“Attention! Now how is everyone? I know that everyone is not here quite yet, but we need to get things going. You will receive your instructions for boarding and how the launch will take place in about fifteen minutes. Please relax and get comfortable. People are still arriving so be patient and we’ll get you on board as soon as we can.”
The Sondersons waited patiently with the rest of the crowd and watched the clock. Along with everyone else they sat in their chairs and wondered what was going to happen next. Trance looked around and watched everything with great interest. He was always very curious about his surroundings, catching all of the details around him. He saw many nervous mothers and fathers with their children. Many of the children were excited and couldn’t wait to board the ships and blast off into space. Several teenagers were discussing what the new planet was possibly to be like. Some boys were obviously fans of science fiction books and movies, and seemed to be talking most informatively about this topic.
Trance looked about at the room, noting the pure white walls and floor. There were also very large windows along the outside wall. He imagined that the glass was layered very thick to protect the building from the blasts of the escape ships. The launch pads could be easily seen from here. He also noted the many doors in the room. There was the main entrance to the building, a door to the photography room, and doors to the uniform and changing rooms; there were also two restroom doors, and finally the doors that lead out to the escape ships and the launch pads.
Very slowly the fifteen minutes crept by and then a man came in dressed in a very neat and pristine white technician’s smock. He was extremely tidy and was obviously one of the leading scientists in charge of the facility. With his appearance silence fell on the room and everyone wanted to hear what he had to say.
“Good morning ladies and gentlemen,” he said in a very dignified voice, “You are about to be among the few that have decided to brave an unbelievable trip through space. You are going to travel farther than any stellar ship launched from the Earth. In one hour you will be given a last meal and then at two o’clock this afternoon we will begin the boarding process. You will be escorted to your ships and placed in the deep sleep chambers. You don’t have to worry; they have been thoroughly tested and are completely safe. Once you are in your chamber and sealed in you just need to relax, and you will be put in a state of suspended animation that will be very carefully controlled by the ship’s computers.”
Trance suddenly had a vision of being sealed in something like a coffin and thought that it would probably be very hard if not impossible to relax in such a place. He was anxious to get it over with. He knew that the wait would make him worry about it more. He’d have to wait till two o’clock to find out. He looked again at the man and listened as he spoke again.
The man continued to give them information. “After you are in the chamber and relax the chamber’s systems will put you in the suspended state. In this state you won’t feel anything and you will not age at all. Now so you know, tomorrow morning, starting at precisely six thirty A.M. Eastern Standard Time, the first ship will launch into space. More ships will take off at intervals of one every fifteen minutes. Ships will take off from around the world at similar intervals. The ships based here will probably start taking off late tomorrow afternoon.” He continued and gave them more information on the status of their ships and about the course that they were going to take to get to the awaited planet.
When the man finished delivering the orientation, Evan gathered his family about him and they talked together quietly and reassured each other. Trance looked about the room and saw that everyone else in the room was doing the same thing. Time passed slowly as they talked and wondered what it was going to be like on the ship and in the deep sleep chambers. Finally the time came and the announcement was made that their lunch was about to be served. They were then all asked to rise for a prayer.
After the prayer, given by a graying minister that looked very weary, they ate a wonderful feast and had a choice of a variety of drinks and food. There were pizzas, fried chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs, salads of every sort, and pies and desserts of every kind, enough to satisfy everyone’s hunger all brought in and set up on tables like a large buffet. With their meal cleared away they sat back and relaxed, feeling quite happy. Gradually however, the realization that the time was approaching for them to board their ship dawned on them.
As before, time seemed to pass very slowly. Finally the time came for them to get ready for the boarding process to start. The announcement came that they would need to assemble in designated areas with the other people that were assigned to each ship. Technicians came out and started lining people up. The first line was for the Sparrow I. The Sondersons stood and went to the group that was bound for the Sparrow XIV. They became quite silent and anxious as people came up behind them. More and more groups formed until everyone was in their appropriate line. Anticipation was in the air as every face looked toward the large clock on the back wall. They waited edgily as two o’clock approached.
Then the time came and another tech made the announcement that they were about to board their ships. First to go out was the line for the Sparrow I. They were led to the door toward the ships by a tech in a white jumpsuit. Trance watched them march toward the ship they were to board. They disappeared around a corner and he figured they still had a walk to get to the ship. His attention was now brought to the second set. Line after line was lead out by a tech and as each line was led out the door Trance felt more anxious. It was getting closer for their time to go.
The lines for Sparrow VIII, IX, X, and so on to XIII were led to the door. The time had arrived for Sparrow XIV. The Sondersons followed the line to the door and then out toward the ships. Trance looked around, trying to get his brain to scan and memorize his surroundings because he would never see them again. He took in the trees, birds, and a pair of squirrels sprinting toward the trees. They marched past the other ships and he could see a few people still boarding the few ships before theirs. And then suddenly their ship came into view.
The ship was huge and resembled a great plane with wide triangular wings. It had four massive engines. These engines were based on an incredible and radical new design. Trance remembered hearing his dad talk about the engines and the way the pomponium would power the ships through the universe. He also remembered them being built and tested.
Trance and his family were soon approaching the stairs that led into the ship. As he approached the bottom of the stairs, Trance suddenly had the impression that somebody was watching him very closely although he couldn’t think why. He turned and for an extremely short moment would have sworn he saw his grandfather and another man, a man dressed in pure white. This was strange since grandpa Claude had passed away just a few years ago. He turned back, wondering what he’d seen and what it might mean. He glanced back, but didn’t see anyone where they had been. Before he could start to contemplate what he thought he’d seen he was at the base of the stairs. He started to climb and it seemed to take forever to get to the top, but eventually he arrived. He stepped into the ship and was amazed at what he saw.
The bay of the ship was full of technicians dressed in white guiding people to what looked like very large tubes with half cylindrical glass tops. Trance saw his dad talking to Sammy as he helped him get into his chamber. Right next to them was his mother with Heather. A very nice lady tech turned to him and checked his name badge. She led him to his own chamber.
Trance looked across the aisle and saw other parents helping their children into chambers before they themselves were helped into their own. Trance stepped up to his chamber and again had the terrifying sensation that he was being put into a very fancy coffin with several electronic readout screens that would monitor him for the journey across the stars. How he had dreamed of this day and wondered what was awaiting him on the new world, yet he had also always dreaded this moment. He would have to be encased i
n this chamber that would hold him for eons at his current age.
He lowered himself into the chamber that felt to him like a cross between a very comfortable yet confined bed and a large yet rigid sleeping bag. A cocoon seemed the most appropriate name for the chamber. His parents had finished getting Sammy and Heather in their chambers and watched their lids close. They then came over to look in on him as the lady tech attached a number of monitoring devices to him.
“Trance,” said his mother with tears streaking her face, “Remember that we love you. No matter what happens, we love you.” She took a great steadying breath and calmed herself to continue. “We’ll see each other again at the end of our trip. We’ll be together again as a family. This won’t last forever. It’s just a long sleep and pause in our lives.” She turned and wiped her tears. She had given the other two the same message. Then his parents leaned in and each gave him a hug and kiss.
Trance laid back and watched them standing there as the glass lid came slowly down to seal him in. It would be so long before he would be able to see and hug them again. Quietly he said a prayer, “Watch over them dear God. Keep us safe and lead us to this other planet so we can be together again as a family. Let us praise your name for the great mercy you have shown us all. And if we have strayed, please forgive us. Amen.” With that he saw and felt the lid fit itself into place and seal him in. He took several deep breaths trying to calm down. He watched his parents move over to their own chambers. His mother was right next to him. He could just make out his dad kissing his mother one last time before helping her into the chamber. Then, as that lid closed, his dad moved out of sight to his own chamber.
Trance suddenly became aware of a slight change of the air in his chamber as part of the chamber’s sleep functions kicked in. He was suddenly filled with fear as he realized that he was about to go into the deepest sleep possible. His body started to really relax when he remembered what he’d seen before boarding the ship. From out of nowhere he thought about a conversation he’d overheard between his dad and grandfather a year before grandpa had passed away. It involved a dream his grandfather had some years before. How weird that the conversation was about grandpa seeing him approach the escape ship. But before he could recall more he felt very sleepy and his vision began to blur. The sight of the techs and other passengers faded and he went out.
As the human passengers were being helped into the deep sleep chambers on the main flight decks of the ships, other techs were on the middle decks inspecting the chambers that contained the pets that belonged to the families on the ship. There were chambers of dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, fish, various varieties of rodents, and reptiles. There were seven ships stationed at this particular launch center just for horses, sheep, pigs, and cattle. Two ships were even set aside for a variety of zoo animals. There were many ships at other launch sites around Colorado and across the United States that were just for animals. All luggage and household items were in the lowest decks of the escape ships.
It took several more minutes for the technicians to get everyone registered for the Sparrow XIV into their chambers. Then the techs checked every chamber and made sure they were all working properly. They then left the ship, and the last one out turned and shut and sealed the door. After they were all down the stairs and walking back toward the main building they passed other lines of people headed to yet other ships. The portable stairs were moved up to another door to the ship for the crew to board.
From another building further down strode out four men dressed in space suits, the crew for the Sparrow XIV. The crew marched on trying not to worry about the journey they were to take. They had all flown in space before, but this would be the greatest flight they would ever take. It took them a few minutes to get to the ship where they met another small group of techs. Together they all climbed up to the cockpit and on into the ship. The techs helped each member of the crew into their seats. The techs left the cockpit and the door was shut and sealed. The crew immediately started to perform their preflight checks. They knew they weren’t going to take off until tomorrow, but there was quite a bit to do before then.
After they had completed their preflight checks the crew waited for the next stage in the preflight process. Minutes passed and then they were given the signal that they were to begin. They activated a small engine that would power them along the ground to their destination, a gigantic building a mile away. They directed the ship to get in line to head toward the building. It seemed like hours before they reached the entrance to the building, but at last they entered and waited to proceed.
A large group of techs carefully attached massive belts that hung from a huge crane and the ship was lifted up into the air far enough so that the booster system could fit beneath it. The crew was then instructed to raise the landing gear. They did and a few minutes later they heard something very large being placed under them. They knew that they were about to be attached to the booster system that would launch them into space and start them on their journey. The process of attaching the escape ship to the boosters was very meticulous. The crew heard numerous metals on metal noises as the connecters were fastened. Finally they were informed that they were attached and were now going to be moved to the next stage.
While the crew waited one of the men took a short nap. At last the signal was given that they were ready to start. They felt themselves move to their launch platform, ready to be placed in launch position. Suddenly the crew felt and saw the ship being slowly tilted to stand on its tail. Soon the crew found themselves facing the massive building’s ceiling.
Now the platform with the ship and its boosters was very slowly being moved to their designated launch pad. It was starting to get dark, evening was approaching, and the crew kept checking their readout screens, making sure everything was as it should be. They knew that there were yet more ships that needed to enter that building and have their boosters attached. Three and a half hours later they were at their pad and the crew made one last thorough check before they went to sleep and waited for the next morning and the coming launch.
The next day dawned and it would be a day nobody on Earth or in the escape ships would ever forget. Although the day began normally enough, no one was prepared for the events that were to transpire.
At exactly six o’clock Eastern standard time the crew of the Sparrow XIV were awakened and informed that they were to have their breakfast and start their main preflight checks, and that the official countdown for the first ship, Eagle I, was starting. The crew retrieved their breakfast packs and ate. They eyed the clock nervously as the minutes seemed to pass very slowly to six-thirty. Every minute seemed to take five to pass, but eventually they heard the announcement that there were five minutes left before Eagle I would launch. Then two minutes were left, then one, and then the final countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5… The anticipation in the cockpit of the Sparrow XIV was as thick as it was all around the world as the last few seconds ticked off: 4, 3, 2, and with a yell of triumph, 1. As Eagle I took off and the journey began the departure was broadcast worldwide and in all the other ships on the ground.
All the planning that had taken place seemed to be working. Yet three events were unexpectedly about to unfold. Time passed and the second ship blasted off followed by the third, each ship taking off precisely every fifteen minutes. Great cheers went up as each ship took off and the crew of the next ship got more anxious for their turn to take off.
Hour after hour passed as hundreds of ships from the United States and all over the world launched, and soon it would be time for the Sparrow XIV to launch. Gradually each Sparrow would launch, and the crew of the Sparrow XIV had long finished their final checks. They were ever so ready to take off. Then it was their time. They made sure they were completely fastened in their seats and their helmets were on correctly and watched their launch approach.
The last ten seconds ticked by, and they waited with practiced calm, as the first boosters were about
to take them into space. 2, 1, Kavoom! The boosters roared violently and the ship shuddered a few moments before blasting off toward the stars and starting their journey, and that’s when the unexpected happened.
As the Sparrow XIV left the Earth, several groups of Karlonis Moberly’s men attempted to take over a number of nuclear missile sites in central Europe and some nukes were actually launched. The result was that other countries around the world with nuclear capabilities launched their missiles in retaliation and soon there were both escape ships and nuclear weapons flying around the world.
Yet unknown to those that had fired the missiles, the vast majority of them had been targeted to the approaching planet. In all the chaos that followed all of the escape ships and missiles launching a figure from Heaven approached and the last prophecies of the Bible started to take place and move toward fulfillment. Millions of people rose to join the figure from Heaven, and many even rose and left the escape ships to join him. There was then such chaos on Earth that nobody knew what to do. The way was clear for Karlonis Moberly to take over the world as the Anti Christ, and he would be as evil as the Bible said he would be. But nobody left on the escape ships in the deep sleep chambers would ever know what was happening back on Earth.
The crews on the ships worked frantically to make sure that all the deep sleep chambers were working properly and to see that their ships were in proper formation for the journey. They also monitored as the first boosters were released from the ships and the second boosters kicked in and pushed them even faster. After several more minutes the second boosters were released and the third and final boosters fired up. Finally these boosters were released and the nuclear engines kicked in taking them the rest of the way.
Space Knights: The Arrival Page 4
