by Kocho
The executive from NASA looked shocked.
“But sir…”
“That is the final decision Dr. Paterson of all member countries of the project. Instead of building an unmanned ship that will leave this solar system and head for Beta Centauri we will build a ship that will carry a crew to Sedna. You were always dreaming of having unlimited funds. Now you will have them. Tomorrow the Senate is going to approve a new budget for scientific research. Every country that was involved in Long Shot will be represented here as well. Your job will be to build a ship that will take us there. Because if you are right than this is the greatest discovery in the history of mankind. “
A new age is about to begin doctor. Humanity will soon turn towards space again.
The NASA scientist looked at the president with eyes that showed joy.
“Mr. President that will require a lot of research and time, the ship will have to be a lot bigger than anything we ever built and …”
“I know doctor. That is why you will also have the help from the private sector in this project. All the companies that have built smaller spaceships for taking people in space will be involved. “
The NASA scientist looked surprised.
“I thought that this will be regarded as a national secret.”
The president smiled.
“I wish it was that easy. You are well aware that the secret is already out. The information the probe sent was received not just by NASA but by millions of other agencies and everyone who is searching the net can find it. We managed to hide it so far but that won’t last. By allowing the civilian sector and private companies to be involved we will limit the damage.
What I want to know from you is how long will it take for the ship to be build.”
Paterson scratched his head and thought for couple of minutes. The rest of the people in the room looked at him with looks that would put a Spartan to shame for his indiscretion. But he paid them no heed. The President only smiled. He saw the chief executive of NASA smiling as well. They both knew that the doctor never liked politics and always hated coming to Washington. His dreams and true passion lay exactly in the field he was offering him. He was the lead scientist in the Long Shot project. He was the one that insisted on the program and did everything in his power to acquire the funding for it. And he was the right man for this job.
“With the help of the private sector and if there are no financial setbacks I think that we can have a ship in fifteen to eighteen months.”
The other people in the room looked at him. The President just smiled.
“Very well I expect a report about the project as soon as possible.”
“You’ll have it sir. And thank you.”
The President looked at the scientist and then at the rest of the men in his office. He smiled and turned.
“That will be all gentlemen.”
After this all the people exited the room. The president turned his gaze towards the sky. He knew that no matter what happens from now on the civilization was about to change. He knew that they won’t be able to keep this a secret for very long. Thousands of telescopes were looking at that part of the sky and sooner or later someone else would also notice the strange objects that orbited the dwarf planet on the edge of the solar system.
5 May 2017 19:00 hours
Kennedy Space Center
Paterson looked at the pile of documents that were thrown all over his desk. He felt tired. The past month he was in constant trips to Washington and back, he went to the meetings with the members of the private sector that were involved in to the project. But even after a whole month he still had no idea how to build a ship that was going to be fast enough and strong enough to reach its destination and come back.
“I just can’t see how we can do it. I mean we can’t even build a ship that can take a crew to Mars and they want as to build a ship that will take them to Sedna.”
The comment came from Mike Stafford. The old scientist was nervous. But that was understandable. Everyone, not just in this room but everyone involved in NASA could feel the pressure. They all knew what was expected of them. And they all knew the potential gain from the discovery.
“I don’t think that we can’t do it. It will be expensive, it will be hard but it’s not impossible. I mean for god sake we planned to launch a ship to another star, four light years away. If we could do that than I don’t see why we can’t do this.”
Sharon looked at the other scientists. The tall blond scientist was one of the biggest supporters that Paterson had since he came back with the news.
“Because that ship was going to be unmanned, no risk of hazardous radiation, no food supply, air tanks and million other things. You know damn well how much job is required to send a man to the moon. And this is a mission to a distance of ninety AU. It will take months to reach there.”
As the old scientist and his colleagues argued, two people at the end of the table watched them carefully. The older one smiled and looked at his colleague.
“I knew that scientists are boring but I never imagined how much.”
“You got that right Sam. I think that I should stop them before this gets out of hand.”
“Yea, I believe its time.”
The younger one looked at one of the scientists in the room.
Edward observed the discussion and looked at the paper he was holding in his hand. The document had the name Long Shot written on top. He was the youngest of the entire scientist staff in the room. A Harvard graduate he came to work in NASA at the start of the Long Shot project. He was recruited by Dr. Paterson and they became coworkers on what seemed to be the biggest project since the first landing on the moon. And it was until this landed in their lap. When he first saw the results it was hard to believe but as the days passed and the probe kept sending images and scans he became more and more fascinated by the project. And he knew that he had the answer to the question. He looked at the two men on the end of the table. They were sent by the military. They were both engineers in the navy and their specialty, building ships and submarines. All it took was one evening discussion and a look at the papers of the Long Shot project and they told him that they can build the ship. And he knew that they spoke the truth.
“I think you should see this gentleman.”
As he said those words, all heads turned to him.
Dr. Paterson looked at his younger colleague. He knew that he wouldn’t interfere in the discussion unless he had something important. As he looked at he also looked at the two men that were sitting on the opposite side. He was informed that the military is sending some of their experts as well to help with the problems they were facing. He couldn’t imagine how but he was willing to listen to them.
“See what Ed?”
At those words the older men wearing a naval uniform stood up.
“The Long Shot project and it’s applications in this situation.”
“What applications?”
“As you well know the ship that was supposed to go to Beta Centauri had to have an engine and energy output that would last for years. Several applications of current technologies were dropped because we can’t sustain the systems for a hundred years. But those systems gentlemen can be used here. Because the trip won’t last a hundred years and it won’t need a reactor like the one you envisioned. “
“What systems?”
“A space ship with nuclear reactors and an ion drive. We will use both the VASIMR system and a hydrogen powered thrusters.”
The scientist looked at the engineers.
“The power requirements for that are possible but the trust will be to low and it will take months, even years to accelerate it to the required speed.”
Edward looked at the older scientist and smiled. He picked up a sheet of paper and unfolded on the table before the surprised scientists. On it they could see the drawings of a ship.
As he did that the engineer smiled.
“Not with the nuclear powered generators gentlemen.
Your estimates are connected with the VASIMR concept used at ten megawatts of power. Imagine the power output with four nuclear reactors with total power output of two thousand megawatts.
It won’t reach the speed the Long Shot project envisioned but it will reach half that speed. And that is enough to make it to your dwarf planet and back in two months.”
As he listened Paterson smiled for the first time in a month. As he smiled the engineer looked at him.
“I suppose you like it Christian.”
The scientist looked at the engineer.
“I like it. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the hardest to think of. But we both know that the costs will be enormous and the environmentalist will scream “bloody murder”.”
The younger engineer smiled.
“They can scream all they like, and as for the costs I believe someone mentioned unlimited budget.”
That brought a smile on everyone’s face.
“Then we have a plan. All we have to do now is finish the design and we can start with the work.”
As he said that the engineers stood up.
“You take a look at that design and start working from that. We’ll be waiting on your call.”
After that they left. The rest of the scientists slowly stood up and started going on a brake. When everyone left, Paterson picked up the phone.
After a minute he got an answer. On the other side the phone was in the hands of the NASA chief administrator.
“Charles you can inform the president and tell him that project DEADALUS is a go.”
He though he heard a smile on the other side. Then he put down the phone and smiling he left the office. It was time to go home. Now with the engine project decided the real work could begin and that was out of his hands. He could finally relax.
“I think Kate would love a little family vacation.”
Couple of minutes later he left the NASA building with a smile on his face.
CHAPTER THREE
"How do you explain what we went through? How do you tell them the horrors we've seen.
They see you and demand answers,
Want to know how was it, why we fought, what gave us hope.
And the truth is that they will never understand.
They will never know the pain of a lost friend,
The pains of watching him die in front of your eyes,
And the knowing that nothing you do to save him.
How to explain that for us death won’t be a burden, something
That we fear. That it will be a welcomed sight,
Friend we know so well.
They will never believe that we have seen,
That we’ve gone through hell… And walked away alive.
When we went no one cared,
They said why bother, why wake up a sleeping giant that missed its chance.
They never thought of the hundred million dead,
They were just an accident, something that came and went.
I still remember the talks before I went away, the names they were calling us...
We came back to our homes
But our hearts will never be full again like they were before."
Lt. Michael T. Ellis 21 September 2030.
16 September 2017 14:55 hours
Mediterranean Sea
Admiral Johnson looked at the large fleet that was surrounding his carrier. The Abraham Lincoln was the command ship of this fleet. The joint exercises between NATO and Russia were common after the crash of the Soviet Union.
It was a glorious sight, so many ships in one place. The command super carrier, his flagship was the most magnificent ship but the site of so many cruisers, destroyers and frigates on one place was simply breathtaking. It was something that was not possible till couple of years ago.
The exercises were in their final day. For the past seven days they were doing exercise all around the Mediterranean Sea. Today was the last exercise and it was also a rescue mission after the report of a plane crash that happened an hour before somewhere in this area. A Boeing 747 was reported missing after hitting something in the air. There was a reported crash of a large object in the sea in front of him and now the ships were spread out in a search pattern and the plains were searching the sea for survivors.
Several submarines were searching the sea floor as well.
It was going to be a long day and he was not looking forward to the rest of it. The news weren’t likely to be good. The exercises were already over and he knew it. He looked at his second in command.
“Kirkpatrick take over the command I will be in my quarters. Call me if there is any news.”
The young officer looked at him.
“Yes sir.”
The Admiral walked with steady steps and retreated in to his quarters. He was tired and it was time to take a little brake. He knew that he could trust in his second. The young boy was his special choice five years ago. He had a good instinct and always did his job the right way. And he was a good student. There was a carrier for him on the navy if he could stay like that in the coming years. The situation with the plane would be a good experience for him.
“And he can handle it just fine.” a thought crossed his mind.
What he didn’t know was that this was a day that will change the faith of all mankind and his life forever.
* * *
Ristarion looked at the display that was showing the human fleet and its disposition.
They were slowly coming closer to the cruiser that crushed two of the cursed human hours ago. He knew that it was a mistake of his commanding officer, that idiot Mran.
He had to get lower. And then that commercial airplane came out of nowhere. He couldn’t really blame the humans. With the experimental invisibility field on there was no way that they could really see the large cruiser. The plane was vaporized almost instantly but as luck would go the hit damaged the cruisers engines and shields. The cruiser was now under water hiding from the large human fleet. But with the human ships coming closer it was inevitable that they would find the large ship soon. And these ships were military ships. They might be a little primitive compared with the ships that he had under his command but they could still damage them even with a lucky strike destroy them.
“And their radar systems are a lot better than the commercial ones.”
He turned to one of the members of his crew.
“Contact commander Mran and tell him that in half an hour maybe sooner he will be discovered. Ask him how far the repairs are.”
The officer turned to the task instantly. They all knew the risks. This was a scout mission for the coming invasion fleet. They were on a mission to discover the perfect landing sites for the fleet and to make an evaluation of their enemy. They were nearly done and this had to happen. The mission was going excellently so far. His clan was close to a great discovery. The empire needed more slaves and the descendants of the cursed Alterans were perfect for that. They were fairly advanced and the battle was going to be tough. After all the race was a race that had great warriors that every legionary respected. But with no space weapons and planetary defense platforms they were easy pickings for the dreadnoughts and the cruisers that were escorting the troop carriers. The mission was done in secret from the other clans in the empire. He didn’t agree with that policy considering the terrible history that his race had with their ancestors in the past. But he was young and no one paid much attention on his warnings and suggestions. And now with this accident there was a chance that they might be discovered.
Mran slammed his hand on the armpit of the chair. Things were not looking good.
Actually they were rather desperate. The crush and that airplane damaged the shields and the engines. The repairs were going as fast as they can but he knew that he had no time with the human fleet fast approaching. Even with the cloak the ships were appearing like ghosts on the radars that the humans used and now without them and without shields he knew that soon they will notice his ship. He looked a
t the communications officer who was talking with one of the commanders of the frigates.
“It must be Ristarion.”
That thought made him even angrier. He knew deep inside that the younger underling was right when he said that this might be risky. And he knew what he was asking now. As the commander of the mission he had a duty to do everything he can to protect the secrecy of the mission, even to destroy any ship that endangers the mission, including his own. And it looked that that might be the only exit from this situation. He knew that every officer on this ship knows his duty and is ready to die on his command. Every legionary was taught on that holy duty from the day he was born it was the Dacarian way. They would never question a command from him not when it protects the mission.
He was angry because he didn’t listen to his warnings and he knew that his own arrogance led to this situation. He took a deep breath and turned to the officer who was watching the display that was showing the human fleet that was fast approaching.
“How long do we have until they are able to detect us?”
The soldier looked at the display and then answered.
“We have ten, fifteen arns maximum, my lord.”
Mran looked at the display and smiled showing his sharp teeth. He pressed the button and took over the communication.
“Ristarion the time is too short for the repairs on the drive and the cloak to be finished before they reach us. You will take command of the mission and carry on to the best of your ability. I will activate the self destruct after seven arns if the repairs are not finished. After that you will take command. May the gods be with you young one.”
“It shall be as you command my lord. And may your journey to the afterlife be fruitful.”
The com went dead and every one of the legionnaires on the ship was now making his last prayers. Everyone bowed their heads. There were no cries, no disrespect. After a second the work continued. The working crews all around the ship were making the repairs as fast as they could although they all knew that it won’t do any good. But it was their duty and they were going to die doing it.
