Unnoticed by either human, Kelly had watched and listened to their passionate lovemaking. Her face, an unreadable jumble of emotions.
Chapter 17: Earth
The grey haired and distinguished Starship Project Director, Jane McCann sat at her desk on colony ship zero-zero-one with her hands folded in her lap. She was feeling older by the day. The worry lines and wrinkles deepening upon her face.
Her mind went back to the day that the first… and only… version 2.0 starship had left orbit with a captain recruited from Earth aboard. She had been in communication with him, Captain Nathan Staite, when the power to The Starship Project’s headquarters went out. Shortly thereafter, the sound of shouting and gunfire came from the down the corridor outside of her office. She sat there, frozen. Alone in the darkness. Terrified, she wondered what to do next. Then came more gunfire, now right outside of her door. She sat bolt upright, her fingers bone-white, gripping the edge of her desk. “The director of The Starship Project is not going to die like a coward,” she thought as the door to her office burst open. She did not die. Instead, a man in ebony-black battle armor had rushed into the room and said, “Madam Director, please follow me. I will take you to safety.” The man had rescued her… only just. Bullets pinged off his body armor as he led her to the shuttle on the roof. More bullets pinged off the shuttle’s hull as it rapidly lifted off for space.
She sighed at the thought of what she had to do next. “We go to battle again, Kurt. I hope that you can save me yet again,” she said softly to herself.
She turned to the computer monitor on her desk and said, “Josh, please have Admiral Kurt Caruso come to my office.”
“Immediately Madam,” the ship’s avatar said.
She sat, nervously drumming her fingers upon her desk. “This all depends upon his cooperation,” she thought. A few moments later, her door chimed. “Come in Admiral,” she said.
Admiral Kurt Caruso was an imposing figure of a man with broad shoulders and a thick, muscular frame. Promoted to admiral after his heroic rescue of the project’s director, he wore his white admiral’s uniform with pride. “What can I do for you today Madam Director,” he said, saluting.
“Call me Jane, please Kurt. We have known each other for far too long for such formalities.” Indicating a chair in front of her desk she said, “Sit.”
“As you wish, Madam Director,” he said respectfully. Kurt was in awe of the woman and was not comfortable addressing her by her given name.
“If you ‘Madam Director’ me again admiral, I will bust you back to captain. Understood soldier?” she said in mock severity.
“As you say, Madam... I mean Jane.”
“Much better Admiral… I mean Kurt,” she said with a little laugh.
Kurt visibly relaxed. “Why have you summoned me here today, Jane?” he asked again.
She gave him a long, steely-eyed stare before saying, “What I have to say to you does not leave this office under pain of court-martial, is that understood Admiral?”
Kurt came to attention, saluted and said, “Understood Madam Director.”
Jane let the formality slide. Fixing her gaze directly upon his she continued, “Earth is lost to us. There is no going back. There has been a complete collapse of society. All food production and distribution has failed. On top of all that, the nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan and later, in the Middle East, has left radiation levels in the atmosphere lethal for the foreseeable future. Even the most optimistic estimations predict that the Earth’s entire population will be dead within a month’s time. There is no going back,” she repeated.
Kurt had suspected as much but to hear it point-blank from the Director of The Starship Project like this hit him like a sucker punch to his gut. His shoulders slumped and he said, “Yes Madam… Uh, Jane.”
She held his gaze for a moment. Finally, she worked up the courage to continue. “This all could have been prevented if the world government had not been so petty and ineffectual. Twelve of these politicians are now upon this ship. The only reason that they are here at all is based solely upon the money that they paid to the project. The project means nothing to them. The only reason they contributed was for their own selfish, petty, personal political gain.”
She placed her hands, fingers interlocked, upon her desk and said; “Now they are trying to bring their brand of partisan government paralysis to The Starship Project. They think that their former posts in the Earth government gives them the right to rule here in space. This cannot be allowed to happen. Not again. Humanity cannot afford to allow this to happen again. The rest of the project ministers and I are in one hundred percent agreement on this. It is time for the old world government to step down and to be replaced by a government based upon The Starship Project principals. Humanity’s future depends upon it.”
Kurt sat up straight in his chair and said, “What you are talking about is…”
“Yes Admiral,” she interrupted, “a coup.” Kurt’s face registered shock but he held his tongue. “What I need to know Admiral, is do I have your support and the support of your men on this?” she said softly.
Kurt did not hesitate. He stood up, smartly saluted her and said, “You can count on me and my men one hundred percent, Madam Director!”
Jane visibly relaxed. She motioned for him to sit back down, reached into her desk and brought out a large crystal decanter filled with an amber liquid. Placing it upon her desk, she retrieved two thick glasses, added ice and then filled them from the decanter. “Good,” she said. “Then let us get rousingly drunk on this fine scotch and plan just how the frack we are going to pull this off!”
Kurt saluted her again, sat down, grabbed a glass and said, “Best thing you have said all night, Jane!”
Even with several weeks of planning, it did not go smoothly. Despite Kurt’s promise, not all of his men followed the order to betray the old Earth government. Sixteen loyalists were killed in the brief but ferocious gun battles that ensued. Five more surrendered when it became apparent that their cause was hopeless.
Of the twelve politicians, two took their own lives and three more were killed in the fighting. The remaining seven were captured without further incident. Among those captured was World President Marta Piozzi.
Madam Director Jane McCann sat stony faced in her chair with her gavel in her hand. To her right Admiral Kurt Caruso sat stone faced as well in a crisp, new, white uniform. The ministers of science, exploration, food production and all the others flanked them. Each wore a solemn face. Dressed in prison orange and shackled to a table across from them, sat the five soldiers and six of the politicians. President Marta Piozzi chose to remain standing. Her face, a mask of defiance and rage.
The Director banged her gavel and began speaking in a loud, firm voice. “You, President Marta Piozzi, have been found guilty of high treason against humanity. Your complete inaction on the crisis on Earth has led to the complete loss of the planet. Earth is now uninhabitable due to your lack of action. You are hereby stripped of all authority.”
Marta shook her shackles in a rage. She fairly screamed at the Director, “I do not recognize your authority to relieve me of my presidency. I am world president and am the ultimate authority. It is you who is committing treason, Director,” she spat.
Jane banged her gavel and said, “Yes, as you pointed out, you are world president. Let me also point out that we are not on the world. We are in space. You have no authority here. In space, I am authority. ” Marta tried to sputter out further protests but Jane cut her off. “The world that you preside over and all of the people on it are dead, and that is your fault Madam President.” Marta staggered back a step, as if she had been struck.
Jane turned to the remaining politicians and said, “Your support of the president makes you accomplices in her crimes. You shall all share in her punishment.” They all muttered nervously amongst themselves but said nothing aloud.
“You soldiers,” she barked. “You are guilty of high treason
for your actions against The Starship Project and for dereliction of duty for refusing to follow orders.”
Jane sat stony faced for a long minute before continuing. She banged her gavel and said, “You, madam world president, and you, her loyal lackeys are hereby banished from space. You will be taken via shuttle back to the Earth’s surface where you may rule over the fruits of your inaction until the end of your days.” She glared at the soldiers and said, “You soldiers shall share in the president’s fate. You too are hereby banished from space and shall be deposited upon the Earth’s surface as well.”
A shocked silence fell over the courtroom. Marta’s face drained of all color. With a trembling voice she softly said, “You are condemning us all to a death sentence!”
Jane held Marta’s gaze with a stony-faced stare for several seconds and then she firmly said, “Yes Madam President, I am.” With that, the grey haired Starship Project Director Jane McCann got up from her chair and strode out of the room.
It was a cold, grey and rainy day in Geneva, Switzerland. The shuttle sat upon the roof of the burned out world government headquarters. Director Jane McCann stood motionless in her gleaming white environmental suit at the top of the shuttle’s ramp. The dozen condemned people huddled together in a lose knot upon the roof. Jane motioned to two soldiers who then picked up a large box containing some supplies. Without a word, they carried it down the ramp and deposited it at the doomed prisoners’ feet. When the soldiers had returned to the shuttle, one of banished called out, “How long do you think that will last us?” Without replying, Jane hit a button and the shuttle’s ramp rapidly closed. She turned to the pilot and said, “Get us out of here.”
The flamboyant Minister of Food Production, Star Secker paced nervously around the large communal galley. Dressed in glaringly bright clothing, he normally took great amusement at others’ reaction to his style of dress. Not today. The new Minister of Exploration, Lane Basso paced alongside him. “Do you think they are coming?” Lane said nervously. Lane was unused to his new position of authority and felt overwhelmed by the caliber of the audience he and Star had called to the galley.
“Relax,” said Star. “It is still fifteen minutes until they are due to arrive.” Star continued to pace, unable to follow his own advice.
On the tables lay a banquet fit for kings. Steaming mashed potatoes, fresh vegetables of all sorts and prime beefsteaks with mushrooms and gravy, all cooked to perfection. The enticing odors wafting from the table set their mouths watering and did nothing to ease their nervousness.
At last, Director Jane McCann and the Minister of Defense, Kurt Caruso walked in together. A few seconds later, the Minister of Communication, Amanda DeMuthe hurried in as well, all out of breath.
The director’s face wrinkled into a frown when she spied the food. “What is the meaning of this Star? You of all people should know that we cannot afford such excess.”
Star withered under her scrutiny. “I… I have some news,” he stammered.
“This news had better be good, Star,” she said. Her gaze wandered around the room and her frown deepened at a large, unfinished looking machine in the far corner.
Star regained some of his composure. “Eat,” he said, “I will explain after we eat.”
Everyone took a seat. In the uncomfortable silence, the Director filled her plate first. She took a fork full of mashed potatoes and dipped it in gravy. Her face registered curiosity as she brought the morsel to her nose. After a quick sniff, she popped it into her mouth. Her eyes lit up in wonder as she quickly swallowed. “What is this Star?” she asked. “This does not taste like freeze dried food!”
“Eat,” he said. “Everyone, eat.” The Director nodded approval and for the next twenty minutes, everyone ate like people tasting real food for the first time. What they did not know was that they truly were eating real food for the first time.
After everyone finished, the Director turned to Star and said, “Okay, now is the time to explain yourself Star. Where did… how did you get this wonderful food?”
Star stood up, clasped his hands behind his back and began speaking. “As you know, a hyper-probe arrived this week. This probe did not contain any planetary surveys. It contained only important research data from not one, but two starships.”
“The first set of data came from the version 2.0 starship ’Silent Running’ captained by Nathan Staite. His ship’s avatar is doing research on the 3D genetic printing of living organisms.”
Amanda DeMuthe raised her eyebrows and interrupted him. “Did I hear you right, his ship’s avatar is doing the research?”
“That is correct Amanda. Remember, the version two starship also is running the version two ship’s avatar. It is orders of magnitude more intelligent than the avatars that you and I are used to dealing with.”
Amanda shook her head in wonder. “That is unbelievable,” she said.
Next, Star dropped the real bombshell. “His ship’s avatar’s name is Kelly. She has cracked the problem of printing living organisms. She has achieved one hundred percent success rate on the 3D genetic printing of living mice.”
The room sat frozen in shocked silence for many seconds before Amanda spoke up. “I heard that that research had been abandoned. They said that there were unsurmountable problems.”
“Apparently, not so unsurmountable after all,” Star said.
The Director chimed in and said, “While this is astounding scientific research Star, why are you following it so closely? Shouldn’t you be focusing your attention on the food production problem?”
Star puffed up his chest and resumed speaking. “Oh, but I am Director. I am. The answer to the food production problem was so simple that I am amazed that nobody had thought of it before me.” Star pointed to the ungainly looking machine in the corner of the room. “I have used the data that Kelly provided us and applied it in a new direction. That meal that you all just ate, I printed it on the modified 3D genetic printer that you see over there. Our food production problem has been solved.” He puffed his chest out even further and he said, “I have solved it.”
Nobody said anything. Everybody there was shocked into silence. Finally, Director McCann stood up, bowed to Star, and began loudly clapping. A second later, the room simultaneously broke into chaotic, heartfelt applause. Everybody went over to Star and began pounding him on his back and shaking his hand. Amanda took it one further and kissed him soundly upon his lips. Star was eating it all up. He loved all the attention. When the room quieted, Jane took Star aside and said, “Thank you Star. I cannot tell you how much I have needed some good news for a change. Thank you!” Jane tuned to Amanda and said, “I trust that you will put this good news out on the nightly news report.”
Amanda laughed and said, “You would have to kill me to stop me from reporting this, Director!” They both laughed. The lines on the Director’s face eased somewhat for the first time in a very long time.
From behind the Director, she heard a man clearing his throat. Nervously, Lane Basso said, “Madam Director, there is even more good news.”
Director McCann brushed the comment aside. “Basso, what news do you have that could possibly trump the news that our food shortage problem has been solved?” Basso tried to say more but the happy director ignored him and turned back to Star, grabbed his hands and shook them yet again.
Star pulled his hands free and looking the director in the eyes he said, “You need to listen to him Madam Director. The news that he has is nearly as important as mine.”
That got her attention. She turned back to Lane Basso and said simply, “Explain.”
With all eyes now upon him, Lane wilted. He tried to talk but was only able to sputter out, “I… Um…”
Jane took him by the hands and gently said, “Take a deep breath. Relax. What news do you have you for us, Lane?”
Lane took a deep breath, held it, and then let it out slowly through his nose. “Like Star said, the probe contained research data from two starships
. The second data set came from the starship ‘Forgotten Hope’ captained by Katy Klienyan.”
“Katy Klienyan,” the director said. “I remember her. She was in the first wave of starships that launched early on in the project.” Narrowing her eyes she said, “How is it possible that there is data from two starships on one probe?”
“I can only guess that they met up by chance somewhere. From their logs, it appears that they are going to collaborate on exploration from now on.”
Madam Director looked skeptical. “How can that be? She flies a much slower version one starship. His starship is four times faster than hers is. He will leave her far behind in short order.”
“That is where it gets interesting Madam Director,” he said, relaxing as he became enthused at what he was about to convey. “The probe containing the data arrived travelling at a speed of five point seven times normal design specifications.”
He had her full attention now. “How is this possible Lane,” the director asked.
“Apparently, Katy Klienyan has been doing a little research of her own. She has come up with a new way to generate a warp field. She has been able to safely travel at a rate of three light years per day.”
‘Warp three!” the director said in amazement.
“Yes,” said Lane with great enthusiasm. “I can only assume that she has shared this data with Captain Nathan Staite as well. That is how they are collaborating on their explorations. I can only guess at just how fast he will be able to take his version two starship!”
The director stood, mouth agape before she interjected, “This is astounding Lane! We will be able to explore space at a much greater rate.”
“Indeed,” he said. “The best thing is that this is basically just a software update. Every starship and colony ship can benefit from this data with no hardware updates! Not only that, Captain Klienyan states in her logs that the limiting factor for her ship’s top speed is not power but the design of the gravity coils themselves. She stated that at warp 3.75 she started to see some coil heating so she backed down to just warp three. If we get our warp research department on this, we should be able to design a gravity coil that will allow us to go much faster. Can you imagine, traveling from one star system to another in less than a day?”
The Silence Between the Stars Page 14
