“Geeze,” Joe exclaimed. “It’s enormous.”
“I can see why all the heavy machinery is up the other end,” Trisha remarked as she looked at it.
“Of course. It’s counterbalance for when we land on another planet.”
“Yes,” she snapped. “I understand all about the centre of gravity effect when landing,” she muttered while wishing that he would stop patronising her.
“Sorry, I seem to have a habit of stating the obvious,” he added, having seen her facial expression.
As they slowly passed by the Acarea, disappointment showed on some of the non-tech people’s faces. With them having expected the ship to look, at the very least, like the spaceships that had been portrayed in science fiction books and films from the early part of the 21st century.
None of them realising that those Phantasy ships, with their curving lines and sleek appearance, wouldn’t have been able to withstand the forces the Acarea would be put under when the multiple nuclear detonations took place.
Instead, of glitz and glamour, the Acarea had been designed, with reliability in mind. So, although the Acarea’s body looked cylindrical. In cross-section, you could see that the bottom was flat and had been re-enforced to safeguard the ship against breaking up during landing.
As the shuttle moved slowly along the side of the Acarea, they saw the first hydraulic shock absorbers and caught a glimpse of the nuclear delivery and storage units that sat between them. Then they passed the Secondary shock absorbers. These were black and much larger than the first set.
The shuttle moved further on and along the central silver looking habitation section with its observation domes and manoeuvring thrusters. After which, the two rockets that would be used to push the Acarea away from Earth came into view. The rockets were bolted to the Acarea’s side and seemed much smaller than Trisha and Joe had thought.
The shuttle finally curved round and passed by the massive fourteen-metre diameter airlock. The airlock was open, and they could just see glimpses of the heavy equipment inside, including earth movers and scout ships.
Just below the airlock, they could see a large ski-shaped piece of metal.
“What’s that, under the airlock,” Trisha asked.
“That’s part of the airlock’s metal shield,” he replied. “The shield’s sort of ski-shaped, but at the moment it’s in a lockdown position,” he added.
“Isn’t it a heat shield as well?” She queried, hoping to catch him out.
“Yes, of course,” Joe replied, looking daggers at her and sounding very annoyed. “When we land, it’s supposed to come up and protect this large airlock,” he added, hoping he’d got it right.
By this time, Trisha was beginning to wish she hadn’t married him.
The shuttle moved slowly on around the end of the ship, then along the other side until it came to a smaller airlock, then stopped beside it to enable the transfer tube to be attached to both vessels so the passengers could disembark.
Captain Grantham’s voice could then be heard over the cabin’s sound system. “We are about to dock. Please remain seated and secured. Once the airlock has been pressurised, it will open and our steward will guide you out through the coupling. We don’t want you drifting all over the place, so please remember your training with the mag boots. I hope you all enjoyed the trip and wish you all good luck."
There was dead silence, for a moment. Then came a loud hiss, and a clunking sound, as the shuttle’s airlock opened. A smartly dressed young man drifted out of the coupling tube and held onto the shuttle’s open door, then pushed his feet downwards to anchor himself to the floor, and walked in.
“I’m Doctor Jacobs,” he said introducing himself. “I hope you enjoyed my display. I know you’ve all had simulated Zero-G training, so make sure your mag boots keep your feet on the floor like mine did. I’m afraid everyone has to put up with zero gravity on the Acarea.
Those of you who are going to be in stasis from the start of the voyage, please place your designated items in the numbered container underneath your seat,” he then ordered.
“Don’t worry these will be off-loaded separately and put in your stasis units. Ok. Unbuckle yourselves now,” he finished. Then, turning to leave, ordered them to follow him to the central reception area.
Trisha’s job now was to help get the would-be settlers into Acarea’s central reception area in an orderly fashion. Once there, they would be allowed a brief period of time to get to know each other so that when they were initially brought out of stasis, they would be amongst friendly faces. Later, they would have a final meal before being separated into groups and taken to their allotted cabins and stasis chambers.
Meanwhile, Joe had already left the reception area, together with Mears. They were both going directly to the stasis section of the ship, to join the small team of specialists who would be placing people into the chambers, and initiating the stasis process. Trisha would follow later, with the first group.
The stasis section comprised of fourteen cabins that were located towards the front of the habitation section of the ship. These catered for the eighty-five colonists. With six stasis chambers each in thirteen of the cabins, and seven in the fourteenth.
The chambers were securely bolted to the floor and were a metre in diameter and three long. They were manufactured from a gold plated alloy that was similar to brass. Even though it wasn’t expected that they would have to stand up to any corrosive elements in the ship, the gold plated casing offered better protection to the unit’s electronic controller and nutrient feeder.
Susie, who was in the first group, joined Trisha. “Will you be putting me into stasis?” She asked.
“Yes, I’ll be there. But don’t be nervous. You’ll be okay.”
“Have you got the package from Michael?”
Knowing that Michael had, as promised, delivered Axon’s weapon. Trisha assured her that it had already been placed in her stasis chamber.
“That’s a relief. Uncle Cedrick was adamant that it had to go with me.”
“Yes. We all agreed.”
“Will you really be twenty years older than me, by the time we reach Procyon, Trisha?”
“I’m afraid so. But, I would have been much older if they hadn’t delivered the five auxiliary chambers in time.”
“I suppose you won’t have changed too much then,” Susie replied. “At least, we should still be able to recognise you,” she jokingly added and they both dissolved into laughter at the thought.
Then both of them were quiet for a moment as they thought about what they had let themselves in for.
“Susie, how come we didn’t have any contact with you or your father until he saved me from that Butcher guy?”
“Cedrick and Linda secretly took me in when my dad went missing. But they died when I was still very young. However, they had already made an arrangement with Linda’s sister, who was about eleven years younger than her, to take care of me if anything happened to them.
So, when they died Linda’s sister came to live on the estate and brought me up. Cedric had made sure that it would remain a very safe place for me, no matter what. I don’t personally remember anything about Cedric and Linda, only what her sister told me. I only know that we couldn’t reveal who we were, especially with Michael doing his Undercover thing.”
She paused, then asked, “Trisha, will I really remember the past when we awake? My friends told me that I’d come out a zombie. But I didn’t really believe them.”
“Most things, some may be a little hazy, but the system’s been designed to keep your memories intact. I expect your friends are just envious of your chance of a new life.”
“Yea, if we get there, and if it really is a habitable planet.”
“Well, we’ve got the best people with us. So, we have a better chance of finding a habitable planet and making something of our lives, than if we stayed on Earth.”
Trisha’s wrist communicator suddenly buzzed. “Ok, Susie it’s time. Wait
here while I get the rest of the group together.”
Trisha felt Susie’s hand holding hers tightly, as they left for the stasis chambers with the rest of her group. Most of them silent now, as the realisation of what was going to happen finally hit them.
Susie’s chamber was one of seven in the larger cabin, and when she arrived the other six were already occupied. The thick transparent cover of hers was open, and looking in she could see that the interior seemed to be full of embedded sensors. The bed she was going to lay on was upright at the moment and was held in position by two small hydraulic arms.
Susie held Trisha’s hand even more tightly, and, looking horrified, nervously said. “Trisha, they look like coffins.”
“No, just think of them as technological marvels,” she said trying to reassure her. “Come, just look at the others. Can’t you see how calm they look?”
“I must admit, they do look peaceful,” Susie reluctantly replied.
“And they are,” Trisha briskly stated, while gently releasing her hand from Susie’s grip.
“So get undressed, then stow your clothes in this compartment. But leave your mag boots on until you are ready to get in.”
She did as she was told, ready to step into the chamber.
“Which cabins are Harry and Anna in?”
“They’re both in cabin four. I hope you realise that you’re one of just twenty or so, unmarried women. So try to remember their cabin number, for when you come out of stasis. OK?”
“Yes. H’m, women, I like the sound of that, Trisha,” Susie said as she took off her mag boots.
Trisha put one hand on Susie’s shoulder, to keep her from floating away. Then Susie stepped into the chamber and stood with her back to the bed which had already started to slowly drop backwards. Trisha told her to lay back, and in moments Susie was flat on the bed, with her body held down by two small suction discs.
Trisha double-checked that the box holding Axon’s weapon was in the chamber. Then, seeing Susie watching her, said, “Don’t worry, nobody will be able to touch it until you’re woken up. Now, lay still and let the Chamber look after you.”
Susie felt something prick her. Tried to speak, but couldn’t. She was already asleep.
A few minutes later Tony Mears, the stasis specialist and ship’s doctor, came in.
“How was it, Trisha?”
“She’s well away.”
“Good,” he said as he checked the stasis chamber.
Once satisfied. He tapped his code into a small panel and the cover slowly closed, followed by a hissing noise that lasted for just a few seconds.
A green coloured dot then lit on its screen, and Trisha tapped in her code. Thus ensuring that no one could open it without both of their codes.
The transparent cover misted over as the stasis field became active and a second green dot lit on the panel. Then the digital clock illuminated showing a rolling countdown to zero. At zero, the display showed the date and Susie’s full name.
“OK, she’s safely in stasis, Trisha.”
The chamber, now set, could only be opened when the Starship’s destination had been reached, the crew had verified that conditions were safe, and the two codes had been entered.
Joe arrived, just as Tony finished checking the six stasis chambers that had been activated earlier.
Tony said nothing, just looked at him in a calculating manner for a moment. Then ordered him to close the cabin, as all three of them then stepped out into the corridor, just managing to avoid a small service droid as it scurried past.
Joe closed the door and followed as Trisha and Tony started to head back to the crew section.
“What about the twenty crew members who are going into stasis first?” Joe asked as he caught them up.
“That’s already sorted, we’re doing that next,” Tony replied. “Captain Traven’s already programmed in the stasis change-over points for each group of ten.”
“Thank goodness we’re only active for two ten-year stints.” Joe said.
“Yes. Better than being active for twenty, in one go,” Trisha agreed.
“We were lucky that Traven managed to persuade the rest of the crew to let us do both the first and last ten-year sections,” Tony added.
“I can’t believe the other two groups have each agreed to do a twenty-year slot out of stasis,” Trisha added.
“Yep, mad aren’t they?”
THE NEXT DAY.
In the control room, Captain Traven’s crew were busy preparing the Acarea to move out of Earth’s orbit, and travel to their launch point, way out past the moon.
“Ah, so have you finished, then?” Traven asked as he heard the clunking of Tony, Trisha and Joe’s mag boots as they entered the control room.
“Yes sir, all of them safely in stasis,” Tony informed him.
“Are we fit to go, Henry? Do you have any outstanding deliveries?”
“Yes to the first, Captain, and no to the second. Everything that’s supposed to be here is here.”
“Okay,” Traven replied. Then activated the ship’s Log Recorder.
“Everyone report any details or observations you may wish to put on record,” he said then looked around.
“Okay, we’ll start with you, Joe. What about the nuclear charge delivery system?”
“Everything checks out, captain.”
“Jackson?”
“Better than I hoped, Captain. Hydroponic food production and water recycling systems for the crew are already up to sustainable levels.”
“Yes, but what about the changeover period, when twenty of us are going to be active for up to three days?”
“We’ll have plenty in reserve by then, and as long as the settlers stay in stasis until after we’ve landed. We’ll cope.”
“Nick?”
“Both Steve and I are as sure as we can be that the ship will hold together when the chain of nuclear detonations begin.”
“What about the plasma ball that each explosion will generate? There’s no way they’ll stay with us, is there?” Tommy asked.
“None whatsoever. The detonations have been specifically timed to ensure that any plasma ball generated by the explosion will be far enough behind the ship to negate the possibility of a vortex forming directly behind the pusher plate, on the outward journey.
So, effectively, each plasma ball will be left behind, and will get further away from us as we go forward,” he told them, then paused.
“However, in saying that, I’m not so sure about this when we reverse and have the nuclear detonations taking place right in front of us.”
“You’re right, Steve. When we’ve rotated and are then flying into the explosions, it’s probably going to be a bit different.
But, the pusher plate should then protect us,” Nick assured him. Then added, “Maybe just a wisp of plasma for a few kilometres, due to our mass. But, I personally think the nasty stuff should pass far enough out to not be a danger to us.”
“Let’s hope you’re right. Then again, maybe it’ll just rattle us to bits with continuous explosions, instead,” Janson interrupted.
“Don’t be so pessimistic, Paul,” Captain Traven rebuffed, not wanting to hear what most of them actually thought.
Then asked, “No tweaks needed to your star plots, Paul?”
“No, captain. We’re as ready as we’ll ever be.”
“I agree,” Tommy added.
“I say we should get away from Earth’s orbit now, Captain. Before some disgruntled person fires a missile at us.”
Traven just smiled at this, then asked. “All agreed?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Okay, let’s get Acarea out to where it’s safe.”
“Will do, Captain,” Tommy replied as he finished plotting the steering changes needed to get to their destination.
Traven sat back in his anti-acceleration seat. Then looked at the rest of the crew who were sitting in front of their consoles in the same type of seats, which were sometimes
referred to as Inertia Dampers. They were crude but offered a degree of protection from the G-Forces that would be created as the ship accelerated.
“Everyone buckle up,” Traven ordered.
“Pilot. You have the control for the strap-on rockets but don’t jettison them unless they become a danger to the Acarea.”
Six minutes passed before the pilot’s information panels were fully lit with a mass of green lights, and readouts showing the readiness status of the ship.
“We’re off,” Tommy informed them, as the Acarea moved slowly moved forward, then gathered speed.
Then the Acarea shuddered and groaned as it came under the full force of the rocket engines as they started to push it ever faster towards their launch point…….
Then.
”Tommy, what’s happening?” Traven shouted out as the ship began to shudder violently……..
End of Sample.
About the Author
I started writing my first book, a science-fiction novel, some years ago. But fate then conspired to point me in a different direction.
Although my career in electronic design was both exciting and fulfilling, especially with the fast moving pace of the technology employed. I never lost my love of space, or of the possibility of man one day travelling in space and colonising other planets.
It wasn't until 2013 that I had time to continue writing my first book, Battles at Zeta Reticuli. Once started I couldn't stop, until finally I had three books and my SpaceFed-StarShips trilogy, was complete.
However, while writing the final book in the trilogy, I realised that I wasn't ready to stop writing. I had a storyline in mind for another book.
Death of Time follows on from book 3 of my SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy. It’s not a prequel but the 4th book in what has now become my SpaceFed StarShips Series. My 5th book in the series, Acarea - A Triumph or Disaster, continues the storyline.
Death of Time (SpaceFed StarShips Series Book 4) 2nd Edition.: A thrilling, psychological, Mystery and Suspense, sci-fi detective thriller. (SpaceFed StarShips Trilogy) Page 28