by George Deeb
Erika Aimsler had sat for the last few minutes with her mouth open, as had most of the others in the room. She had familiarized herself with the Cove engines presently being used on the base, and this was light years beyond those. She performed some mental calculations. At perigee, when the moon is closest to the Earth, this ship could travel that distance in less than three hours if it performed as claimed. That would make it almost as useful as a Ganaphe' shuttle. She looked at the others in the room who were conversing with each other about what they had just heard. Then she looked at her uncle who was sitting quietly in thought with a hand on his chin. His lips were pursed as he stared down at the floor. He wasn't very happy about this development. It was then it struck her that his prediction about the Ganaphe' was closer to coming true. She was going to help them free their ship, and this new Cove engine, maybe modified or made larger, might be the engine they decide to use to help them begin their journey home. Then she looked at Mersuul, who also was staring at her uncle. She had a conflicted expression on her face. She too had realized the same thing.
“Let's continue.” said Farber-Chatwell. “Since we do not yet have the ability to camouflage our ships, the Folly is designed with the latest stealth technology. In keeping with that the weapons systems are carried internally as per the F-35 fighter. It also has external hard points for attaching additional systems and loads. For added strength parts of the structure of the ship are made using a manufacturing technique that emulates bamboo. For those not familiar with that, the alloy grain size gradually increases from the outside to the center, giving added resilience. We have researchers at North Carolina State University to thank for that idea. I'll be visiting that campus in the near future to see if there are any good candidates for 361 to hire.”
“Flight training will begin next week. Simulator software should be completed by then. I am expecting the first test flight from here to take place as soon as pilots are qualified. In the mean time flight crews will begin learning the instrumentation. The Folly is a prototype ship with prototype engines and several prototype systems. Although everything has been well tested separately it has not been field tested as a system. I believe it's obvious to everyone that this testing will be dangerous – but then it usually is.”
8
“Terrain mapping complete.”
“Message received base four. Return to landing bay.” replied Brighde Balfour from the flight control center. The updated three dimensional terrain mapping data would be used by the Orysta's computer to camouflage the ship when it was back on the surface. “Orysta one and two. Position Aimsler frame when area cleared.”
“Orysta one confirms.”
“Orysta two is confirming”
Balfour moved around the control center almost as if nothing had changed, primarily because of the weights she had borrowed from the gym and belted onto her waist. Trailblazer Moon Base was now operating at moon level gravity. Some people found hopping and skipping around entertaining, while others found it annoying. They had long ago taken for granted the Earth level gravity that was maintained by the Orysta, forgetting that it was not natural here on the Moon. Now the gravity field from the ship was no longer extended to the base. They were also disconnected from the ship's power feed, operating on base power systems which would serve as a good test of the base power generation capabilities.
Balfour looked at the two Ganaphe' shuttle craft hovering above the crater's edge, with the rocket frame hanging below them. The base was on the far side of the Moon now, but the very bright outside area lights illuminated the scene. She watched the area closer to the base and saw base shuttle four clear the airspace and smoothly slip through the landing bay entrance. She loved working with crews of this high caliber. It kept communications to a minimum. Everyone knew their jobs and how to do it.
The Ganaphe' shuttles slowly moved into position. Balfour's attention moved to the younger woman who was looking out the transparent dome at the activities outside. She could see the tension and nervousness in her posture, which wasn't surprising. The plan belonged to Erika Aimsler, and if it failed it would be her failure as much or more than anyone else's. That would be the way it would be seen anyway. If Balfour was in her position she would be just as tense.
The steel reinforced carbon fiber frame with its twenty-four attached rockets was gently lowered to the ground, where members of the Orysta crew were waiting to attach the cables. Balfour waited for them to notify her when they were ready.
“You're not going to be on the Orysta with Engineer Plessa?”
“Grilik Munen said it would be too dangerous. He didn't want me inside the risk zone. But I can monitor everything on your displays here.”
“That's understandable. All of the Orysta crew except for Munen, Califas, and Plessa have left the ship.”
“Yes,... but I still feel like I should be there.”
“You know, I've spent a lot of time with the Orysta crew getting ready for this event. They all think very highly of you – especially Plessa. None of them would want you in any danger. Let me rephrase that – in any more danger than what comes with living on the Moon.”
They watched together as the frame touched down, and the cables were attached. They listened to the two crews coordinating their actions. Then the shuttles lifted the frame until the cable were taut, and then moved sideways out of the trajectory path of the frame.
“Grilik Munen, this is shuttle one. Both shuttles are at cable tension and holding.” said the voice on the radio.
“Commander Balfour this is Grilik Munen. We have completed the checklist and I am turning control over to you.”
“Message received Grilik Munen. All personnel, this is Flight Commander Balfour. Operation Second Chance is in effect. All personnel to assigned stations. All safety protocols are in effect. Stand by for further instructions.”
Balfour had just finished speaking as the outside crew entered the access door to Trailblazer base and secured it. The area of operation was now clear of all equipment and personnel.
“Orysta, please confirm your computer has control of the frame engines.” said Balfour.
“This is Califas confirming Orysta has computer link and control of frame.”
“Thank you Tahn-grilik. Maintenance team, report status.”
“This is Valian. Maintenance team confirms all systems disconnected from Orysta. Access door secured.”
“You ready for this?” asked Balfour, looking at Erika.
“I've got all my fingers and toes crossed.” she answered.
“OK. Here goes.” Balfour tapped the comm button. “Orysta, give me minimal output from the four corners please.”
A couple of seconds later the four corner rocket engines ignited and glowed dimly. The tension on the cables increased. Erika thought she could hear the cables straining but knew it was only her imagination.
“Shuttles one and two, report.”
“This is shuttle one. Frame is holding tension on its own power.”
“This is shuttle two confirming.”
“Good. Excellent! Shuttles one and two, disconnect from frame. Maintain hovering position outside of the operation zone.”
The two ships disconnected their cables from the frame, and moved back to their original position over the crater's edge. The frame held stable in the position they had left it.
“All personnel, this is Flight Commander Balfour. Please put on your safety glasses or view only from a prescribed location. Do not look directly at the rocket engines with bare eyes. Orysta, the operation area is clear. The frame is holding stable. I am returning control over to you. Keep communication channel open throughout the operation. Please confirm.”
“Flight control, this is Munen confirming. We have control of the operation. We will maintain communication channel open.”
Balfour sat on her chair and rolled it over to Erika.
“Nothing to do now but watch. Did you bring the popcorn?” she joked, drawing a small smile from
Erika. “Glasses on everyone.” she said to the others.
9
Several minutes passed in silence. Outside, the area lights illuminated the inside of the crater like it was daylight. Erika looked over to her uncle and Mersuul, who were standing side by side as they looked out at the floating rocket frame. She noticed he was holding her hand, which was something he never did while on duty. That was when she knew that he both feared and hoped for the the success of the attempt. With the Orysta free of its prison, his prediction of the Ganaphe' going back home might happen sooner than he wanted. It wouldn't be that difficult for them if Cove's new engine performed as it was expected to. They could mount three or four of the engines to the Orysta to achieve enough performance to get to inter-galactic trade lanes in just months. All they would need to do then would be to make radio contact to request a rescue – a rescue that would arrive at inter-galactic speed. They could be back home with their families in less than a year. The thought made her a little sad. She was just getting to know these people, and she had become very fond of Mersuul.
Mersuul and her uncle were both in space suits with their helmets on a nearby desk, just in case. Lifting the Orysta was a dangerous endeavor, and if anything went wrong all hands had to be able to give assistance as quickly as possible. Erika noticed Mersuul's iridescent hair, which always seemed brighter when the woman was near her uncle. Ganaphe' women of reproductive age had that coloring in their hair. A evolutionary holdover from when their home world was mostly dark, before it was pulled into stable orbit with their two suns. What a geologically violent era that must have been. There was no doubt about what was on Mersuul's mind, and Erika wondered if her uncle felt the same way.
“Bringing all engines into operation.” came Plessa's voice over the speakers.
The nozzles of all the other engines illuminated and glowed like the four that were already active. Even in the bright area lighting the engines could not be looked at without the protective glasses.
“Instruments indicate all engines functional. Performing low level short term throttle control test.”
Half of the engines' output flames grew longer and brighter, like blow torches that had their valves opened up, and then diminished again. Then the other half was tested.
“Computer indicates that three engines are not generating design thrust. Performing full output test to calibrate engines.” said Plessa.
The flames of three of the engines grew longer and very bright, and the frame seemed to strain slightly against the cables. Then the flames diminished again.
“Engine calibration procedure was successful. Main computer indicates the Aimsler frame is operational and ready. Extending gravitational field around the Orysta... Gravitational field at full strength and holding.” stated Plessa.
“Commander Balfour, this is Munen. The Orysta is ready to initiate extraction if you are ready on the surface. Please indicate your status.”
“All surface assets are in place and ready Grilik Munen. We'll take our cues from your lead.” replied Balfour without hesitation. She had already confirmed everyone was on station and ready.
10
Orysta's Chief Engineer performed a visual check on his instruments. At his station he could monitor the output thrust of the frame's rocket engines, the frame's elevation above the ground, a digital readout of the stress on the lift cables, the amount of pressure imposed on the hull by the surrounding rocks and soil, and the distortion forces on the ship's superstructure. Behind his station, located where all three crew members could see it, was a three dimensional depiction of the Orysta in its predicament. Surrounding the ship was a transparent pink elliptical hollow cylinder with thirty foot thick walls, that depicted the gravity field. The pink extended below the Orysta and went upward to several inches above the ground, but did not touch the ship. The gravity field was completely external. If it had been extended internally the forces they were about to generate would have caused tremendous damage to the Orysta.
“We are ready Grilik.” he said.
“The ship is under your control.” said Munen. “Intul and I will help you monitor the instruments and yell if we see anything abnormal.”
Plessa nodded his confirmation.
“Commander Balfour, this is Plessa. We are ready to initiate the operation.”
“Understood Engineer Plessa. Communications will be broadcast base wide. Proceed at your discretion.”
Plessa looked one more time at his crew-mates, getting a nod from each of them. Then he adjusted the controls on his display.
“Initiating optimum resonant oscillation of the gravity field.” he informed them.
The pink cylinder on the three dimensional depiction started moving out and in at an increasingly faster rate, becoming less distinct and slightly more transparent. It took only a brief period to achieve the optimum oscillating frequency that Plessa and Erika had determined through experimentation. Inside the ship they could hear a scratching noise coming from the outside, which then turned into a constant high pitched hum. They felt the ship shift and drop a little.
“Initiating programmed computer control.” he said, tapping his control screen.
The Orysta's main computer adjusted the combined thrust on the Aimsler frame until the ship was stable in its position.
“Gravity field optimum resonance achieved.” said the computer.
The soil in the gravity field was shifted in and out under the influence of the alternating positive and negative gravity field. At the optimum resonant frequency the granules moved at different rates due to their differing sizes, and bounced of each other. Unable to make continuous contact with the adjacent piece of soil, the ground became fluid. It moved in waves and ripples. On the Moon's surface, above the Orysta, the ground resembled an undulating swamp.
“Ready to trigger explosive charges.” said Plessa to his companions. Then directing his words to the moon base he said “Miss Aimsler, please trigger the explosives now.”
In the flight control center Erika heard his words come over the comm system. In front of her was a display screen displaying only a yellow rectangle with the words 'Explosive Charges' written in the middle. Since Erika would not be allowed on the ship during the operation, Plessa came up with this solution to make her part of it. She touched the rectangle with her finger. It turned red.
Her action was immediately felt on the Orysta as the large rocks pressing against the ships hull were blown apart causing them to strike the ship with powerful hammer blows. The ship rocked and vibrated for a few seconds. Califas, who had been standing at the time, was knocked off of his feet. He pulled himself back into his seat.
“Explosives sequence concluded. Beginning lift sequence.” said the computer.
On each of their screens replicating the Engineer's control panel the rocket engine throttle controls moved to maximum.
The glow of the rocket engines suddenly changed from their relatively dim red-orange glow to a blindingly white explosion of light. Everyone in the flight control room had to cover their eyes or look away. The illumination by the rocket engines turned the area into a surreal monochromatic landscape – everything was white, with little detail. If this part of the Moon had been facing the Earth, anyone looking with only their bare eyes would have noticed the flare.
It was slow at first, but the Orysta definitely began to move upward. Even Plessa, who had been one of the two people to put this event into action, was wide-eyed in pleasant surprise as the ship began to move. His instruments verified each incremental change in their position. The movement was not constant as the ship moved through differing materials, sometimes accelerating and sometimes temporarily thumping to a stop – but it kept moving upward. Munen and Califas began to scream in excitement.
11
“It is working! Orysta is being lifted!” said Mersuul.
Erika strained to see what was happening. Her eyes had adjusted to looking at the brightly illuminated scene through the glasses, and she watc
hed her plans work as she had designed. She also was feeling the excitement. The cables attaching the ship to the rocket frame were color marked every three feet to give a visual reference, and she could already see the first mark – and it was continuing to rise. The surface of the ground had begun to bulge upward.
“Orysta, this is Balfour. We are seeing positive motion up here!”
“YES!” came the reply from Plessa, with encouraging screams in the background. “We are moving! We are coming up!”
The excitement had spread throughout the base. The communication between the ship and flight control center was being piped through every speaker. Those who could stopped what they were doing to listen. Those near a window tried to see through the bright light of the rockets. The ship was rising at a rate of one foot per minute and accelerating. It wasn't long before the second mark was seen on the cables. Happy excited yelling was all that was coming over the comm from the Orysta, encouraging the ship to keep on going. The rest of her crew now looking through the windows in the Engineering lab were also yelling in excitement.
