The Asteroid Belt

by Stephen Brandon

  #6 - sealed envelope: E-Mail account name and address

  Memo #8 from Doug: Contact me using E-Mail today.

  Then the Assembly called me up in front. They demanded to know why the assassination attempt on me wasn't reported by me to my superior.

  I simply replied that people in charge of any important project automatically become the target of their opponents. I am not going to let some idiots cause me to worry about their actions. I informed Doug and Frederick. Frederick because I had the hunch that that was where to suit was sabotaged. Doug because you gave him the the job of Belt Security. I have started taking precautions to safeguard my life and position. I then asked them if they had even changed the passwords on their e-mail accounts since taking office. You need to become security aware. I sat here for 10 minutes reading this batch of hand delivered dispatches and what you were discussing could have been something that if transmitted to earth would give them an advantage in subduing us. I would strongly suggestion that you get Doug to send someone over to give you and any staff you have basic security training to safeguard our government.

  They then started looking at the people sitting around the room.

  I felt a touch on my elbow. It was Bob and he said we needed to leave within 5 minutes if we were going to keep on schedule.

  I asked the Assembly if there was anything else. When they said no I left with Bob and headed for the ship.

  Jackal 1 was ready to go. We arrived at the earth work station 4 hours later. The Operations officer, Mr. Wendel Gearing, met me at the main airlock. He gave me a brief tour of the main work areas and then into the weapons sector. It consisted of two areas, one as manufacturing and the other smaller area was research. They were working on growing crystals to work in lasers. This 2 foot long 6 inch diameter crystal among others was grown on our way out here. A space suited figure picked it up and went out of the room. He invited me over to an observation port.

  I watched as the space suited figure mounted the crystal in a latticework of wiring. He then rubbed what must have been abrasive paper over the end of the crystal and then removed the cap from the end. Then he placed what looked like a circular florescent tube on the end and finished off with a gold plate. He then connected a wiring harness and aimed the whole assembly at a nearby asteroid.

  Wendel told a worker to give warning and warm up the equipment then fire a continuous beam for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes cut off he then wanted 8 3 second burst and then another 5 minute beam.

  I continued to look from the mounted telescope to the monitor and watched the asteroid turn into a doughnut. I expected the target to move as the surface was boiled away, but it didn't. I asked if he had tried this against a metallic asteroid or a ship.

  He then explained that they were trying to build bigger crystals. They didn't know why the target surface just dissipated and no reaction was observed. The doped crystals just ate a whole in anything they were aimed at. It couldn't be truly called a laser because the output wasn't coherent light but an unknown form of radiation at a frequency so high none of their instruments could read it. The tested known range was 4 AU. One of the scout ships set up a camera and they tested it with their jury rigged targeting setup at a target 1/3rd the way around the asteroid belt and hit their target with only a 50% spread in beam diameter. As soon as the Specter arrives this one will be mounted. They could turn out the crystals faster than the manufacturing section could make the rest of the assembly. They were turning them out at the rate of one every 92 working hours. However the main reason you were invited to the station today was to attend the naming ceremony. It will be broadcast to cover your trip.

  After half a dozen speeches and a pretty good dinner we went to the main manufacturing section.

  There the broadcast crew set up their cameras and Mr. Gearing and I walked out on the floor. There was a bottle on a rope and scale model of the station. In this speech he told how the workers had nominated names and voted, nominated new names and voted, then put together a panel and the panel came up with 3 names. The vote selected Gearbox for the stations name. He then stated that he didn't like the name but the workers selected it by a 83% majority. Pure democracy in action. He then pulled the bottle back and gave it a swing at the model station and it broke. Liquid globules and broken glass slowly spread out. Before it spread very far a four man crew dropped down a large hose and starting vacuuming up the area.

  Wendel and I retreated to the observation room. He and the shift leaders shook my hand and thanked me for representing the Assembly at the naming of the station.

  Day 3254 Monday

  Belt work station: When I arrived I was informed to contact the Assembly by radio. There was only a 23 second transmission lag so I reentered my ship and had them place the call. The Commander in Chief was calm when she told me I should have gotten prior authorization before representing the Assembly.

  I told her that I was taken by surprise when he informed me about the naming of the station.

  She said it would be overlooked this time however future events must be cleared.

  I then informed her that I was at the old belt work station for the commissioning of the 2nd fuel ship and naming of the station.

  After about 5 minutes she came back stating that I was the official Assembly representative for both these events today.

  The lunch lasted almost 3 hours with all the speeches. Afterward we were told to go suit up and meet outside personnel lock 3 for the ceremony.

  When I got back to my ship I found that Stephen had been painted on the suit shell. I suited up and Bob and I exited and jetted around the station to lock 3. Our suits looked like poor cousins compared to the 5 new hard shell suits waiting for us.

  We introduced around and Mr Payton the manager had us all move to the fuel ship. The camera guy moved back about a hundred meters panned the ship and then Mr Payton gave a few words and named the ship Nimitz. He then pulled out a foot long key and presented it to me as the representative of the Assembly. We then went to the ship for a tour. There was the standard airlock on both sides, then Mr. Payton led us to a set of 8 open doors the 7 of us each entered a separate door.

  As soon as I was inside the door slid closed. The room was then pressurized and arms came out from the walls rotated and then immobilized my suit. As I watched a crewman entered the room and signaled me to open up.

  He then told me that he would service my suit while I was on the tour.

  I informed him that the suit had only 2 hours since the last service and I would rather put a seal on the room and leave the suit as is.

  He said OK and we left the suit room. He dogged the door and handed me a pencil. With another pencil he drew around one of the latches and asked me to observe.

  I dogged the other latch and drew partway around it.

  Bob came out of his room with a crew member and said he was going to skip the tour because he didn't need the exercise.

  When we got to the control room the pilot grinned and introduced himself as Luke Ironstone one the the Ironstone brothers. Then it clicked he was John's brother. He then introduced Mark Ironstone the weapons master.

  Mark made it onto the Enterprise as soon as it got back and went with them on their refueling run. The lead engineer had nothing but praise for your handling of the ship on the rescue mission, and was impressed the way you harvested those rocky asteroids. We are armed with 3 mining tools and one of those weird new lasers. We can process ice as fast as the conveyors can jam it into the chambers. We have a capacity of 1 million cubic liters each of hydrogen and oxygen compressed to 50 atmospheres plus another storage capability of ½ million each once liquefied. Unfortunately our heat signature when processing fuel is about the same as a brown dwarf. James Calhoon over in sector B5 has found a bunch of ice for us so that will be our shakedown cruise. When I asked about escape capsules he told me that 5 were delive
red by the station VIPs when they came over. Those new suits have 30 day environment and fuel to delta-V of 1.6 KPS. The VIP's are going back in a shuttle.

  I wished them luck and requested a report when they returned, especially one from Mark, because I wanted the new laser tested as thoroughly as possible.

  The naming of the station was brief. He wanted me to know that the crew had decided the name of the station would be Amanda.

  Day 3259 Saturday

  Been living in Jackal 1 and finally am going to take a break on Freedom Station One. My headquarters is complete. There are 3 airlock entrances and 2 entrances into the main station plus 1 directly to the station control section. All are guarded 24-7 by Doug's security force.

  I met the personnel I requested to meet and they all volunteered.

  Day 3260 Sunday

  My presence required at the Assembly in person. I'm beginning to wonder what day of the week they take off. Instructions from the commander in chief to me are to lead a Intercept Mission out to the 3 earth rockets headed our way and turn them around. I am authorized to give them food, air, and fuel if they are short. I have 3 days to prepare and will depart on the morning of day 3264.

  When I returned to HQ I got Fritsch and we sat down to form a 3 dimensional war plan.

  He said I would need one of the fuel ships and 2 supply ships for rations. He also recommended three 2 man fighters. Then he added 1 unarmed scout ship stating that he must be a volunteer because he's the one that would make direct contact and be most at risk.

  I then called in Mitchell and told him the requirements for ships and suggested that the unarmed scout be assembled as a module 1, 6, 4 from an old ship with a volunteer pilot. All ships would be notified and be at intercept locations on day 3291 at the distance of 500000 KM from the targets.

  Day 3264 Thursday

  I piloted one of the 3 fighters. Nimitz was escorting 2 supply ships and the unarmed scout.

  Day 3291 Wednesday

  We were in position facing the incoming ships. Our 3 ships are positioned in a 120 degree arc to their polar north and running parallel. The fuel ship is a million KM back with the scout and cargo ships.

  We then called them on radio. When they didn't reply I had the scout ship move up into our formation and give them a shot with the old mining laser across their bow and let them run through it.

  The old ruby laser wouldn't be visible in space but as soon as they ran into it is should be detected. I intended to followed that up with another all frequency transmission.

  They must have been scanning for heat sources because as soon as the laser started there were 5 missile launches from the third ship.

  I transmitted to them that they had 10 seconds to self destruct those missiles or I would hole the ship that launched them.

  6 seconds later we received an order to surrender to the United Earth Force.

  I then gave the execute order to destroy the missiles. After destroying one missile I aimed at the 3rd ship and gave it a 15 second burst. I knew that we had not perfectly matched velocity so instead of a clean hole it would be a long cut about 1 ½ inches wide. One of the missiles blew as we hit it. The rest just were cut up. After waiting for a few minutes I called the ships again and told them if they didn't make a course correction to run parallel with the asteroid belt they would be destroyed.

  Two of them replied that they didn't have the fuel to make the course correction.

  I asked what they were using as fuel.

  They replied liquid hydrogen and oxygen.

  I gave them the ultimatum again and told them that we would refuel and resupply them for their trip back to earth. They had 5 minutes to change course.

  The first ship turned toward us and the other turned away. Both ships launched missiles at us.

  I ordered both ships and missiles be destroyed. I also asked the scout ship to check the third ship to see if anyone was alive on it. Evidently the fuel was hit on the first ship because it exploded. The second ship was cut in half. My radar indicated that rockets were being destroyed faster than the 3 fighters could aim and fire even with computers. I called the fuel ship and asked him if he was firing between us.

  He said he had drifted so he was firing over our shoulder. He then informed me that ship 3 was launching more missiles.

  I instructed my 3 ships to start backing up using thrustors.

  The scout reported that he was targeted and wanted us to tell his wife he loved her.

  Luke then interrupted him and told him to head retrograde at full throttle. He needed 2 degrees separation so he could fire.

  We were down to 5 targets when my weapon master said OH SHIT! When I yelled back he said we had at least 5000 small targets coming up behind. If they held formation they would pass less than a KM in front of us. I told him to kill the rest of the missiles targeting us, I would simply back us up. I hit the thrustors again and increased our backward momentum. All the small targets passed in front of our location and then it hit me. Luke was using the new “mining tool” to destroy the missiles that were after our scout. My weapons master reported no incoming and he was going to try to destroy some of the missiles that were headed toward the scout. I told him to first cut the third ship in little pieces and then the other ship. I don't want them to be able to launch anything else.

  Fighter 3 weapons master radioed on the command channel that the small missiles that came from behind us were on an intercept course toward our scout and would pass behind him by less than 2 KM in 3 minutes.

  I then told them all that the small targets aimed in the direction of our scout ship had been fired from the fuel ship. I told them to move to where they could fire on the missiles from the 3rd ship, but don't hit any of the ones fired from the fuel ship. They are a screen to help him escape.

  Luke then called the scout and informed him that the missiles were beginning to go ballistic. As soon as he gave the command he was to aim polar north, that would get him clear.

  The scout didn't sound to good but he came back with I've got 2 minutes fuel. Come and get me. He rotated his ship 90 degrees still on full throttle.

  I could tell Luke that he would have a long haul catching our scout because he had some velocity built up.

  Luke came back to me on the radio. I'll be back in a week or two. See you at the rendezvous point. He must have been accelerating at 2 G's also from the strained sound of his voice.

  I then commanded all ships to keep an eye out for any stray missiles and head for the rendezvous point. Then I requested status reports from all ships.

  Nimitz reporting all cargo secure, accelerating a 1.8 G to rescue Scout 1. Fuel, food, water, and air all OK. Out.

  Scout 1 reported out of fuel, 20 days supply of air, food, and water. Out.

  My other 2 fighters reported all supplies and fuel OK.

  Then the two cargo ships reported all OK.

  I then ordered everyone to make an economy run to the rendezvous point, it looks like we will have to wait for the Nimitz.

  Day 3367 Tuesday

  Arrived at Gearbox. Sent rest of strike force on to their home bases for 3 days R&R. Wendel told me that one of his young bright experimenters had been experimenting with layered ceramics and metals to build work suit hulls. Using a blown glass outer shell he had been laying down vaporized layers of metals to build a shell thickness of several inches. Most of the layers were separated by a very thin ceramic layers. We knew that the ceramic layers would shatter when we drilled holes for mounting equipment and airlock. However 2 hulls had some weird properties. Of course all were tested for any radioactivity prior to work for safety reasons. Those 2 hulls had no background radiation detected inside. Another set of larger hulls was manufactured and then tested next to a reactor. No background radiation detected inside. One of the old physicist suggested we take a hull and start putting radioactive elements inside fo
r storage. Well that worked fine. The only radioactive leakage was where we had drilled holes in the hull and around the hatch. When we removed the radioactive elements we found that the hull only had background level readings for 20 some hours and then fell to 0. We then started a team on analyzing the hull for anything and everything we could think of including ideas sent over from Amanda station. We now have 18 shells, the largest 18 meters long and 12.3 meters in diameter. They all exhibit the same properties. We've mounted the 2 largest shell inside module 5's and are setting them up for use as testing stations mounted to module 4's. If this works we'll have a module that will be self-shielding from any concentration of radiation encountered. Now we need the radioisotopes from those warheads and ships you destroyed.

  We are preparing 20 1 cubic meter shells for storage. One of the 18 meter shells is being prepared as a mining ship with all controls and tools. Everything controlled through shielded cable runs to outside. The airlocks outer chamber covers the outer hatch and has no line of sight to the inside.

  I asked him if usable radio frequencies passed through the hull. Also what effect does our new laser and older type mining lasers have on the hull. Also what happens if radioactive elements are place outside and radiation is directed inside? Run those test before completing the retrieval ship.

  Day 3373 Monday

  Received message from Gearbox. All frequencies from cosmic ray to infrared blocked. Electrical conductivity is 23000U resistance after hull ceramics are fractured. Structural strength equivalent to stainless steel. No reaction to radiation inside and outside hull at same time or pulsed. Heat conductivity from all lasers tested is equivalent to 6 BTU. The new laser punches a hole at about half the speed it works at against solid rock. Hull rupture pressure of 1 cubic meter hull is 3600 PSI and that was the airlock door. New airlock design being implemented for main hull and hatches for 1 cubic meter storage hulls.

  Recovery ship will be ready for launch in 10 days.

  Enterprise is halfway through refit. Do you want the new hulls installed anywhere on it.

  My reply was yes, add a small radiation vault that the crew can get into in an emergency.

  Day 3380 Monday

  Transmitted battle visuals with audio to earth. No reply.

  Re-transmitting battle visuals with audio this time on UHF frequencies.

  Day 3403 Wednesday

  I accompanied 2 members of Assembly to Amanda station for commissioning of Alice. This will bring the Belt Defense fleet up to 3 fuel ships, 2 cargo supply ships unarmed, 3 unarmed scouts, and 27 fighters.

  I requested 1 more cargo ship so we could field 3 separate fleets at the same time.

  Day 3404 Thursday

  Military production reduced to 10% with 80% on habitats and new mining ships. Last 10% will be in research of more efficient propulsion systems and mining procedures.

  Goal is 8 new 300 person habitats, 100 new mining ships with the replacement of all existing mining ships within next two years.

  Our computer section is now building new CPU's with 1 terabyte on-board memory with a success rate of 1 out of every 5. CPU construction time is 137 hours.

  Day 3438 Wednesday

  Report from observation telescope: Dozens of ships launched from Earth to Moon over last month.

  ~(ToC)~