First Steps (Founding of the Federation)

by Hechtl, Chris

  "And in related news a reporter has discovered a secret Mars simulator NASA and the space program have created...."

  Benny looked up startled. "Crap. Julia, shut it down now." Julia looked at the TV. He snapped his fingers. "Now." She rushed out.

  "Is this some sort of method for training? Or is it a way for them to create a fake Mars mission and perpetuate a hoax on us all? More on that in a moment," the news anchor said. Benny scowled.

  "Damn," Nick sighed, mouthing curse words for a long moment. "It was going to happen sooner or later. Luigi wanted it public when we were done training. I didn't expect the conspiracy nut hoax angle though."

  Mario came in. "Did you just see that?" He motioned with his thumb over his shoulder. "We're working with Hollywood to create a hoax for the Mars mission like the government did in 1969? Where do they come up with crap like that?"

  Nick sighed and clutched at his head before running his hands through his now thinned hair. "Great, we aren't even in flight yet and the damn loony toons have already started."

  Mario shook his head. "You gotta love them."

  "Are you kidding me?" Billy bounced in excitement. "We can go?"

  His father smiled. "Well, since my editor said he would pay for the gas, yes. I have to write an expose article for the post."

  Billy jumped one fist thrusting for the ceiling. "YEEES!"

  His sister smiled. "So were going? I can't believe NASA invited us!"

  Her father chuckled. "I guess they were impressed with your brother’s scores." He teased Billy. "Or they are putting a positive spin on things. At least they aren't sending him to juvie for hacking a government server," he said sternly, giving his son the evil eye.

  Billy looked down and blushed. "They wouldn't do that would they?"

  His father turned a stern eye on him then waggled his finger. "No more hacking! If you ever do, you lose your computer, your phone, and your I pod permanently."

  Billy gulped. "Permanent? For real?" His father nodded. "Geeze." His sister rolled her eyes.

  "Well, you asked for it," Jim warned.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  "So Billy, interested in going to Mars?" Luigi asked when they finally arrived. Billy nodded eagerly. Luigi smiled. "I took a look at your sim scores. Not bad, but you need more work on the flight simulator."

  Billy turned dagger eyes on his sister who blushed. "Well, I had a bit of help there." Luigi caught the look then smothered a chuckle with a cough.

  Jim and Wendy couldn't. "Yeah, she pranged the SSTO the first time the kids showed me the sim. I can't believe you built that."

  Luigi smiled. "Well, we need every training aid we can think of."

  Jim looked a bit sheepish. "I'm sorry about my son hacking." He nudged Billy who nodded.

  "Not to worry, we were planning on going public; you just accelerated our plans a few months," Luigi replied and then shrugged. The game engine team were a little put out over the exposure, at least until they started thinking of it as a Beta test. "We've cloned the server farm so the public has its own sim to use. We may have to double it and add another farm, usage is pretty high."

  Billy's eyes were wide. "Wow!"

  Luigi chuckled. "So, as I was saying Billy, still interested in going to Mars?" Luigi asked. He gave the boy an intense look.

  "Yeah, it's cool. I love the graphics," Billy replied and squirmed a bit.

  His father caught the look. "Wait you mean for real?" he demanded, turning on Luigi.

  Luigi cocked an eyebrow. "In the future yes if you can pass the exams, keep your nose clean, and if your school records pass the board."

  Billy blushed. "I have problems with English."

  Luigi chuckled. "But not with computers obviously."

  His sister smiled. "Does that include me?" Her father spotted the signs; she had a crush on Luigi. She twirled her hair with her fingers and smiled at him. Crush for sure. He groaned softly and shook his head.

  "Well, you need to do a bit better on the simulator young lady if you want to walk on Mars," Luigi replied seriously, ignoring the crush signs. He looked her over as she blushed and looked down. "Of course you may want to try one of the other simulators; you may be better in that skill then flying."

  Billy chuckled. "Hopefully, she can't get any worse flying," he teased. She looked up and glared.

  "Now kids, behave," Jim rested a hand on his daughter's shoulder as she swelled.

  "Did you enjoy the tour?" Luigi asked, looking from one to the other then to Wendy who nodded. "Did you get a chance at the full sim mock up?" Luigi asked.

  Billy shook his head. "There is a crew training in it now."

  Luigi checked the schedule. "Ah, yeah, well there is a fifteen minute window coming up, let's go give it a shot."

  Billy bounced. "For real?" he asked, voice cracking.

  Luigi smiled. The kids jumped and ran out. Wendy looked confused. "Come on!" Luigi chuckled as she hastily obeyed.

  "Hold on, I can't run in high heels you know," she grumped.

  "Thank you again for not prosecuting my son," Jim said, shaking Luigi's hand. Luigi shrugged it off. "If I may ask, how old are you?" Jim asked.

  Luigi chuckled. "Twenty two. I am an early bloomer. I was recruited for this a little over a year and a half ago."

  Jim groaned. "Great, all I need. She was bad enough before."

  Luigi chuckled. "Adolescent crush. Teenage crush." He smiled. "I don't envy you in the slightest." He shook his head. "Think your son is up to this?"

  Jim sighed. "Maybe, and it might get him to focus. He's so into games and not really into a career. Going to Mars..."

  Luigi nodded. "Well, we also have an opening for the public server manager. I can sign him on as a part time understudy, but he has to keep his grades up."

  Jim nodded. "Talk about an incentive!"

  Luigi chuckled. "It worked for me when I was young." He smiled as Jim chuckled.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  "Mister Teutopolis, have you heard about this lawsuit?" The senator slapped the papers down.

  Nick frowned and then nodded cautiously. "Yes sir, a court appointed legal rep gave me a subpoena as well."

  The Senator shook his head. "This nut job is claiming he owns the entire solar system?" the Senator demanded.

  Nick grimaced. "Not just the solar system sir, the entire universe. He claims the space treaties allowed it."

  The senator frowned. "Oh he does?" he asked dangerously. There was just a slight hint of annoyance and abused pride in that. It was an opening Nick realized, one he was ready to exploit. Nothing got to people more than thinking someone else was beating them to the punch and will deny them their rightful due.

  "Yes sir, he alleges he sent a letter of ownership claiming all property outside of Earth orbit to the US and UN as well as Russia some time ago. Since there was no response he took it as fate accompli," Nick explained and then waved.

  "S'that a fact." The senator sat back amused. "And what do you think we should do about it?" he asked.

  Nick smiled. "Well sir, I'm not an attorney, so the legal aspects are above my pay grade, but in the exercise of...justice... I did have a thought." The senator waved him on. "Did he pay property taxes on all this land?" Nick asked slyly and then waved to the picture of Mars and the moon.

  The senators guffawed. "By gum, that's hilarious."

  Senator Bryd took a sip of water. "And what is this all worth?"

  Nick shrugged. "What is the worth of a planet? I think that is for a bean counter to figure out. I would estimate in the trillions. According to Zubrin's book, about thirty seven billion in 1994 dollars."

  Bryd smiled. "And the property taxes..." He looked over the Grantham. "Oh, I like it, and he hasn't paid back taxes on all this..." He chuckled. "Well, you did give us food for thought. Made my day."

  Nick smiled and rested his hand over his heart. "We aim to please sir."

  Grantham nodded. "Okay, back to this proposed SSTO, you have the first and
it's back up, but you want the back up to fly to Mars as well?" Nick nodded. "Any chance we can use it here?" Grantham asked, keenly interested in continuing the program. He was a little surprised that the SSTO was on time so far and under budget. The Venture Star couldn't do that. Hell, no program could.

  Nick shook his head. "It was designed for Mars and its thin atmosphere and lighter gravity quotient Senator. It wouldn't survive here."

  The senator harrumphed. "How did you make it anyway?"

  Nick smiled. "We took off the shelf components designed by Lockheed for the X-33 program. The linear aerospike engines mainly and the basic lifting body design."

  Grantham nodded. "Didn't they fail because of the tanks being unproven?" The Senator asked.

  Nick nodded. "Well, yes and no, the tanks were built three weeks after the program was terminated by an independent contractor."

  Grantham frowned. "You’re telling me we paid out two billion to shut the program down and three weeks later someone comes up with a fix?" he asked slowly.

  Nick nodded. "Yes sir. For fifty million dollars," Nick deadpanned.

  The Senator stared. “They wanted a billion to fix the problem and this company did it for fifty million?” he demanded, thoroughly annoyed now. Nick nodded. "Well, don't that beat all." The Senator sighed as he shook his head. "Damn." He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. He was getting all sorts of flack from the big three about the Mars nuts, now he wasn't so sure he wanted to listen to the crap anymore.

  "My sentiments exactly sir."

  ...*...*...*...*...

  "Sir, does it concern you that you that you and your family are targeted by the green movement? Greenpeace has staked protesters at your home and work..." a reporter trailed off then looked up expectantly at Luigi who smiled.

  "Not at all. I am a firm believer in free speech." He shrugged. "Next question." He pointed to another reporter in the opposite corner.

  "Giles Norbert, Washington Post. So it doesn't bother you at all? The protests? Noise?"

  Luigi chuckled. "Well, since I am a member of Greenpeace I happen to know that the protests go with the job. I know it isn't personal."

  The room became quiet, and then exploded in questions. "You’re a member? And they are protesting you?"

  He smiled. "If you'll quiet down for a moment?" he asked, motioning for them to settle down. The room quieted. "Yes, I have been a member since I was twelve. I am a firm believer in a clean Earth. I believe in removing pollution, and getting this planet away from generating green house gases. That is why we are moving forward with the space program. With the gas mining program alone we could accelerate weaning the US off of fossil fuels by as much as ten years." Reporters began to babble. "The gas mining project has an estimated return of two hundred fifty Billion dollars, yes, billion with a B."

  Several people gasped. Shutters and bulbs clicked and flashed. Luigi tried not to let his eyes water. "That isn't exactly mind blowing news folks; it is after all in your brief. It has been in the hand outs since day one." Several rustled as they dug the hand outs out. A few reporters leaned over the shoulders of others to see. "Page eighty one folks," Luigi said and then smiled helpfully. "I would walk you through it but I have a pressing engagement. Here is Wendy to help you." He waved to Wendy who smiled and took the podium. He made his escape quickly.

  "So it doesn't bother you?" Luigi looked over to see Benny as he walked into his office.

  "Not at all, it is rather handy when the weekly publication posts when they are going to do it," he replied. “Though my neighbors aren't happy. Fortunately I'm never home so...” he shrugged.

  Benny chuckled. "And you are conveniently not home." He smiled. "Nice."

  ...*...*...*...*...

  “Senator, as we explained in the brief, the money if any derived from the sale of the helium three and deuterium will go first to paying for the launch, then to paying for the space program, then the second launch already in flight, then if any money is in the kitty left over to either the designated countries or to a program of their choice,” Luigi explained patiently. Everyone had ignored the possible economic implications of the gas giant program, thinking it was wishful thinking... that is until yesterday's little bombshell.

  Senator Byrd frowned. “I saw that, but that doesn't make a lick of sense. Why should we share with the ruskies?”

  Luigi scowled but tried to hide it by ducking. “Because they provided the power sir.”

  “I didn't quite hear that,” The Senator growled.

  Luigi looked up. “Because Senator, they provided the power. They are providing the Topaz power plant for the flight; therefore they deserve a share of the profits.”

  “I don't quite care for your tone son, you better watch it,” Byrd scowled at him.

  Luigi nodded. “Noted sir,” he sighed. “Sir, they are providing the Uragan rocket platform to get it up, the Topaz for power, we provided the platform, and drive. Once we pay for the previous mentioned things, there should be enough for each of our countries to get a return on this first investment,” Luigi explained.

  Senator Friday leaned forward. “This first investment?” she asked carefully. Bryd looked over to her scowling. She waved him off. “You had your turn,” she said. His scowl deepened. He was turning an interesting shade of red Luigi noted before answering.

  “Yes ma'am, this first run. We now have a gas mining platform on its way to orbit Saturn, and we can get a turnaround flight every four years. Each flight brings back twenty five tons each of helium three and deuterium. At current market prices that is nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars, though we expect that to drop once we get it to market,” Luigi explained patiently.

  She nodded looking skeptical. “And just how is this material worth so much?” she asked suspiciously.

  He held up his cup. “Power ma'am. With a drop of water, we can power this building for an hour. With Deuterium and Helium three we can power the entire continental United States for a year,” Luigi explained. Grantham grunted like he had been shot.

  “How?” she asked, suddenly aghast over the concept. The coal union was going to flip their lids over this one.

  “Fusion power ma'am. With a fusion reactor running this mix of He3, and DE, that is Helium three and Deuterium, we can get an eighty percent return on energy. That is one thousand times better than current generation fission reactors with the same transition of waste. We could run the reactor in France with this fuel and power that entire continent,” Luigi explained. She nodded.

  “What about contamination?” Grantham asked. Friday looked concerned then sat back with a sigh.

  “Contamination? Sir we are doing our best to make sure the product is not contaminated by exposure to Earth's biosphere,” Luigi replied.

  Grantham grunted. “Not what I meant at all,” he growled.

  “Oh you mean with us?” Luigi shook his head. “No sir, they are both rare isotopes in shielded containers. We have deuterium on Earth in water already.” He held the glass up again. “This is just the pure quill.”

  “Think of it as Moonshine,” Friday teased. Byrd chuckled dryly.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  ""Want to have lunch?" Luigi asked Betsy after the meeting. Her eyes went wide in surprise then she smiled.

  "Yeah, I'd like that."

  He chuckled. "There is an Italian deli that serves the best gyros in DC." He escorted her out.

  ...*...*...*...*...

  "See, eating with the boss isn't so bad," Luigi teased as he looked at Betsy. She chuckled. They were standing at the cross walk waiting for the signal to turn green so they could cross.

  "Looking forward to the launch? Four more days and we will be in space!" Betsy said excited.

  Luigi chuckled. By rights right now they should be with the rest of their team training and or visiting their families one last time. Instead he'd been called here on the hill. "Yeah, I'm not all that fond of the idea of weightlessness, but the trip is going to be exciting." He shook his head
. He remembered his trip on the vomit comet, for him it had lived up to its nick name.

  He nodded as the lights changed to red and the cross signal changed to green. "Here we go," he murmured checking left and right and then stepping off. They started walking across the street. He heard an engine rev and turned. A gray sedan was peeling up the intersection right for them. He pushed Betsy backward and felt the impact. Betsy screamed as he was struck, catapulted up over the hood to bounce off and hit the pavement.

  The car squealed to a stop and people piled out of it. Luigi moaned. "He's still alive," a voice said.

  "I can fix that." Someone kicked him in the abdomen. Then the kidneys. He groaned as a pipe smashed into his arm. He groaned, feeling blinding pain.

  "Stop it what's the matter with you? SOMEONE HELP!" Betsy screamed.

  "Shut the bitch up. She's one of them," one of them turned on her.

  A trio of men in suits came running weapons drawn. "Federal agents drop the weapons!" The pipe hit the ground by Luigi's ear with a clang. He groaned again and felt someone kick him once more.

  "Do it again and your dog food," someone growled.

  "He's an anarchist; he's going to ruin the universe!" a woman shrieked. “Pollute Mars!”

  "Put your hands up where we can see them nice and slow..." The car peeled out suddenly. "Their on the move, gray sedan Lincoln, plates, 35GRN09 Georgia plates. That's three, five, Georgia, Richard, North, Zero, Niner." Luigi could hear an agent talking.

  He felt someone grab his thigh and groaned. "Back," he mumbled spitting blood. He coughed. Something went around his leg and tightened down. "Back," he sighed, feeling cold all of a sudden.

  "He said back, he must mean spinal injuries," Betsy said. The last kick had knocked him onto his back. He could feel his airway closing. The blood in his mouth was dribbling down his throat. He couldn't move, his limbs felt numb and unresponsive. "Get the other leg, I'll protect his neck." Betsy said to someone else. He could feel her kneel with her thighs on either side of his head. Gently she squeezed, protecting his head and neck from moving. Her fingers checked behind his head, feeling his neck before she grunted. He coughed blood. He sighed as she tipped his head back so he could breathe easier. "Hold still Luigi, help is on the way," Betsy said.