Maya couldn’t believe it.
»If your pilots couldn’t catch it or stop it, where did it go?«
Day shrugged.
»It seems to have departed our solar system on a straight course. However, considering the speed and acceleration of its ship, then it could easily be anywhere in the solar system right now.«
»You think it’s hanging around – watching the fun?« Maya asked grimly.
»Definitely. It wants to ensure its maneuver works. You don’t see a crash like that every day! Can you make it to a staff meeting in the Star Hall?«
»Give me forty minutes. Please reserve a spot for my Hawk. As soon as the Shenzhou has established orbit over Triton, I’ll come over.«
World News Reports, 2034, excerpts
The ozone hole in the southern hemisphere has expanded further. A visit to the Antarctic, which has already lost the bulk of its ice cap due to global warming, should not be attempted without proper sun protection. The same goes for Australia, New Zealand and parts of South America.
The world’s pooled financial resources, now financially dispersed by the UN, are primarily invested in repairing damage and re-establishing public order in the world’s southern areas.
Part of the world’s largest ever mass migrations, Humans from the southern hemisphere were moving to the north.
Australia has turned into steppes due to extreme exposure to ultraviolet light. The former metropolitan city of Melbourne is transforming into a ghost town.
Oil wells in the northern hemisphere and the rich Arabic countries continue to be rapidly depleted. Large tidal power plants are being built along the coastlines of the North Sea, the Atlantic, and the Baltic Sea while scientists are searching desperately for substitutes for fossil fuels. Large agricultural regions are the most affected by the more frequently occurring climate – and storm catastrophes.
The countries of Earth have established the so-called ‘Food Pact’. Under the motto ‘Food for Humanity’, the few remaining granaries, are supervised by UN experts and stores divided among the word population.
The rapidly developing and spreading SARS-IV virus, possibly a mutated strand of the SARS-III virus, kills millions of people in Southeast Asia. The fast-spreading epidemic is exacerbated by the lack of basic hygiene and the squalid living conditions of affected people in overpopulated regions of the planet. If a global epidemic is to be averted, it will take the combined efforts of all countries, working under the WHO, to create a vaccine in time …
Russian personality
»Finally! We’re actually getting to the point!«
Maya Ivanova jumped from her seat and pushed her way through the mumbling crowd to the podium next to Lt Morgenstern. This discussion had droned on long enough. It was time for action – even if she had to force a decision. Maya Ivanova immediately became the center of attention. Her fiery Russian personality instantly outshined Morgenstern.
»Hey! What do you think these intruders are waiting for since they’re so much more advanced in technology than us and are ruthless enough to destroy us and this moon?«
»We don’t know,« Morgenstern replied uncertainly. »We haven’t even begun to understand how they think – or even how many there are.«
Her next words stunned the assembled staff.
»Comrades, I don’t think these Globusters are even planning an invasion! If they really wanted Earth – if they were even interested in occupying the Solar System – Hell, they’d have already been there! But no, they’ve sat at the outer edges of the system for who knows how long, doing … absolutely nothing!«
I like the way she thinks, Davis thought. I was wondering the same thing.
He raised his hand to get Maya’s attention.
»I think you have something, Commander. It is possible we provoked the Globusters. We call them intruders, but didn’t we breach their territory when we landed on Quaoar?«
»Their territory?« Donald Day frowned.
»The underground installation,« Davis explained.
»The creature was a statue when we discovered it. It was only when we entered its chamber did it awaken from its suspended state. Maybe it was … hibernating? Maybe we disturbed the Globuster.«
»Which it didn’t appreciate,« Maya noted sarcastically, »any more than a bear would.«
»The Globuster did destroy the mining company’s probe,« reminded Karl Jörgmundson, the SETI-Project leader.
»… after the platform had landed and the drones entered the funnel,« Davis quickly replied. »Now we believe the funnel was a vital part of the planetoid’s propulsion system. The Globuster’s behavior may have been more like that of a guard dog than a bear.«
»What – or whom – do you think the Globuster was protecting?« Maya Ivanova asked.
»It’s more than just the planetoid and its installations alone. Destroying Triton by colliding it with Quaoar isn’t protective, it’s schizophrenic, unless …«
»… we have to be careful about applying Human standards to an alien lifeform,« Donald Day interjected. Davis thought for a moment.
»I can’t answer that right now, but I’d like to try! Let me return to Quaoar! I want to take a closer look at that Globuster installation. We need to know more about it.«
Excited muttering filled the conference room. Donald Day looked into helpless, confused faces for a moment. Then he stood up – his decision made.
»We have no other choice! I’ve already discussed this with Commander Ivanova. The Ryan will stay here and assist with Triton’s evacuation while the Shenzhou flies to Quaoar carrying two Hawks. They will dispatch a special commando unit to land on Quaoar and place ten heavy-yield fusion bombs in the Globuster cave.«
Shocked, the conference members looked at each other. Only Maya Ivanova displayed a satisfied smile.
»The team will have a short window of opportunity to explore the alien station. After one hour – maximum – they will retreat and via remote control ignite the bombs simultaneously.«
Davis jumped up.
»What good will that do us? We need to deactivate the planetoid’s propulsion system. We need to change Quaoar’s angle of approach. If we blow up Quaoar, we’ll lose the opportunity to examine and learn from the Globuster’s technology!«
Day shook his head very slightly, yet firmly.
»Bill, you know that’s just not feasible. We can’t even read their messages, let alone understand their technology. And we’re running out of time! Quaoar comes closer to the Neptune system every hour we waste. The sooner we redirect that rock or destroy it, the better. Ten of these bombs should push the planetoid from its trajectory by at least two degrees – enough to avoid a collision.«
»Where are these bombs?« Davis asked confused. »We don’t have any on Triton!«
Maya Ivanova cleared her throat.
»We have them onboard the Shenzhou. They were intended for blowing up rogue asteroids when they threatened our colonies and space stations. Now we’re using them on Quaoar. Well, Comrades, what are we waiting for? Let’s blow this guwna planetoid out of the universe!«
World News Reports: Year 2048, excerpts
New York has become a new Venice. Coastal regions of many countries are flooded and whole population groups are fleeing to higher regions.
Faced with steadily diminishing food reserves, the more affluent countries of the Earth agreed to an emergency plan to build giant greenhouses to raise corn and soy on Earth’s Moon.
The earlier space agencies (NASA, ESA, Russian Space Agency, Indian Space Agency, Japanese Space Agency and the Chinese Space Agency) have joined forces to form the Union Space Organization.
The loss of grain harvests was to be compensated by raising gene-manipulated grain. This bold experiment appeared promising at first; however, the genetically changed plants were infected by a mutated strain of mold, which seemed to prefer the new corn. Before anyone realized the extent of the spreading of this mold, millions of acres of wheat had become infecte
d, making it unfit for consumption.
Only the original cereal cultures on the Moon were not affected by the epidemic. These priceless cultures will now be used only under the highest levels of security.
Food is now valued higher than gold.
In Tokyo, international scientists have finally achieved and perfected creating cold nuclear fusion. If this new technology proves feasible, then it could be used in fuel cells to supply adequate energy for both households and vehicles. This technology would partially replace Earth’s rapidly dwindling fossil fuels.
A revitalized project began near the Spanish Mediterranean coast: the exploration of undersea habitats for Humanity. Scientists want to determine if the oceans’ natural and untapped resources can be used for Humanity’s benefit. While storms and floods continued to ravage Earth’s surface, Humanity might find protection on the ocean floor from both climate change and ultraviolet radiation.
The Shenzhou
The Hawk left the landing platform and ascended slowly into a standard orbit. Fascinated, Bill Davis looked over to the space cruiser, which was waiting over Triton. The three-hundred-meter long ship seemed small and insignificant before the background of Neptune’s giant, pale blue disc. Still, Major Davis felt pride as he looked at the remarkable vessel.
When compared to Globuster technology, Humanity’s achievements had to be examined in a new light. Davis realized Mankind had accomplished great achievements during its exploration of the Solar System.
Ships like the Shenzhou had enabled the Solar Union to build bases on the moons of the outer planets.
This particular model of space cruiser had been in service for twenty years. This wasn’t really a very long time, considering these Pulsar-class vehicles’ future schedules.
Ships like the Shenzhou needed to visit the orbital shipyards where they were inspected and maintained only after they had been in service over 200 astronomical units – unless the propulsion systems had excess wear and tear, like Maya Ivanova’s flight from Luna to Neptune. The Solar Union’s space cruisers, with their long, stretched cylinder-shaped hulls, were divided into five segments.
Each of the fifty-meter-long segments had a diameter of sixty meters in diameter. Two of the five modules rotated around the middle axis, creating artificial gravity.
The rear or stern module, containing the ion-propulsion system, was subjected to weightlessness during non-accelerated flight. Crew members were usually not allowed inside this section. This module was entered only for inspections when the ship visited an orbital shipyard. The rear of this module contained a conical shield that protected the crew from the propulsion system’s radiation. Adequate protection was ensured by using several different shielding technologies.
The next module was the technology section with laboratories, computers and a small sick bay – all of which revolved, providing artificial gravity. This section was rotated by superconducting coils and magnetic fields mounted around the ship’s horizontal axis. The main interconnection tunnel ran down the same axis. There was no gravity inside this tunnel; to move around, the crew had to use magnetic boots for traction and support. Protruding handles in the walls assisted the crew. Small moving modules, like a pneumatic dispatch system, provided transport throughout the ship for both crew members and supplies.
Some adjustment was required of each crew member as they moved between ship sections with artificial gravity and weightlessness. Everyone was trained to work under weightless conditions in the case of gravity failure. In early space flight Humans subjected to weightlessness for prolonged periods suffered health consequences. A dramatic decrease in muscle mass was only one of the problems space travelers had to endure. Artificial gravity made it possible to move around under conditions similar to space, the Moon or other planets.
As crew members moved forward from the technology section, they found themselves in the loading and cargo section. This stationary section with artificial gravity included two small cargo bays and two hangars, each housing one Hawk. Several depots were integrated into the cargo module, containing necessary spare parts for the ships, as well as supplies and goods for the crew.
The command module, with the command central and crew quarters, was attached forward off the cargo module. Since this module revolved, the crew was able to move under near-Earth gravity. This module contained the coupling section for docking at orbital spaceports, so rotation of this section could be controlled and deactivated as required.
The bow of the ship was the steering and control section for the braking diffusers, as well as a small control center.
Since this area was subjected to intense radiation levels, crew members were not often on duty in this section. The nose module also employed a heavy radiation shield.
The hulls of Pulsar-class cruisers were made of a special material, a multi-layer compound, whose outer layer resembled porcelain enamel. This material was extremely heat resistant and provided sufficient shielding against micrometeorites and cosmic radiation.
Maya Ivanova, who personally flew her Hawk, did Davis a favor by orbiting the cruiser from nose to tail along the horizontal axis. Davis had been on Pulsar-class cruisers before but still was always impressed.
»A fascinating ship, Commander.«
The commander looked at Davis from the side.
»Thanks, Major.«
»We could use a battleship. All the Shenzhou has as weaponry are a few defensive lasers against meteors. We have to reset our priorities to react fast to threats, or the aliens can run roughshod over us!«
»Can’t really blame the fleet for that,« Davis countered. »What did we need battleships for, if there were no more wars?«
Maya Ivanova’s eyes sparked aggressively. Harder than she intended, she answered, »Don’t take me wrong. I didn’t say a military answer is a solution to our problems. We have to protect our colonies and our peoples. The Globuster threat is real and threatens the entire Solar System. As impressive as the Shenzhou is, she’s just not made for any offensive action. All these years, we just assumed we’d never run into an extraterrestrial threat. How stupid was that? We have just handed these aliens the entire Solar System!«
You’re right, Davis thought. Even with billions of stars in our galaxy we didn’t even consider the possibility of a threat.
Davis understood the commander’s worries.
»We just have to make do. Our first encounter shows that we can do something! We’re not going to be pushed around by these aliens without putting up a fight.«
Maya smoothly maneuvered the Hawk into the hangar and didn’t reply to Davis’ comment. It was natural for the commander to oppose an intruder.
»Where do you suppose the Globusters come from, and how did they manage to travel through interstellar space?« Maya Ivanova asked in a quiet voice.
Davis only shrugged.
»We assume the Globusters originate within our cosmic ‘neighborhood’. That’s thinking in Human terms, though; they could just as well be from another galaxy. What difference does it even make? The installations on Quaoar are ancient. We think the planetoid originated outside our solar system. It’s not clear whether it was accidentally caught by our sun or if the Globusters brought it here. They might have arrived inside that rock, hibernating for hundreds of thousands of years. What if they wanted to establish a colony and Quaoar was some kind of generation ship?«
The commander manipulated the Hawk’s controls and activated the automatic landing system.
»An interesting and logical thought, but I don’t believe it. I think that the Globusters have a particular task. A task unknown to us … and it’s not an invasion – or they wouldn’t just be sitting on their asses on these frozen chunks of the Kuiper-Belt.«
»Yet they seem to be specially designed for exactly that environment,« Davis replied.
Maya Ivanova turned around quickly and looked Davis directly in the eye.
»The question is: who designed them – and why!?«
Pondering, Davis wet his lips. He began to follow Ivanova’s thoughts.
World News Reports: Year 2057, excerpts
The Moon Colony continues to grow in both size and population, as larger areas are cultivated under greenhouse domes. The financial resources of entire nations, once squandered on militaristic investments, are now dedicated to the support of the huge farm and silo, known as the ‘Moon’.
Humanity achieved another milestone when a crew, selected from twenty countries, made the first manned landing on Mars. Previous Mars expeditions by unmanned probes had confirmed significant water reserves. The UN and the international space agencies had launched ‘Project Mars Colony’. Large capacity spaceships with interplanetary propulsion systems are being built and assembled in orbital shipyards around the Earth and Moon.
Remote and underdeveloped areas on Earth are being evaluated for potential habitats. Sahara irrigation projects are underway; desalination plants along North Africa’s coast deliver necessary water supplies through networks of channels and pipelines. Forests, fast growing plants, and green oases are being nurtured throughout the formerly barren deserts.
The worldwide wheat mold epidemic was averted by using treated fertilizers that immunized the cereal plants.
Century-old borders between nations have shifted due to the migration of people from northern regions to southern regions and vice versa. New areas, national cantons, have been established, tightly embedded in the international communities – without losing their individual autonomy.
Special forces
As Bill Davis and Maya Ivanova left the zero-gravity connection tunnel for the command module, a special commando unit had lined up for them. Davis stumbled and had to quickly adjust to the artificial gravity. Maya Ivanova threw him a sharp look and whispered, »Landlubber!«
Major Davis had a vague idea where this term had been used in the past. Caroline had told him that it went back to when people sailed the Earth’s oceans in wooden ships.
NEBULAR Collection 1 - The Triton Base: Episodes 1 - 5 Page 10
