Star One: Tycho City Survival

by Weil, Raymond L.

  “I hope it’s not serious,” Linda said with obvious concern in her voice. She also hoped no one had gotten hurt. This was the first time these alarms had sounded.

  “So do I,” Mase replied as they reached the exit. At the exit there was a phone, which he could use to contact the Control Center.

  Picking it up, he quickly reached Major Daniels. “What’s the situation?”

  “That last moonquake cracked a support beam in the new cavern, causing damage to the roof,” Daniels reported. “Steffan is already on it. We’re showing a slight pressure decrease also. “Isaac is in the process of taking a work crew outside to see if they can seal it up from there. He thinks there might be a small fissure that has opened up.”

  Mase nodded. “I will be there shortly.”

  -

  Steffan looked up at the ceiling two hundred feet above his head. He could see a jagged forty-foot hole that ran across the roof. Looking back down at the floor, he gazed at the large and heavy Luxen support beam that was lying there. This was going to be a big job to fix it, set it back up, and then repair the roof.

  He looked over at one of his assistants. “Get a Luxen welder and cutting torch. We’re also going to need the big crane.”

  -

  Isaac looked at the large fissure that had opened up above the new Tycho City cavern. He estimated it was a good three hundred feet long and twenty feet wide. He also knew that it was deep enough to allow oxygen to escape from the rip in the roof of the cavern below them.

  “Get the bulldozers out here,” he ordered as he assessed the situation. “We will use them to shove dirt back into the fissure and seal it back up once Steffan has a patch on the ceiling.”

  Two hours later six bulldozers specially designed to be used on the lunar surface were busy pushing dirt back into the fissure. Isaac knew this job was going to take a while. He was aggravated that the roof of the new cavern had been damaged. He knew that it should have held up to the quake.

  Isaac gazed off looking around the crater. Everything seemed the same. Looking up, he could see the Earth. It was covered in a thick dark cloud layer. He knew much of what he was seeing was ash from erupting volcanoes. He shook his head; even if the neutron star and black hole left the Earth and the Moon intact, nothing would ever be the same again.

  Mase was standing next to Steffan as he watched the repairs being done. Already the hole in the ceiling had been repaired and the Luxen beam was in the process of being put back up.

  “We were lucky,” said Steffan, looking over at Mase. “The hole didn’t go all the way through, but it exposed just enough of the overhead rock to allow some air to escape. Isaac reports that the fissure above the cavern is about three hundred feet deep at its deepest. He’s using the bulldozers to fill the fissure back up.”

  “That was close,” replied Mase, knowing it could have been a whole lot worse. “Let’s plan some disaster drills over the next few days so our people will get used to going to the underground shelters. I wouldn’t want to lose anyone if we did suffer major damage to the ceiling.”

  “There’s a lot of air in this cavern,” Steffen informed Mase, agreeing with him about the drills. “Even with a large hole, everyone would have some time to evacuate.”

  “I know,” Mase responded taking a deep breath. “I worry sometimes about us becoming too complacent. We have become so used to moonquakes that, at times, we scarcely notice them anymore.”

  Mase watched as Steffan’s crew finished the repair and then he left to go to the ecological habitat to let the girls know that everything was safe. He knew that all three had been quite frightened when the alarms had sounded. It had shaken him also as it was so unexpected.

  As he walked, he heard the all clear signal being sounded to allow everyone to come out of the underground shelters. Looking over at Tycho City, he marveled how it looked almost identical to the old one. The only difference being that the buildings were much larger. There was still an amazing amount of greenery about. Jolene had made sure that every available space had been filled with plants.

  In the distance, he could see several birds flying through the air. It had been a good decision to add the birds to the cavern. Mase knew that eight different species of small birds were now free in Tycho City. It made everything seem more normal. Jolene had also added a number of helpful species of insects as well as butterflies and honeybees.

  If they could just survive the next few months, there was no doubt in Mase’s mind that they could have a good life here. However, Mase also knew those months would be critical ones. The neutron star and black hole would make their closest approach, which could drastically affect the sun. If it went nova, then it would be over. Nothing would survive on the Moon or on Earth.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Mase was in the Control Center, his eyes glued to the main viewscreens. One screen was focused on Earth and the other on the sun. The neutron star and black hole had reached the closest point they would come in the solar system, and their effects upon the Earth and the sun were becoming devastating.

  Looking at the Earth, Mase could see massive super storms moving across the surface. Some of the remaining weather satellites showed wind speeds in excess of three hundred miles per hour. But what was even more worrisome was the sun. Massive solar flares and CMEs (Coronal Mass Ejections) were visible, and one of the larger ones was coming directly toward Earth.

  “That solar flare and CME will significantly raise the temperature on the planet,” Charles Turner spoke over the com system from Farside. “The Earth’s magnetic field and the intense cloud cover will give it some protection, but on the side the flare and CME hits we could see an increase in temperature of over one hundred degrees, perhaps much more.”

  “A lot of the surviving shelters won’t survive that,” Anthony commented with growing worry in his eyes. “Should we warn them?”

  Over the past several months, they had located over two hundred and twelve surviving bunkers and shelters across the planet. Some were large, containing thousands of people, while others held only a few dozen. They also knew there were probably many others they had not been able to contact due to the interference prevalent in the atmosphere.

  “The biggest impact is going to be over the Western Pacific and Asia,” Mase replied as he studied the data from Farside. “We will warn those we can. If they can close off their bunkers, particularly their air systems until the temperatures drop back down, perhaps some of them can survive.”

  Anthony nodded. He had just returned from Farside, and even the surface of the Moon now looked considerably different. There had been some massive moonquakes and even more long dormant volcanoes had erupted. Deep fissures marred the surface in many areas where massive moonquakes had struck.

  The Control Cent er shook slightly, but no one paid it any attention. Small tremors were a normal occurrence and at times seemed to go on for hours. So far, there had been no additional major moonquakes close to Tycho Crater since the one several months back. They could only hope that their luck continued to hold.

  -

  General Young looked over at Captain Wells with growing concern on his face. He had just finished talking to Commander Colton and was fearful about what was in store for the Earth. There had always been a chance that the sun might go nova and destroy the planet. Now it seemed likely that they would see more major eruptions from the sun’s surface, particularly solar flares and CMEs like the one currently headed their way. If they could just get by for another month, the likelihood of a nova would greatly decrease, or so said the astronomers at Farside.

  The scientists at Farside felt the approaching solar flare and CME would greatly affect the weather upon the planet. There would be some drastic temperature extremes, but the large oceans should rapidly bring the temperature back down as the excess heat was absorbed into the water.

  “Contact all of the bunkers we are in communication with and inform them what’s about to happen,” ordered Young, hoping the Unit
ed States would avoid the worst of what was coming toward the planet. “We don’t know what the affects here will be, but I suspect we will see some changes in the weather at a minimum. I want everyone to be prepared just in case.”

  With the help of Tycho City, they had managed to establish communication with twenty-three bunkers and shelters in the Eastern United States. He knew that some of them were just barely getting by. The CME and solar flare would probably knock out communications for a while.

  “This is going to be rough,” Wells said as he looked over at the communications console where Corporal Fransen was sitting. “Some of those smaller shelters in those Asian countries might not survive. We may even lose a few here.”

  “I know,” Young replied with a look of pain in his eyes. “Fortunately we’re going to be spared the brunt of this one, though Farside believes we will see a temperature rise and an increase in severe storms.”

  All those months that Senator Farley had refused to believe in the neutron star was now going to kill even more Americans. If that time had been used to supply and build better shelters, tens of thousands more could have been saved.

  General Young let out a deep breath; there was not a night that went by that he didn’t wish that he had acted sooner to remove Senator Farley from power. If so, perhaps more people would have survived. He knew this regret would haunt him for the rest of his life.

  -

  Warren Timmons looked at the latest estimate from Farside concerning the expected effects of the oncoming solar flare and CME. He knew that this flare could wipe out the few surviving shelters and bunkers in the part of the world that was directly in its path. Every day the number of humans living on Earth decreased as earthquakes, volcanoes, and floods took their toll. There was currently no way to estimate how many people were still surviving across the planet.

  People in his bunker were now accustomed to the new type of life they lived. Finishing the long tunnel and growing more of their food had been a big positive for morale. Work crews were still busy adding more room to grow food. Two additional tunnels, similar to the one recently completed, were already being planned.

  “Contact Cheyenne Mountain and NORAD and let them know what’s headed our way,” Timmons ordered Major Burns. “Tycho City will be sending a warning to the bunkers in the Western Pacific and Asia.”

  Both of the two military command centers had survived and fallen into line once General Mann had spoken with then. He had signed orders from General Karver placing him in command of all surviving military facilities and units. The two generals at the Command Centers had quickly recognized General Mann’s authority.

  The command facilities would also be contacting other bunkers and facilities in the United States that Tycho City had managed to locate. They needed to do everything in their power to make sure as many humans as possible survived the coming days.

  -

  Mase was over at the girl’s apartment in Tycho City taking some much needed time off. The solar flare and CME were due to hit the Earth early the next morning. Anthony had taken a quick flight to Farside to deliver some additional supplies to the forty men and women who had chosen to stay there. Jolene was working late in her newest habitat trying to get the larger animals settled in.

  Karen and Linda had prepared a simple meal of fresh salad and chicken and some homemade bread.

  “We’re lucky Karen learned how to make bread from Mom,” Linda said as she sat down and reached for the salad. We have plenty of flour and yeast, so that should last a while.”

  “I enjoy baking,” Karen spoke with a pleased smile. She used to spend hours in the kitchen with her mother, watching her cook.

  The three didn’t speak of the girl’s parents often anymore. They all knew the odds of them still surviving in Kansas City were almost nil.

  “How soon before the effects of the neutron star go away?” Karen asked as she buttered a roll and took a big bite.

  “Four more months and things will begin to calm down,” responded Mase, recalling the latest reports and simulations from Farside. “We will be on the far side of the sun, and the effects will be much less noticeable. As we swing back around, we will know more about our new orbit.”

  “I heard Jolene say that the Moon has already been pulled farther away from the Earth. We’re not going to go drifting off into space are we?”

  “No,” replied Mase, reassuring Karen. This had concerned him also and he had spent several hours talking to Charles Turner and Adam Strong about this very issue. “We will be in a more distant orbit around Earth, but we will stay in orbit.”

  The three continued to eat and discuss what was going on in Tycho City as well as on Earth. After the meal, Karen volunteered to do the dishes while Linda and Mase went off into the small living room.

  The two sat down on the comfortable couch, and Linda turned on the video screen. She selected some soft music and then turned to face Mase. “Are we going to survive this?” she asked. She had been afraid to ask this question in front of Karen. “I mean, when the neutron star is gone, will we still be here?”

  Mase was silent for a moment. He did spend some time each day thinking about the future that was in store for them. “I think so,” he responded, his eyes focusing on Linda. “We have the two nuclear fusion power plants plus a huge supply of solar panels if we ever need them. We can grow our own food, and we are recycling our air and water. We can get more water ice from the poles if necessary. It won’t be easy, and there will be problems, but I think we will do just fine.”

  Linda nodded, and then a serious look crossed her face. “But what kind of life will this be for our children, to live underground from now on? Is there any way we will ever be able to return to Earth?”

  “It will be a good life here,” promised Mase, sliding his arm around Linda’s shoulder. “I’ve lived in Tycho City for years, and it has been a good home. This new Tycho City is much larger and will have so many more options. We have the ability and knowledge to build almost anything we need. As for Earth, our new orbit will almost definitely prevent us from returning to the planet. There will only be about six months out of the year where it will even be safe to venture out of a shelter onto its surface.”

  “So the Moon will have to be our permanent home,” Linda said in a soft voice. It was hard to imagine never going back to Earth again. It was difficult to accept that she would never again to be able to see the snow covered mountains, the lakes, or swim in the ocean.

  Karen came into the living room and, after glancing at Mase and her sister, decided that she needed to go to her bedroom. She figured the two could use some privacy.

  -

  Jolene opened the door to the apartment and her face immediately flushed. Mase and Linda were wrapped up in each other on the couch.

  “Take it to the bedroom,” she commented as she closed the door behind her.

  Linda instantly untwined from Mase with an embarrassed blush on her face and began smoothing down her blouse. “Hi Jolene; did you get the animals settled in?”

  “Yes, they’re doing nicely,” she replied, going over and sitting in a plush and comfortable chair across from them. “We will be planting the hay and feed crops over the next few days. Steffan had some of his people run the nutrient lines in the hayfield for us earlier today. We should get a full cutting of hay every four to five weeks. If we have figured it correctly, we can increase our cattle herd up to twenty head.”

  “Twenty head,” mused Mase as he thought about how expensive those steaks would be. Anthony was going to have a hard time adjusting.

  “I spoke to Isaac about creating two more caverns,” continued Jolene, raising her eyebrows. “Another for general fruits and vegetables, and a larger one for more cattle and pigs. He is supposed to run it past you in a few days to see if it’s practical.”

  “If we do as you suggest, what will it mean?” Mase asked. Food production would be essential if they wanted to expand Tycho City in the future. Also, more variety
in their meals would highly improve morale.

  “It will give us a surplus of fruits and vegetables, as well as allow us to expand the cattle heard to nearly sixty animals and the pigs to over two hundred.”

  Mase nodded. People were used to certain foods; a variety in their diet would be nice. After all, people would eventually get tired of eating chicken and fish all the time.

  “I will speak to Isaac about it,” Mase promised. “Keep in mind though, that we are still in the process of strengthening the roof in the original Tycho City cavern, I’m not sure what resources we can spare at the moment.”

  “Perhaps when Phillip awakens we can have everything done,” Jolene spoke.

  Phillip was Mase’s brother, and he and his family had gone into deep sleep. Phillip had not wanted to subject his family to the stress of going through the approach of the neutron star and black hole. Jolene knew it had been hard on Mase to see his brother make this decision, but he had understood it.

  “That would be great if we can manage it,” Mase responded. He missed speaking to Phillip, but he understood why his brother and his family had requested deep sleep.

  “It would be nice to have your brother and his family around,” spoke Linda, knowing that Mase missed his brother.

  She knew that Mase was under a lot of stress, and it would be good for him if his family were around to talk to particularly his older brother. Unfortunately, that was probably going to be another few months at least.

  “I need to be going,” Mase said as he stood up. He leaned over, kissed Linda on the lips, and then headed for the door. He knew he would have a long day ahead of him tomorrow as the solar flare and CME struck Earth.

  After Mase had left, Jolene turned to Linda. “Why don’t you just haul him off to bed?” asked Jolene, grinning. “I know you both want to.”

  Linda turned an even darker red. “Eventually,” she replied in an embarrassed voice. “There’s just so much going on right now that I don’t want to add anything more to what Mase has to deal with. He’s what’s holding all of us and this place together.”