver.”

  Mase nodded. “We’ve had several threatening messages from Senator Farley demanding that we renew launches back to Earth, but we’re ignoring those. Somehow I don’t think we would get paid for our efforts.”

  “Doubtful,” Jackson agreed then he looked at Mase with a thoughtful look upon his face. “I just wonder if we will need the mass driver again once this neutron star passes.”

  “Hard to say,” Mase replied as he watched a mass driver cargo pod accelerate up the rail and into space toward Star One. “I think the bigger question is will the mass driver survive some of the moonquakes we will be experiencing in a few more months?”