by George Deeb
Travellor winced as his fingers were being squeezed by both of Mersuul's hands. He looked at her but she didn't notice. Her attention was completely focused on the outside, and she had no idea she was squeezing his hand that hard. He didn't say anything, not wanting to interrupt the triumphant moment. He could take a little pain – for her.
As the ship continued its upward journey both Erika and Balfour had slowly begun to rise from their chairs. Soon they were both standing, their hands pressed against the console as they unconsciously leaned forward. Erika was taking short breaths in her excitement, which grew with each new inch of cable that became visible. It was working. Her plan – her design – her idea and solution was working!
“Outer hull penetration.” came the computer's voice over the comm. “Damage terminated.”
The words were like cold water over Erika's head. She tapped the comm button.
“Orysta, report status.” she blurted.
“Outer hull was penetrated.” came back Plessa's voice. “Minor damage within safety limits. It does not affect extraction. Operation is continuing.”
The whole base seemed to release a communal sigh of relief. Everyone had been briefed that the ship might be damaged in the attempt to raise it. For a moment they worried the operation would be stopped. Plessa's reply gave reassurance it was still possible to get the Orysta on the surface. Everyone's attention was soon back on the outside of the base.
“Elevation plus one point five limm. Rate of climb two limms per mirlot.” said the computer.
12
The average rate of movement had stabilized at two limms per mirlot, or approximately two yards every two point eight minutes. This progress varied now and then as the ship pushed through materials of different density. It had taken twenty-four minutes to raise the Orysta fifty-four feet, and it continued to rise. That wouldn't last much longer. That thought had just passed through Erika's mind when the rocket engines reduced their thrust level. Orysta's computer had determined the ship had reached break-free and throttled them back. The thrust level now would hold the ship in position while the ground stabilized.
Erika watched as the four foot high mound of soil that depicted the Orysta's outline vibrated and slowly ebbed away as the still fluid soil moved down to fill the empty space below the ship. Some minutes passed and where the mound had been was now a slight depression in the shape of the Orysta. Soil particles bounced around on the top of that depression indication the gravity field was still operating.
“Flight control, this is Munen. We have reached the break-free level. WE'VE DONE IT! WE'VE DONE IT!”
Erika could imagine the Orysta's crew jumping up and down in happy celebration. That was when all the tension and fear of failure hit her. While everyone in the flight control room was happy and screaming and clapping, and she herself was smiling broadly, the tears flowed uncontrollably from her eyes. Her body began to shake. It wasn't anything she could control. Her adrenalin levels were high from all the emotions she had been feeling, and now her body was burning up that adrenalin by vibrating her muscles.
She felt arms around her shoulders, and saw that it was Mersuul who was holding her. There was a big smile on her face and Erika couldn't help but smile back.
“Do not worry. The shaking will pass. Your body is reacting to everything that has happened.”
“I know.” said Erika, nodding her head. “I just don't know why I'm crying.”
“Tears of joy.”
She looked at Mersuul and saw tears in her eyes also. Then she looked at her uncle who had a huge smile on his face. Then he gave her two thumbs up.
“Reducing gravity field.” said Plessa, over the comm. A few seconds later he said “Gravity field terminated.”, followed by “Orysta is stable. There is no motion.”
Another cheer went through the room.
“Initiating landing of Aimsler frame by computer control.” said Plessa.
The thrust of the rocket engines diminished until the frame began to slowly come down to the ground. The computer control was so good the frame landed softly. Then the engines shut down completely.
“Commander Balfour, this is Munen. You have control of the final phase of the operation.”
“Roger, Grilik Munen. I have control. Shuttles one and two, take your positions over the frame. Ground crew – attach the frame to the shuttle cables when they are in position.”
“Grilik Munen, this is Travellor. How far below the surface is the Orysta?”
“Commander, the Orysta is one point three limm below the surface. I could clean away that amount of soil with a dust pan. Over.”
“Wow!” remarked Travellor to Balfour. “He's in a good mood.”
Everyone was in a good mood. There's nothing like a successful operation to make people feel good. The cleanup of the operation took less than three hours. The mining crew quickly established a path down to the ship. Power conduits from the Orysta were run up to the surface and over ground to the moon base. The radar terrain mapping data had been translated by the Orysta's computer and the camouflage was again operational. Anyone looking down onto this area would see the same surface features that were there before the operation. A surface passageway would have to be built to the ship once it was completely out of the ground, which would be accomplished within forty-eight hours since the hydraulic jacks needed for the job only had to be positioned around the ship and attached to the hull. But that was for tomorrow. Tonight was for celebrating.
13
“That was a nice gesture by Munen, to make Erika an honorary crew member of the Orysta.” remarked Travellor. “I'll have to thank him.”
“He did not make her an honorary crew member. He made her an actual part of the crew. It is within his authority as Grilik of the Orysta to do so. Her name is now logged in the ship's record as a crew member.” said Mersuul, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly on the lips. “It was suggested by Chief Engineer Plessa, and everyone agreed it was an appropriate way to show their gratitude for what she has done.”
“Hmmm... And what exactly does it mean for her to be a crew member of the Orysta?”
“It means that she will receive an appropriate share of the profits generated by the mining operation from this time forward. If we continue to mine crystal-flow in the quantities that we have been, her share would be a significant amount of currency. When we return home an account will be created for her.”
“Yes... when you return home.” he said, the smile disappearing from his face.
Mersuul looked into his eyes, her expression now serious.
“You are both my greatest pleasure in life, and my greatest problem.” she said, knowing an explanation wasn't necessary.
“As you are to me.” he responded, pulling her tightly to him and placing his face against hers. “You know that Erika is already a fairly wealthy young woman. She doesn't really need the money.”
“I know that she is, but the money she makes as a member of the Orysta crew will be accessible to her on any IGT signatory planet. Her biometric information is in Orysta's database, and that is what we use for identification.”
“Huh.” he grunted. “So now Plessa and Munen want her to go planet hopping with them. Why is it that Plessa always seems to be trying to steal my niece from me?”
“She reminds him of his daughter.” she said with a touch of sadness in her voice. “He has never been away from her for such a long period of time before. He is homesick. We all are.”
“Yes..., I know your are...” he said, with an empathetic look on his face.
Mersuul noticed his expression and held Travellor in a hug, with her face against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tighter to him.
“You keep me sane.” she said. “You are the happiness that counter-acts my sadness. Whenever I imagine going back home, you are always with me.”
14
Erika had completed feeding the terrain mapping data to the four ground
moving robots. They would now recreate the landscape features that had existed before the Orysta was lifted. It was the last item on her to-do list for the day. She left her duties and her computer in Mersuul's cabin, quickly changed into her sweats, and told Vicious to follow her. Minutes later she and Vicious entered the moon base's solarium.
Inside they were all naked – all seven of them, laying on their towels on the sand. They preferred it that way, to get an over-all tan. They could have worn bathing suits if they wanted. It was their choice. But why do things half way? Surrounding them was a blue sky, and at their feet were waves splashing on the shore but never getting anything wet. The palm trees swayed in a gentle breeze which flowed over their skin. Erika stripped down and hung up her clothes, then found a spot next to Mersuul to spread her towel. Vicious sat down next to her.
It was Friday evening back on Earth. Once a week on calendar Fridays, from four to eight in the evening, it was Ladies Night in the solarium where the tropical beach of the week was recreated with all its sounds and smells. The projection was so real people often forgot they were on the moon. When you are outnumbered by ten to one, small concessions like this were a welcome sign of appreciation. Even work schedules were manipulated if possible so that all the women could spend the time together. It built morale and engendered appreciation of all of the different skills needed to keep the base operational – and it was fun.
All personnel on the moon base were required to spend thirty minutes every other day in the solarium for health purposes. Vitamin D supplied by a pill just wasn't the same as that created by the body itself when exposed to sunlight – or even artificial sunlight. Ladies Night had become an established social event. Gossip and suntan lotion were the main items shared, but very often it was an experience at work. Every work day experience on a moon base was valuable knowledge. It could save your life. But tonight was more of a 'Put work out of your mind' type of night, filled with laughing and joking.
“I was in the Commanders Office this morning when Security Supervisor Kibbee came in to give his morning briefing. He was in a very good mood for some reason. The first thing he said to the Commander was that he thought a security team should be posted in here during Ladies Night and that he was volunteering to be one of the team.” said Mersuul with a laugh. “The request was denied.” she said, now laughing harder.
They all began laughing at the story. The men were always trying to get into the solarium during Ladies Night.
“He knew it would be denied, but he was in a very good mood. I wonder why that was?” asked Mersuul as she looked over at del Rio, who kept quiet with a big smile on her face. “You wouldn't know why he was so happy, would you Delores?”
They all laughed at del Rio's not so secret romance with Kibbee.
“It is good to know that men are men wherever you find them.” said Toisae, and they all laughed again.
The rest of the evening continued in that tone. Someone had brought wine and some bread and cheese. That added to the lubrication of the gossip, as new and old stories were told. As the time passed they were all relaxed, happy, and ready for whatever else the evening would bring.
15
Munen sipped from the hot mug, and looked out the window of the moon base control tower at what he thought was the most beautiful sight he had seen in decitans. It had been that long since he had seen it. The Orysta was on the surface, supported by its own landing gear. It was scratched and dented, and bore a scar of repair where the outer hull had been breached, but all of that only gave the ship more character. He thought she was as beautiful as when he first saw her. It was in fact his home, and had been for over five decitans. Even though unoccupied rooms in the moon base had been made available to him and his crew, it was still his own cabin on the ship that he went to at night.
Of course, a cup of garva with a touch of bliml had been replaced by coffee with sugar and cream, and a few other items they had run out of were now being substituted by items from Earth. Still, the Orysta was his home. The cosmetic deformations would all be taken care of when they returned home – and he WAS going home! He knew that now more than ever, by the fact that she was free of her prison and that Eckelberry Cove was designing engines with enough power to make it practical to attempt the journey out of this solar system and into the inter-galactic commercial trade lanes. It would take longer than normal to get there, but once they could establish communications with an IGT ship their journey would be almost over. And they would be returning with a very profitable load of crystal-flow in the cargo hold. He took another sip of coffee, and thought 'I should bring back some of this for the family to try.'
Chapter 18
The End of August
1
X-ECN-1
Travellor felt the vibrations coming up from the floor and through his desk. He was close enough to the hangar bay to feel them as the engine on the new ship was being tested. Even though the vibrations would not reach all of the areas of the base, being damped out by the buildings structure, he wondered how the people in the Analysis department were handling it. They were directly above the hangar. Each test only lasted a few seconds, but it had been going on for hours now.
The X-ECN-1 (eXperimental – Eckelberry Cove New engine – 1), also dubbed the Travellor's Folly, was being fitted with equipment and tested to the strict standards of the moon base flight technicians. Their personal standards were so strict that even acceptable tolerances were not good enough for them. That was one of the reasons these people were stationed here. They demanded more of themselves and the others they worked with. This sometimes caused friction between them and the flight crews who were eager to get on with the mission. The technicians always won though. They had the only argument that flight crews couldn't argue with – they did it to make sure the flight crews came back alive. Who could argue with that? That didn't stop the crews from starting arguments they already knew they would loose. After all, a good argument helped release tension – sometimes. For those crews that refused to accept the inevitable there was the argument of last resort – the technicians simply pointed to the large piece of twisted metal that hung above the hangar doors. Next to it was a picture that showed that same doorway when it had been blown out, the metal structure bent and torn, and the door completely missing. Everyone knew the story behind the picture, and the woman who was lucky to have lived through it. It was one of the first bits of base history they learned when coming on station.
There was no friction between the crew and technicians with this ship. There were just too many new systems on it, and all were to be tested in actual conditions. They had already been tested as sub-assemblies. Now they had to be tested as a whole. If the engines performed as advertised – and no one doubted that they would – the ship would be far enough away from the base that rescue could take longer than the time the crew would have to survive. A catastrophic failure could occur in minutes – or seconds. In such a situation they crew did have the option of bailing out. Their suits could keep them alive long enough for help to arrive - possibly. If the situation caused damage to the ship and their suits there would be no time for a rescue.
A Ganaphe' shuttle would be accompanying the X-ECN-1 on its maiden flight. Navigation and communication equipment from the Orysta was being installed in it now, and Tahn-grilik Califas would be part of the crew. This had become standard practice now, and everyone appreciated the support from the Ganaphe'. The X-ECN-1 had been designed with a separate electrical sub-panel designed to accept the Ganaphe' equipment, and make the job of interfacing it to the ship much easier. The shuttle and the X-ECN-1 would have their flight computers linked so that the shuttle could track and trace the ship wherever it went. That was the best case scenario anyway. If the two ships lost each other the shuttle would at least have an idea of where the other ship was headed.
The time was getting closer – maybe just days now. The imaginations of everyone on the base were working overtime. Travel at the speeds predicted for t
he new engine would bring interplanetary travel into the realm of practicality. No longer would people need to rely on long range space telescopes, satellites that take years to arrive, or artists renditions to see what the planets looked like. They would be able to see them with their own eyes. Yes, that would also bring with it danger, but danger never stopped the human race from attempting the presently impossible. There was always someone who believed the goal was worth the risk.
Travellor was tempted to go down to the test area and watch for a while, but he didn't want to inadvertently get in anyone's way. The operation down there was moving fast. No one would say anything to the base Commander, but he might interrupt the smooth flow of the operation. It was just his curiosity that kept bringing his mind back to the new ship. He wouldn't mind flying it himself, sometime. It looked sleek and fast. Instead he kept forcing his mind back to the paperwork in front of him. 'The hell with it.' he thought. 'I AM the base Commander. I AM allowed anywhere on the base that I want to go. This job comes with a few perks.' He got up from his desk, checked himself in the mirror, then left his office for the hangar. He felt the vibrations through the floor again and sped up his pace. He wanted to see what that engine looked like at full burn.