by Terry Smith
Gus © 2019 by Terry Smith. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
ISBN (Print): 978-1-54396-735-7
ISBN (eBook): 978-1-54396-736-4
Table of Contents
Chapter 1The Dream Team
Chapter 2The Launch of Able3
Chapter 3The Landing – But Where?
Chapter 4The Extended Stay
Chapter 5Conflict Between Groups And a Possible Olive Branch
Chapter 6Life in the Neighborhood
Chapter 7The Planet
Chapter 8New National Sport
Chapter 9Communication Creates Major Conflict
Chapter 10Is There a Solution?
Chapter 11Col Lambert’s Bold Action
Chapter 12What Will Happen Now?
Chapter 13A Talk With Gus
Chapter 14A Mulligan for Earth
Chapter 15A New Life
Chapter 16Home
Epilogue
Chapter 1
The Dream Team
The Dream Team was established by order of the President of the United States to develop a comprehensive program to deal with deficiencies in preparing the nation for the future. Other countries have made major advancements that put the U.S. behind in the use of the solar system to augment scientific knowledge in several areas. The Dream Team will address these deficiencies to move forward and again place the country in the lead position. The assembly for the team was placed under the management of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with a goal of completion of the team and its mission and goals within six months. This is felt to be a tight schedule but necessary due to the dire situation faced by the country.
The funding of the Dream Team and the mission was placed before Congress for authorization as the program would entail additional missions to complete the goals to be established by the Dream Team. The funding was derailed by a restriction that the Dream Team have an equal number of Republicans and Democrats and finally Congress established a Committee for the specific purpose of reviewing the requirements of the entire mission and the political component of the persons to be included in the mission. The Committee called individuals to testify which was held up by the need to maintain secrecy in some aspects of the mission and therefore the questioning was held in private. The project dragged along until it neared time for a Congressional recess and it was called for a vote. The funding was approved and the political affiliation of the members of the Dream Team was eliminated from the requirements.
The team was initially called a Think Tank, but was soon changed by the initial members of the team to separate it from existing groups using this title, and to create the idea that they would be going beyond assembling known information to development of new scientific information to advance the country and the world. NASA initially appointed a team manager with a goal to develop six groups, later expanded adding a seventh group with the inclusion of Cosmology. The team manager had to possess special skills associated with keeping a group of highly specialized academic types working within established guidelines. Such people are always difficult to manage but in this case keeping them working as equals as part of a team was to be especially challenging.
Each group was to begin with three members that would meet twice each week. Every other week the group leader for each group would meet with the other group leaders and the team manager to discuss progress and issues that needed to be addressed by the entire team. After the first month the designated member from each group was identified to be on the launch team for Able3, which was the mission identification. On alternate weeks the launch team received orientation to the flight procedures and their individual assignments with Able3. Again they had a tight schedule for the entire process but as they progressed meeting the deadline it was determined to be feasible. Often the scheduled meetings had conflicts as the members declared that they had other priorities to meet. Finally the team manager announced that members must attend all meetings or be replaced by an alternate. Attendance became 100% as no member wanted to be cut from the team as it held a great deal of scientific prestige.
The launch team was identified and their initial orientation was provided which included their physicals and a review of the possible risks involved. They were aware of the risks from prior failures, none of which had occurred for the last three years. The following are members of the team:
Evin Phillips has studied the various fields involved in Cosmology for over twenty-five years. In spite of dedicating his professional life to this endeavor he still has many questions concerning the origin and general structure of the universe with its many parts, elements and laws especially dealing with the characteristics of space. His current belief is that the creation of the universe is somehow a combination of science and religion.
Dr. Phillips was not initially chosen to be aboard the launch of Able3 as the goal of his research didn’t seem to meet the express criteria of future space development. He worked tirelessly to be included in the venture, meeting with all of the chosen participants and the team manager and promoting his participation. His concept was to do his individual research as much as possible based primarily of prior theories of Cosmology, but to use the collective input of the team to review and discuss the possible origin of the universe and opportunities of how the universe could fit into the future of the Earth and its inhabitants. They finally agreed that this discussion could offer a break from their specific fields of research, including how they could fit in to the world of Cosmology.
Dr. Phillips, like all of the members of the team, has a unique personality. He is quiet and extremely studious of the world around him. He truly wants to be part of improvements in the United States and throughout the world addressing the many conflicts and internal issues that exist, and seems to be getting worse as challenges in society grow. He is probably the best listener of the team and only speaks to help quiet tensions that arise in the meetings and group as a whole.
He is 55 years old and his position in the field of Cosmology has given him a unique position as an authority in an area that is not always considered a scientific research-based topic. He has written three books on the subject with the books generally leading to additional questions and eventually to a new book.
Dr. Phillips only had one colleague to work with him developing his research to work on during his trip to the Space Station America. Most of their work for the mission was centered on topics to discuss with the other members of the Dream Team while in space. Although his hopes are to be able to observe some other life form from the Space Station America, he is not very hopeful as it is still not far enough into the universe for such observations.
Wanda Norris has been involved in the study of Materials Science for over twenty years, both commercially and for government research organizations. Generally, Materials Science involves just about all basic substances, both natural such as gold and iron, and human-made such as plastics. There have been a number of advances in the field based on the analysis of the properties of the materials involving the mechanical, chemical, electrical, thermal, optical and magnetic properties of each material. Combining various materials can serve to produce improvements to meet the various uses of these products.
Dr. Norris specifically wants to study the effect of gravitation on materials during the mission. The current research is often based on the magnetic pull associated with various materials and research conducted by Dr. Norris and her colleagues theorizes that the composition of many materials is altered by gravitational influence that can impact their productive use.
Dr.
Norris has developed many of the testing equipment systems which are shared with universities and proprietary companies involved in Materials Science. She easily could have created a great deal of personal wealth by marketing these equipment systems but has been comfortable in simply recovering her costs in their development and manufacturing.
Dr. Norris is 45 years old and has dedicated her life to her profession and research in Materials Science. Her list of books published covers a broad range of topics in the field which are often used as the basis of educational offerings in many universities. Her role in government research has placed her as the top expert in Materials Science and she was the obvious choice to be included in the Dream Team.
In spite of her status in her profession Dr. Norris remains a quiet person and not known for using her popularity to develop a broad social life as have some of her colleagues. Attempts by professional journals to interview Dr. Norris and write articles about her successes have been ignored as she prefers to remain rather secluded and dedicated to her work.
Ivan Trabosci, MD, has an extensive history with Space Medicine and has the designation as the first physician with Board Certification in Space Medicine. His major interest continues to be research in not only how astronauts and others spending time outside of the Earth’s gravitational pull are effected by their travel, but also how various organisms change including their reaction to traditional antibiotics. Research has already shown that individuals in long-term space travel show a loss of bone density, loss of muscle mass, balance disorders, sleep disturbances, cardiovascular changes and immune system issues. Dr. Trabosci has a large list of topics to research during his time in space that also includes the variances associated with ethnicity and sex of the traveler.
In addition to his research as part of the team, Dr. Trabosci will deal with any health issues arising with his fellow space travelers. Two of the current travelers aboard the Space Station America have reported illnesses and have been quarantined from the other four persons in the group. Before returning them to Earth, Dr. Trabosci will need to investigate the nature of their illnesses to determine if they pose a threat to others as they return home. There is a concern that they may have an illness that does not currently exist on Earth and may create a pandemic if not appropriately contained.
Included in the equipment Dr. Trabosci is taking to the Space Station America is an enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scanner that not only produces an improved image but is also much smaller allowing a scan to be produced without introducing the individual into an MRI scanner. Scans have been taken on the accompanying travelers for Able3 to compare to changes that may occur during the course of their space travel.
Dr. Trabosci is 53 years old and in excellent health. Most of his work career has been as a NASA Consultant; the pay isn’t much but the academic return to him is worth the investment. He has written two books on Space Medicine which are used as textbooks at medical schools having an interest in Space Medicine. Space Medicine is not yet a field that lures a high number of new physicians, but there is little doubt it will become a popular field in the future. Dr. Trabosci has avoided any interest in academia as he feels it would limit his research to areas that would be guided by the universities he would be associated with to advance their reputation rather than improve his research goals.
Billie Jo Anthony has been involved in academic research of Astrobiology for over fifteen years, primarily with Think Tanks in which this has been considered an outlier to their primary purposes. Her energetic personality has allowed her to remain active even though her bizarre analyses sometimes has left her directing her research down a singular path away from her peers. In spite of this her work continues to receive support.
Although Ms. Anthony has studied the origins of life including early evolution, her basis is to assist in an understanding of the possibility of life in other worlds and help to recognize biospheres that might be different from that on Earth. Her research involves the origin of the planetary systems, the origins of organic compounds in space, the interactions of rock-water-carbon, the habitability of planets and the adaptability needed for life to exist on Earth as the environment changes and in outer space. She is excited about her colleagues that have similar interests and the chance to merge their research findings to assist in determining the existence of life on other planets and the ability of Earth inhabitants to someday exist on other planets and possibly in other solar systems.
Ms. Anthony originally started her professional career as an attorney, but found that arguing cases was not pleasant and didn’t seem personally rewarding. Unfortunately she sometimes represented the party she felt was in the wrong, but it was still her duty to provide the best representation that she could. Finally in a case where she represented a child molester where she was successful in getting a not guilty verdict she decided to quit the profession. She was constantly concerned that this person would strike again as she felt that even though he was found not guilty he was in fact guilty of the crime.
Ms. Anthony is 36 years old and considered a leader in the field of Astrobiology. Her two colleagues on her development team are intrigued by her opportunity to join the team on Able3 and the three of them plan on writing a book upon her return. The two individuals not included in the actual space mission will begin writing the book while Ms. Anthony is in space based upon the research the three of them have already done up to this point. They feel that humans inhabiting other planets will occur within the next twenty years and their research will be a great enabler of this undertaking.
Ms. Anthony and her associates hope to be among the first people from Earth to inhabit another planet. They know that there will need to be changes in their own bodily needs and reactions to the environment of the new planet and are almost excited about what those changes would be.
David Watson started his professional work as a television Meteorologist. His good looks and presentation skills took him to the best networks presenting weather forecasts, but soon became disenchanted with simply interpreting forecasts in weather conditions dealing with temperature, precipitation and occasionally severe weather conditions such as hurricanes and outlook for possible tornadoes.
As predicted the damage to the ozone layer is creating a change in Earth’s weather outlook. Although some changes are being made by reduction in use of chlorofluorocarbons and CO2 emissions, the harmful effects on humans and the atmosphere continue and more improvements to correct the damage that has been done is needed. Mr. Watson has become immersed is this topic and research to help provide a solution.
Mr. Watson’s research in the field of atmospheric physics and atmospheric chemistry has taken him to the need to work on the limits of Earth’s atmosphere to continue to search for answers. He has developed a series of machines and analysis equipment that he wants to transport to the Space Station America and begin work on analytic research. His acceptance into the team has provided support for the nature of his research and involvement of the Space Station America program.
As he moved from being in front of the camera, Mr. Watson started putting on weight, and the team manager felt this would be a problem. The additional weight was not the problem for the amount the space ship could transport, but the living arrangements on the vehicle were designed for persons of more reasonable weight. Mr. Watson was given a goal of losing 30 pounds by the launch date, which he met; in fact he lost over 40 pounds.
Mr. Watson is 44 years old and is totally engulfed in his research ignoring all other activities and interests. He has been able to support himself from savings while working on major networks and his frugal living. He lives about two miles from the university where he learned to be a Meteorologist and is allowed to use their research facilities where he is an adjunct professor teaching in their Meteorology program. He owes a lot of his prior success to two classes where the students learn presentation skills and how to perform in front of a camera.
Mr. Watson’s two team members working with him in the development of his research while at the Space Station America are actually graduate students he is sponsoring while working on their PhD degrees. He hopes to remain at the Space Station as long as possible and have his students rotate to the Space Station and accumulate the findings of his research and begin putting this information into scholarly writings.
Dr. Lorencio “Larry” Hernandez is a Zoologist specializing in animal evolution. His research has been directed at the anticipated requirements for evolution of humans and other animals that will be required to adjust to different atmospheric conditions when inhabiting other planets in both our universe as well as other universes that may be identified. While the exact requirements are yet to be identified, his current research is projected to center on how such evolutionary changes can be created through biological enhancements. Dr. Hernandez has been working for several years with Ms. Anthony and they are excited about the opportunity to both be part of Able3. He hopes to take his research back to the United States to develop a doctoral program in this field.
During his university years Dr. Hernandez was a star football player and was even sought by two professional teams upon graduation from his undergraduate program. He weighed his future and decided that an academic career would be much better than getting bounced around on the football field. He always explained that he didn’t like to work weekends, but this excuse was probably not the real reason.
Dr. Hernandez is 43 years old, and is widely considered the leader in the study of animal evolution. He has file after file documenting his research and always says he will someday devote the rest of his life to writing about the field. All of his associates claim he will never set his research aside, but only time will tell.
Dr. Hernandez’s two members of his development team are considered to be chasing him in being the best in the field, but the fact that he has about a five year head start puts him in the lead. They are somewhat jealous that his participation on this voyage to the Space Station America will keep him far ahead of them in status. Behind his back they plan on working as a team to surpass his status in the field.
