The tug was designed specifically for the moon environment. It was long with the crew module on the nose and the rockets on the rear. In the middle were four stations where individual storage modules from the supply ship could be attached and carried back to the surface.
After launch and reaching the supply ship in orbit, the tug would nestle up beside the supply rocket. It would attach to each of the storage modules and they would be disconnected from the supply ship. When the tug had the four stations locked on, it would return to the surface of the moon and land near the dual rail. Mobile units would meet the returning tug disengage the storage modules and move them to the storage area. Then a unique mobile unit could rotate the light tug on its side and place it back on the dual rail system for another launch. The entire unloading and re-positioning on the dual rail could be done in under half an hour and then the tug would be able to rendezvous back with the orbiting storage vessel.
After all of the storage units were removed from the supply vessel, the tug could dismantle the actual vehicle and carry its component parts to the surface. The parts could be recycled into shipping containers, which would be filled with H-3 tanks and used on the dual rail to return helium to Oasis.
Bill was always respectful of the moon environment risks when he was operating the tug. While unloading the supply vessel and transiting back and forth, he was alone. The safety systems provided a significant margin of safety, but still, being alone in such an environment demanded respect.
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Bill finished putting his EVA suit on, his wife Sally and Benson checked all of the connections. Unlike the suites used by the Mars colony, the environment of the moon demanded a stronger suit and it took longer to put on and secure properly.
"Ok, honey. The suit is all buttoned up, you're good to go," said his wife Sally as she patted him on the shoulder.
"Ok, let me get my commlink synced up." Tom waited while his suit computer checked all of the pressures and mixtures then it established a link with the station computers.
Once that was done, it said, "All systems are within limits."
"Ok, I'm all linked. See you guys later," Bill said as he lowered himself into the tunnels with the one-man elevator in the control room. When he reached the bottom, he passed through a vacuum door, which was an airlock and provided a backup barrier for the control room and the tunnels.
The tunnels had a breathable air mixture and were pressurized to about 10 psi. The suits were stored on the pressure side of the tunnels so if a crewman was planning to exit the compound and go onto the surface through a tunnel they had to 'suite-up' before entering them. In most cases, the tunnels were for fast movement between habitats and not a place where the crew would hang around. The long-term plan included building stronger tunnels that would be part of the main flow of the facility and most of the living quarters would be moved underground. They hadn't reached that level of safety, but they were good enough to go from A to B.
Getting into the tug wasn't too difficult. One of the mobile units that stood by to unload the storage modules would pick him up with a hook attached to his shoulders and deposit him in the control module. Once there, it was just a matter of strapping himself in and using the dual rail to launch. He remained on suit air and pressure in the tug, so he didn't have to worry about any pressurization issues.
Bill enjoyed the alone time in the tug. The moon colony was a little cramped and it was rare to have time alone. In the tug, he could get into orbit easily hook up to the supply vessel and return, then do it again. It was on his schedule and up to him to get the job done.
He finished strapping into the tug and the auto connections were completed. He indicated to the onboard computer that he was ready for launch and the computer indicated that he was 1 minute 12 seconds from the launch window to intercept the orbiting vehicle. The comm was quiet so Bill just sat in the tug and looked at the view. The dual rail was inclined slightly to the surface and was aimed between two peaks that were about 10 kilometers away. The sun was still about 30 degrees off the horizon, which meant they had about 18 hours before the sun reached the lowest point on their horizon. Locating the facility on the crater rim meant that it didn't get into full darkness, but the amount of light was reduced. The Earth was about to set towards his right side and it was quiet. Time for a deep breath.
"Prepare for launch in 10 seconds," the onboard computer indicated.
Bill leaned back so his helmet was against the headrest in preparation for the acceleration. He gripped the handles on his sides and made note of the capsule ejection loop, which was between his legs. If necessary, he could eject from the capsule and return to the moon's surface with a rocket stabilized tether. Upon ejection, a tether would fire perpendicular to the surface and fire a stabilizing rocket that would gently lower him to the surface. He could then either wait for pick-up or walk back. If that happened and the tug was lost, the colony would be in bad shape. Depending on the damage done, they might be able to reconstruct another tug using the various reusable parts, which were recycled from the supply rockets.
"5 seconds, 4 seconds, 3 seconds, 2 seconds, prepare, launch," the voice in his headset spoke to him.
There was no sound just a constant 4 g acceleration. He was clear of the dual rail in 4.2 seconds and his launch rocket kicked in. The 4 g acceleration dropped to a comfortable 2.5 and then lowered to zero as he approached orbit. When the launch rocket thrust dropped off the computer informed him, "Target craft is 10 O'clock and your approach velocity is 20 meters per second. Your approach vector is 20 degrees off thrust line."
Everything was proceeding normally and Bill was waiting for the 100-meter point where the computer would make an automatic adjustment to his thrust line and slow him to 10 meters per second. Either at that point, he could wait for the computer to make the approach within 50 meters or he could take over and make the approach manually. He always liked to do it by hand; it kept his skills sharp.
Fortunately, the pick-up at the supply vessel went per plan and Bill linked up to four of the modules and returned to the moon's surface on the next orbit. When the mobile units removed the four containers, Bill sat quietly while the tug was placed back on the dual rail and he prepared for his next trip.
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"Control, please put me on Desert Beach freq," Joan transmitted to the control center.
"Roger, Joan; you're on freq."
"Desert Beach this is Oasis."
"Go ahead Oasis."
"We've been having a tough time here. We've lost one of the OS210 crewmembers to the virus and, unfortunately, most of the remainder of OS is coming down with the symptoms. One of the Oasis crew who came on board 3 weeks ago suddenly and independently came down with the virus. We've moved him into the same isolated section as the OS210 crew. The bad news is, we may all have been exposed, particularly his roommate. I've shut the station down and directed everyone to stay in their quarters. If any emergency repairs are needed, then we'll use small crews and still keep everyone separated. All we can do is lock down and hope some of us make it."
"What is the latest information from SC?"
"We talked with them a while ago and they don't know much more about the virus. The virus can start independently within a person as well as transmitted by coughing and sneezing. No one has an explanation and there is no talk of a cure, vaccine or anything. It looks dismal for everyone. SC hasn't come up with any new information. The medical people on site were in constant contact with other medical facilities throughout the world, but none of them had any answers. The disease is spreading at a disastrous rate. Reluctantly SC admitted they were losing people at an alarming rate also.
"Since we spoke we've been having problems getting them online."
"Joan, I'm sorry to hear that. I don't what to say. We may be isolated, but we can last only so long without your support. I guess all any of us can do is sit back and see how this plays out."
"Good luck Sally."
"Good luck Joan."
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"This is the space station Oasis transmitting in the blind. We haven't had any contact with the Space Consortium for a couple of hours and we aren't fully aware of what is happening on Earth. We are aware of the Hovarti virus and the disastrous effects that it is having. OS210 docked with us and it had one infected crewman. The remained of the crew is continuing to deteriorate and the outlook is grim. The crew on Oasis may also be infected. We had one spontaneous infection and that person was moved to the isolation area with the crew from OS210. We fear for the health of the supply ship and we also fear for the health of the crewmembers on Oasis. If anyone hears this and can provide help, please contact us. We will continue transmitting our status in the blind. Oasis out."
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"Oasis; Desert Beach. We heard your transmission and we just wanted to let you know that we're here. We're sorry to hear about Bernard. I never knew him, but some of the people here have. They say he was a good guy and he had a wife and two children. Our prayers are with all of you. I didn't want you to feel totally alone.
"Thanks, Sally, Oasis out."
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Dr. Ophelia Peterborough sat in her habitat watching the red sun descend into the soil of Mars. She had been on station for 3 years and 4 months. When she signed up for Mars, she knew it was likely a one-way trip; the first 20 years of the Mars colony were just that. The technologies prevented any practical method for rescue, but recent improvement in rocket engines and nuclear power made return trips to Earth possible. Return trips were difficult, not very comfortable and not very profitable for the space consortium.
The original Mars colony started almost 25 years ago and for a long time it was a one-way trip. The men and women who volunteered for the mission were real frontiersmen and adventurers. The colony grew slowly, waiting to build the facilities and for the food and water sources to be developed. Later as spaceship propulsion progressed, convertible supply ships were developed. They would bring a few new personnel then the life support modules could be removed and replaced with storage modules for an unmanned return trip to Oasis for another load of supplies. Once the supply ships were serviced and loaded, they could be used for another trip back to the colony. Over time, the fleet increased to six ships. One of the ships was usually on the 40-day trip to the planet and the other two or three spaced out in a 5-6 month trip back to Oasis. It was a high priority and worth the expense to get needed items to the colony to keep the production rates up, so the most expensive engines were used. However, the return was a lower priority, and it was cheaper to let the loaded ships take their time traveling back to Oasis so they used the older technology fueled engines. After all the valuable material coming back would arrive in due time, and spending the money to get the materials faster didn't make sense; it wouldn't increase the production rate. There were two other supply ships in orbit being built by SMU's, which wouldn't be in service for another month.
Even though the transit time had been reduced to 40 days, the supply ships were at best a semi-annual event. They are generally launched early in the 6-month window, and late in the window resulting in two ships per year.
The Mars supply ships were ugly. There was no other way to describe them but ugly. They looked like a weightlifter's dumbbell with a nose and tail. The nose was where the pilot on duty stayed and worked during their awake time. The first bulge in the fuselage was the crew deep sleep module where the crew traveled in a state of therapeutic hypothermia or deep sleep. In a sleep state, their body temperature was reduced by 6 degrees and they could sleep for up to 3 weeks at a time. The bulge in the supply ship was a rotating disk, which could accommodate up to four crewmembers in a 3-week sleep. The disk would rotate at 10 RPM to give them an approximate 1 G environment. Electrical pulses to maintain muscle tone continuously stimulated their muscles. When they woke up, they were in good shape considering the amount of time they had been asleep. The second bulge in the ship was the stored supplies module. The shape allowed the odd sized items to be shipped then used with a minimum set-up time and because the design was modular, multiple configurations could be achieved. At the rear of the ship, a nuclear reactor and VISMR engine was placed on a long extension.
Sunrise on Mars was different than Earth. The sun would rise with a blue disk around it due to the chemicals in the atmosphere. The atmosphere was thinner and once the sun had risen the colors were all from the red part of the light spectrum. Instead of the gradual changes in shading an Earth sunrise provided, Mars' sunrise was more of an event. In a relatively short time, it went from dark to light shades of red to a subtle glow of red in every direction.
The Mars colony was located in the Terra Sirenum region in the southern hemisphere of Mars. The location was where an ancient lake existed approximately four and half billion years ago. The lake was at least 200 feet deep and it left a large amount of permafrost 1-3 meters beneath the surface.
Ophelia and her husband Isaac never hesitated when the Mars Colony program told them, that they had been accepted. They had both been successful in their careers. Ophelia was a professor of mechanical engineering with an emphasis on space structures and Isaac was a professor of chemical engineering. Their lives were going great until the fateful day when their two children were killed in a tragic hit and run vehicle accident. They were walking home from school and a drunk driver swerved off the road and hit them. The driver had circumvented the auto driving features on his vehicle because he was too cheap to pay for repairs. He had found an 'under the counter' set of directions to disable the controls.
The pain of the loss was devastating and it forced them to look at the remainder of their lives from a different perspective. The loss of their children made a huge hole in their lives. The opportunity to travel to Mars and become true adventurers was a chance to avoid that hole, so they jumped on it.
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"Oasis, Desert Beach; Red Dirt. We're sorry to hear that things are getting worse. We're sorry to hear about Bernard. None of us knew him, but I'm sure he will be missed. We wish we could help and I know all of us are afraid of where this is leading. We'll be in touch and our prayers are for all of us. Red Dirt out."
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The crime scene in Washington was in turmoil. On any given day, the leaders and followers were changing. Some were trying to get gangs organized so they could break into stores and steal the merchandise, then break into another; thinking they were following some kind of plan. Soon that leader would die and someone else would take over and try to organize the violence to benefit them. They all acted like stealing more, having more electronics, having more jewelry somehow made them successful.
Dmitry knew the power was the real prize. Stuff wasn't as important as power. He knew he was destined to lead all of them and his friend Artur was eager to encourage him. He never gave the virus a second thought; he was convinced it was there to benefit him. After all, it didn't make any sense to him then to benefit Dmitry.
They knew the gang structure and they sat back and waited for the largest gang to be in turmoil. The word on the street surfaced that the largest, which had activities across the DC area, was in turmoil. Their leader hadn't been seen on the streets since last night. Dmitry knew he had to move fast so he and Artur drove to their hideout and walked in as if they owned the place. Two of the members were fighting over who was in charge, Dmitry's reputation was well known and they knew enough about him to let him enter without questioning him. Without any emotion on his face, he walked up to the two who were fighting for control and shot them in the stomach with his wire gun. He was starting to enjoy the wire gun, it didn't make much noise and it inflicted maximum damage. The best part was the damage usually didn't cause immediate death. The hole was substantial, but the effects were longer lasting and always fatal. As they were on the floor writhing in pain, Dmitry announced to the rest of the gang, "You work for me. This is
my friend, Artur and you will take orders from him. Any questions?" Surprisingly there weren't and Dmitry found that amusing.
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Joan was sitting in her quarters looking at the Earth as it passed by beneath her. The view window was fully open and the room was quiet. Her husband Tom was sitting next to her. They knew the implications of what was happening. Tom reached out and touched her hand and she responded by squeezing his.
Joan had talked with each of the Oasis crewmembers and the news wasn't very good. Out of the 24 crewmembers currently on board, 16 were showing signs of the virus. Over the last couple of hours, Joan had made the hardest decisions of her life. She decided that any crew member who showed signs of the virus had to be moved into isolation. Section 12, which was where the OS210 crew had been isolated, had grown through 11 other sections. The ill now had most of the space station dedicated to them. The two personnel on Oasis, who were med-techs had become ill and naturally, they moved into the quarantined section to help Doctor Chevesky.
The remaining crew spent most of their time maintaining the station. What supplies the sick needed were placed in section 7 then the airlock between stations was closed and they could open it from the other side and retrieve their supplies. It wasn't an ideal solution but because of the close quarters onboard, it was the only solution they could provide.
Since OS210 landed, five of the eight crewmembers had succumbed to the virus. Their deaths were hard on the entire crew, not just because of their loss but also the larger implications their deaths implied for Oasis and the world. The losses were staggering and the fear of the future was affecting everyone.
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The remainder of the 5th fleet was at least stable. Task Force 50 was able to defend itself and it had the difficult issue to dispose of the remains of the lost seamen.
Virus-72 Hours to Live Page 13
