Henry smiles back. “Then I think we can safely assume, that whenever you connect to the Gamin systems, it’s a two way affair with updates occurring automatically.”
Cindy nods at the explanation as she considers the implications. It makes sense. “OK then, now what of the terrorists?”
Peter looks to Radclyf, then with a shrug of his shoulders ventures. “I think we got ‘em all.”
Cindy, ever cautious, weighs the events of the last few hours. “Alright then, as we’re all wide awake I say we go and check out Mars.” The very idea brightens her spirits.
The bridge crew can’t help but look outside at the red planet hovering above them.
Touchdown
John pilots the Gamin shuttle with ease, and finds the descent through the thin atmosphere and low gravity relatively easy. Flipping open a small pad he makes note of the prominent landing sites. Northern polar ice cap, followed by an investigation of the massive volcano, Olympus Mons, then into the Valles Mariners trench. He puts the list away, the rest of the locales rather dull by comparison.
In the rear compartment George and Olaf are quite busy with all kinds of equipment. The ensure soil sampling devices, atmospheric samplers, and more, are all ready for use. Both of them are wearing their Gamin body suits for the adventure of a lifetime. The duo are so engrossed in their work, they do not even notice they are landing until the craft bumps down.
John taps the communications symbol, “Touchdown, you guys ready?”
George and Olaf give each other a thumbs up, then George replies, “We’re ready.”
John seals the cockpit from the rear compartment, then opens the ramp. As Olaf steps down he comes to a sudden halt, a single step from the Martian landscape. “Oh no, stop.”
George quickly stops walking as he wonders what the problem is. John goes into a mild panic, his usual bravado vanishing momentarily, such is the tone in Olaf’s voice.
Olaf turns to George. “We have to toss a coin to see who sets foot on Mars first. This is history my friend.”
George smiles, though he doubts Olaf can see him clearly enough through the visors. “Olaf, you deserve to be the first, go.”
Olaf considers this for a second, the pride to his nation, then surprises George by grabbing him. “We go together then.”
Thus humanity’s first steps onto Mars are by a Russian soldier and an American civilian, neither ever having anything to do with any space program. The irony does not go unnoticed by John, as he watches the pair with a mixture of pride and envy. They spend the next hour or so dragging equipment from the shuttle, taking samples then returning the equipment to the rear bay of the shuttle. The next seven hours become a mind numbing repetition of taking off, landing, sampling, then taking off again. At one point, both men stare off into the distance at an unexpected discovery. George can’t help but smile at the mars rover, its solar panels a dull texture and obviously covered in dust.
Finally John provides some much needed respite. “I want to take the shuttle back to the Terran and recharge its energy cell.”
Both George and Olaf heartily agree, they are tired, hungry, and thirsty. Once back on board the Terran they head to the mess hall, neither thought to take food with them to Mars. The mess area is full of people all wanting to know what it was like, the questions are never ending.
George does venture a thought. “It’s a pity we can’t somehow get that ground vehicle to Mars. It could start mining.”
While George and Olaf enjoy a rest, the three planetologists get to work on the many samples brought back onboard. It does not take them long to come to an assessment. Mars is not habitable, though it is in their esteemed opinion, a candidate for terraforming.
Cindy smiles at the report, these three have no idea why they are really onboard. If this ship does as it’s supposed to, then terraforming Mars will be last on their list of things to do. The first part of the mission has been completed, which pleases Cindy immensely. Looking at John’s empty seat an idea springs to mind.
“Captain John, report to the bridge.” She is pretty sure he will like what she has in store for him.
John arrives at the bridge and automatically heads to his piloting station.
Cindy stops him cold. “Hang on mister, where do you think you’re going?”
John is perplexed as he looks back and forth from Cindy to his console. “Uh, I thought you wanted to get away from this rock.”
She can’t keep the massive grin off her face any longer. “I have a special job for you, and our impetuous Captain Edwards.”
John is most confused now, Edwards can’t stand the sight of him. As he listens to Cindy’s instructions he bursts out laughing. Controlling himself for a moment he responds with exaggerated flair.
Saluting he intones formally. “Yes ma’am.”
Cindy taps the internal communications symbol.
“Captain Edwards, report to the main hangar deck with your space suit. I have a special mission for you.”
Thirty minutes later John and Edwards step onto the Martian landscape. John even shows a reluctant Edwards some of the flight controls belonging to the Gamin shuttle. Once they step down the ramp John stands by, and watches as Edwards carefully cleans the solar panels on the Mars rover. Once done they return to the shuttle, Edwards with his now dirty cloth and window cleaning solution in hand. Once in space John even hands control over to Edwards for a short time. He smiles inwardly, what a way to be put in your place.
Cindy’s ‘special mission’ complete, they are now ready to depart Mars. John whistles a little tune as he gazes at the controls before him. The symbols becoming more familiar day by day.
With the terrorist threat being eliminated, literally, and the Mars mission complete, Cindy is feeling much more relaxed. “John, I take it the ‘special mission’ was a success!”
“Yes ma’am.” He turns, making eye contact with her. “I am actually surprised, Edwards kept his pride in check.”
“Good to hear, he may yet be an asset to us.”
John swings back around to his console then ventures on. “We should probably bring him up to speed on the Terran’s flight controls.”
Cindy leans forward then puts a hand to her chin as she ponders the suggestion. “Let’s wait a little while longer, then we shall bring all of the flight teams up here for training.” She wants him to look his best when Edwards does get up here.
John considers this for a moment then noticing all the notes attached to his console, realizes why she wants to wait. She wants me to be proficient when I show the others, and not look incompetent.
Onward and Outward
Cindy touches the communications symbol on her chair’s armrest. “All hands, prepare for immediate departure. Remain on gravity plating until notified otherwise.” She nods to Joe who then taps on his laptop’s keyboard. Throughout the ship, hastily installed warning lights start to flash wherever there is no gravity plating. The maintenance teams have been very busy installing the necessary lights and controls.
Cindy waits a full ten minutes before issuing her next command. “Folks, time to take a peek at Jupiter. John, engage engines at your discretion.”
John powers up the ship’s thrusters, breaks orbit, then awaits telemetry information. Both Andrew and Joe are still bothered by some glaring discrepancies between the view screen and the Gamin data before them. They have discussed this in depth and are as of yet, without any theories. However, Jupiter is not a difficult planetary body to locate, thus the projected course is quickly relayed to John.
Adjusting their heading, John decides to make a small change of his own to the flight path. He angles the Terran upward, then engages the sub-light engines. As they engage he slides the acceleration bar that appears upward to a half way marker. Watching the view ahead he slides the bar up further.
Andrew can see where he is taking them. “I will let you know when we’re over the asteroid belt.” Glancing down at his console, then his laptop, he confer
s with Joe. “Ten minutes at this speed.”
John makes very small adjustments to their trajectory using the thrusters and is pleased to find that the ship starts to make a gentle curve up and over the expansive asteroid belt that exists between Mars and Jupiter. Two hours after leaving Mars John is banking the Terran into a high orbit over Jupiter. Once again the planetary symbol appears. Referring to his notes he sees a single word ‘status’. He touches the symbol. Immediately his console changes, bringing up landing controls, and more. A full spectrum of data starts to feed to his console. His jaw drops.
“George, I am getting information about Jupiter; gravity, density, atmosphere, and, oh wow, the symbol just changed. I don’t know what this new symbol means.”
George, who is wearing his Gamin body suit as he usually does, walks to John’s console. It takes him a moment to find the Gamin name for the symbol, then a another for the translator in his ear to relay the information to him. Finally George speaks.
“Means deadly, or non hospitable. Seems that control does a planetary scan.”
With the entire bridge crew running on adrenaline, they keep going. Saturn’s rings keep them in awe for quite some time before they head out further into space.
Finally, the long hours start to take their toll and wear on the crew.
Cindy stretches, then standing says, “I think that’s enough for now. John, bring us to a stop. Joe, transmit everything we have to Earth. I want everyone to rest up.”
Everyone heads to their rooms, it has been a very long day. Radclyf and Hayato station guards at the bridge, then retire themselves. Meanwhile Joe’s transmission travels to Earth for all to hear.
Location:
Ground Control
Outback
Western Australia
General Hayes reads the report before him. He is quite astounded at the swiftness with which the mission to explore the major planets in our solar system has been conducted. But then that was just phase one of the mission.
He considers the numerous meetings that he has attended these last few days. Tensions are increasing globally as the politics of the situation are starting to get pretty ugly. The uproar from some of the countries over the lunar base and the subsequent find of the Gamin shuttle and more body suits adding to the schism. With the Australian site securing two suits and the shuttle they are in good shape to begin working on a new international space station. Rubbing his head, the General silently rattles off the list of countries that are working with them, on their own, or forming yet another group. Right now the race is on to see who can develop the alien technology and make a new space station.
The General is not really sure how to respond to the Terran’s message. Heading over to the communications tower he sends a simple message.
“Good luck Terran.”
Chapter Three - Punch It
Location:
Starship Terran
Edge of Sol Solar System
Cindy crosses her legs as she slowly gazes around the bridge. Everyone looks to be well rested and ready for the day’s test. Within the last few days they have traveled farther and farther away from Earth as they head for Inter-Stellar Space. Seeing the usual complement on the bridge makes her smile a little. Captain John, their intrepid pilot is seated in front of her in the left most chair. His skills at piloting the Terran improving daily. On his right sits Andrew, who takes care of telemetry and navigation with Joe’s assistance. Joe also monitors the ship’s twenty nuclear reactors and balances the computer systems draw on them. Peter sits on the far right, in the last of the four main consoles, quietly observing as he usually does. Today he has an unlit pipe in his mouth. Cindy shakes her head at this oddity. To each side, and against the walls of the bridge, sit Radclyf and Hayato, decked out in full combat regalia. Though their seats normally face Gamin consoles that are built into the walls, they have their chairs turned to observe the bridge and its main doorway. Even though the terrorist cell has been eliminated, neither man is willing to leave the bridge unguarded. They have also posted a guard in the reactor control and one more with the computer technicians that monitor GUS. The remaining four soldiers are presumably resting, allowing for round the clock protection. She angles her head back a little to see George, encased in his Gamin body suit monitoring the ship’s systems via a direct link. Finishing her perusal of the bridge crew, she uncrosses her legs and leans forward in her command chair, the anticipation of the upcoming test weighing heavily on her mind. Touching a panel on her chair, she sets in motion the day’s events, forever etching the day into the annals of history.
“All hands prepare for main engine test. I repeat all hands prepare for main engine test. Secure all decks, remain on gravity plating until otherwise notified.”
Joe activates the ships internal warning system. Once more lights strobe in areas that are missing gravity plating, a warning of the danger.
Andrew busily taps away at his laptop then compares the readouts with the Gamin console. Looking at the console, his laptop, then the view outside, a stark realization dawns on him. Slapping his thighs in excitement he turns toward Joe.
“I get it, I finally get it.”
Joe, who is quite busy, looks over at his friend curiously. “What is it mate?”
“The stars.” Andrew says pointing outside. “The main view shows them as if we were standing outside and viewing them. But the navigational console shows them where they are now.”
Joe frowns a little then taps away on his second laptop. Looking up at the screen, he then glances across at the panel displayed on Andrews console. He taps a few symbols on his own Gamin console and soon enough replicates Andrews. He looks back across at Andrew.
“According to this we have real time positions on stars to approximately twenty light years, but no further than that.”
It is Andrews turn to frown now. “I wonder why its only goes to twenty light years.”
Cindy has given them plenty of time and speaks authoritatively. “John, engage the sub-light engines. Take us into deep space.”
John engages the sub-light engines, accelerating the Terran gradually until they are travelling at close to half the speed of light. His steady voice reporting as they go.
“We’re leaving the heliosphere, crossing the termination shock point.”
He accelerates the ship to three quarters the speed of light.
“Even at this speed it will take us a long time to cross into Inter-Stellar Space.”
Cindy has been pondering this dilemma for some time. Do they test the main drive now or wait?
“Well, no time like the present. Joe how are the ship’s power reserves?”
“Thanks to Olaf and George we’re at just over five percent of capacity. They managed to more than double our reserves.”
Cindy considers this carefully. “The reactors only provide two percent of the ship’s capacity. So the other three percent is purely an additional reserve power?”
“Correct,” says Joe matter-of-factly.
George smiles inwardly as he recalls how they boosted the power. Was actually Olaf’s idea, based on our experiences from the radiation spill.
Cindy chews on her lower lip for a few seconds then gazes around the bridge one more time, a determined look in her eye.
“Captain John. Ready main engines. Set course for Alpha Centauri.”
He eyes his console then replies. “Course laid in, main engines available at your command.”
“Punch it!”
Excitement threatening to overcome her, she can’t help but also feel some trepidation. What if the main engines don’t work? The thought is as fleeting, as it is bothersome.
John touches the main engines symbol. The stars jump at them as streaks of light, the sight is as dazzling as it is amazing. A multitude of colors that flicker and pulsate in a seemingly random fashion bombard the forward view. It’s just as enthralling and mesmerizing as watching the flickering flames of a camp fire. Nearby stars suddenly stre
ak toward them as the ship builds speed. John’s attention is drawn to his console. As soon as the engines engaged a whole new set of symbols appeared. One looks to be a graph or slider bar, it has a number of small dashes interspaced with large blocks every so often. Of the eight larger blocks the lowest is lit. He touches the second block and watches his console as the lighted area moves upward to where he touched. The intensity of the light patterns increases dramatically. Very similar to the sub-light controls. He muses.
He looks back at Cindy and shrugs, with reservation he says. “Speed two. I think, whatever that speed is.”
Cindy simply nods while her calculating mind works away. After a few more pensive seconds, she leans forward. “Joe, how’s our energy reserve doing?”
Joe reviews both his own laptop and the Gamin terminal before responding. “Our ship’s reserves are holding at four percent. Main drive capacitors are at seventy percent and slowly dropping.”
She looks over at George, who is as usual, diligently monitoring events with his suit. “George, can you divert reactor power directly to the main drive?”
George takes a moment to examine an assortment of information before answering. “Yeah, we can do that, shall I?”
“Sure, let’s put GUS to use. Assign main drive power management to GUS.” Thus far, their main computer system has been relegated to ‘monitoring’ only.
“OK.” George answers back quickly. “John, whenever you demand more speed, GUS will draw from the reactors to compensate for the drain on the capacitors.”
Cindy gives Joe a quick look to which he responds quickly. “Capacitors holding now at fifty-five percent, reserves at just a tad under four percent.”
Chewing her lower lip again, Cindy feels excitement building up inside her. “John, go to three on your terminal. Andrew, what’s our current ETA?”
Andrew looks at his laptop and then his terminal which is just a jumble of meaningless data. “Ahh, oh WOW! Well according to this, we will be at Alpha Centauri in just over a year.” His voice is full of bewilderment.
Discovery (Terran Chronicles) Page 10