Star One: Neutron Star

by Raymond L. Weil

  Jennifer had managed to get Ty to talk some about his life as an astronaut and even a few of his childhood experiences. He had admitted that he had always dreamed of commanding a deep space mission, but the current one wasn’t quite what he had in mind.

  He wanted to command a Mars exploratory mission someday. If the Jupiter mission had been successful, that would have been a very real possibility. The second successful Mar’s mission had reported finding traces of ancient artifacts, even though the scientific community was seriously disputing some of their findings. Now who knew what might happen. There might not ever be another Mar’s mission.

  “Let’s talk about your session this morning with Doctor Blackwater,” began Jennifer, wanting to get into Teela’s session. “I understand he had you read several more books on human psychology.”

  Jennifer knew that Teela could soon be extremely valuable to the station. In moments, they were both deep in conversation and Jennifer felt pleasantly surprised at the progress she was seeing in Teela.

  -

  In Main Control, Christy was reviewing the supply lists on her main computer console for the FarQuest. She was checking to make sure that everything had been loaded and that nothing had been overlooked. Ty was over on the ship with the crew, helping to stow equipment and completing a final check of the ship. Technicians were still swarming around the inside and outside of the FarQuest making sure everything was ready.

  On the main viewscreen, several Centaur work vessels could be seen hovering near the FarQuest’s Delta wings, helping workers in cumbersome white spacesuits attach a number of deep space probes to the fittings and connections on top and beneath the wings.

  All told, there were eight modified space probes being attached to the ship. Four of the probes had originally been planned for the Jupiter mission. They were to have been dropped down through the thick atmosphere to the storm swept surface. The ship itself would have gone into orbit and monitored the data from the probes before moving on to land on two of Jupiter’s large moons.

  The other four were modified long-range probes with miniaturized ion drives installed. The four had been meant to be launched to the outer planets on mapping expeditions later on in the year, but due to the impending emergency, they had been rushed to completion and modified for the FarQuest mission.

  Christy vigilantly watched the installation of the probes. She adjusted the screen to magnify the view of the ship. This allowed her to watch in detail as the probes were carefully attached. She also knew that Todd was watching the entire operation from the platform control room. So far, everything was on schedule.

  Her com lit up, indicating that someone on the Space Platform wanted to talk to her. “This is Commander Jones,” she responded, placing her miniature headpiece with earphone and mike on her head.

  “Lieutenant Commander Williams here,” Todd’s voice came back clearly.

  Christy knew that he had been up most of the night working with the tech crews on the FarQuest.

  “A lot of people are starting to ask questions about the FarQuest and its mission,” Todd continued. “We had a message from Senator Farley a few minutes ago demanding to know the current status of the ship. He wanted to know if the ship was going to be launched again anytime soon.”

  “What did you tell him?” Christy asked, concerned. Leave it up to Senator Farley to try to screw everything up.

  “Nothing. I told him that we were working on the ship and I didn’t know when it would be launched again,” Todd replied, not happy with the senator bothering him.

  Todd suspected the senator was trying to go around Christy and Steve by contacting him. Evidently, the senator didn’t believe in the chain of command. Senator Farley was someone Todd didn’t want to deal with at the moment.

  “He told me that he was to be informed immediately if I heard about another scheduled launch,” Todd continued.

  “Sounds like Senator Farley,” responded Christy, shaking her head. She knew it was only going to get worse.

  “He also said that I was to suspend any work on the ship until I heard back from his committee,” Todd added. “We’ve also had several messages from different observatories on Earth. They want to know if any mission is being planned to check out the reports of a neutron star approaching the Solar System. I’m sure a lot of this is due to the FarQuest’s shakedown flight the other day, and a lot of people Earthside are starting to feel that something big is up.”

  “We’ve had those over here too,” replied Christy, remembering all the messages that had been waiting for her when she came in earlier.

  Everyone was being told no comment for now. They were also being told that an announcement would be made in a few more days. This hadn’t stopped the messages. It had only seemed to increase them.

  They were getting new messages at the rate of several dozen every hour. Rumors on Earth were beginning to increase, and the news media outlets were full of wild stories. They wouldn’t be able to keep the lid on this much longer. Knowledge about the president’s address tomorrow night had undoubtedly added fuel to the fire.

  Senator Farley was only making matters worse. From what she had heard on the morning newscasts, the senator had called a news conference for immediately after the president’s speech.

  “Let’s just hope we can keep delaying a response for another day or two,” Christy commented to Todd. “Once we have the FarQuest launched, then it will be too late for him to do anything.”

  “Let’s hope so,” replied Todd, hoping Christy was correct. “I’ll check back with you later.”

  Christy continued to watch the main viewscreen as the work on the FarQuest continued. She flinched inwardly as Margaret Sullivan walked over and handed her another message, Senator Farley again! He was demanding to speak on a secure line with either Steve or her immediately.

  “Inform the senator that the commander and I are outside the station doing a routine maintenance inspection and are unavailable at the moment. Tell him one of us will contact him at the earliest opportunity,” Christy said, meeting Margaret’s inquiring look. “We must put him off as long as possible, Margaret. We can’t let him even suspect we are getting ready to launch the FarQuest again.”

  “No problem, Commander,” Margaret replied as she turned and walked quickly back to her console.

  She had worked with Steve and Christy long enough that there was no doubt as to where her loyalty lay. She would do whatever they asked. She also had a strong dislike for Senator Farley.

  Christy watched as the young woman engaged in a heated exchange with someone down on Earth. She finally ended the conversation turning and nodding at Christy with a satisfied smile. A few more hours, Christy thought, focusing her eyes back on the main screen. The next 24 hours, until the FarQuest launches, were certainly going to be hectic.

  -

  Steve arrived at the White House at 7:30 p.m. and was escorted upstairs to one of the smaller conference rooms. His shuttle flight had arrived at Cape Canaveral on time. Once down on the ground, Steve had found an Air Force high altitude jet waiting on a nearby runway. The pilot had orders to get Steve to Washington as quickly as possible. Steve had been allowed a few minutes to clean up and change clothes before he was chauffeured hurriedly to the White House.

  Two black suited security agents escorted Steve to his meeting and opening a heavy oak door, indicated for him to enter. Steve was surprised to find a number of people already in the small conference room waiting expectantly for him.

  “Good evening, Commander Larson,” President Kateland said, rising to her feet.

  Susan Kateland was in her second term of office, being only the second woman to be elected to the high post. She was a tall woman in her late forties with dark brown hair and a strong, determined face, which had aged markedly over the last month. Worry lines were visible on her forehead and under her eyes. Her eyes looked tired as if from a lack of sleep.

  “I believe you know everyone,” she said, gesturing around the
room and indicating for him to take the lone remaining empty chair.

  Looking around the room, Steve was surprised at who was there. Tim McPhryson sat to the right of the president and Avery Karver, with four stars on his shoulders, the top man in the Pentagon to her left. He was astonished to see Mase Colton relaxing in a chair with his tall, powerful frame almost spilling out of it. Steve knew that it had been years since Mase had been down to Earth. This must certainly be important to pry Mase away from Tycho City, Steve thought.

  Jane Kinsey, the chief operations officer for NASA, and her assistant Warren Timmons who worked primarily at NASA’s main computer center in Houston were also seated at the long table. The Vice President, Mark Edwards, sat at a chair on the opposite end of the table from the president with a serious look adorning his normally well-composed face.

  “Hello, Steve,” Colton said, smiling warmly. “What took you so long?”

  Steve took his seat responding to Mase. “I’m surprised to see you here. I know it’s been over five years since your last trip to Earth.”

  “We felt it was important that both of you be present for this meeting,” President Kateland interjected. “There are some things going on that you both need to be made aware of that have been kept top secret for over a month now. How much longer we can keep those secrets under wraps is becoming an extremely critical question.”

  Steve and Mase both listened to the president, trying to read the hidden message behind her words. Something was obviously going on as the two exchanged knowing glances.

  “Both of you know about the neutron star and its current trajectory. What you don’t know is that we have used the powerful computers at Houston to determine the exact affects this will have on the Earth,” President Kateland paused, catching her breath.

  Only a few carefully selected people were aware of what the computers had projected. It had been a closely guarded secret for the last several weeks. It had been weighing heavily on her shoulders, knowing what lay in the future for her country and the planet.

  “Mr. Timmons, will you explain in detail what your computers have predicted.” With a tired look, President Kateland turned to Timmons as she sat down to listen once more.

  Standing up, Timmons looked around the group before his eyes focused on Mase and Steve. “Our powerful computers are a group of Super Crays recently installed in our system upgrades last year. The only computer that might remotely compare to these is Teela on Star One, and she is years away from becoming adept at these types of computations.”

  Timmons nodded at a security guard standing by the door. The guard pressed a switch, turning down the lights. A large viewscreen descended to cover the front wall behind the president. On it, the orbits of all the planets were shown. The orbital trajectory of the neutron star, marked in red, intersected the plane of the ecliptic just outside the orbit of Uranus.

  “We ran the orbital data we have on the neutron star and had the computers extrapolate the effects on Earth,” Timmons spoke in calm, lecturing voice. “The results were shocking,” Pausing, Timmons looked at each individual in the room.

  “At a minimum, we can expect hurricane level storms all across the globe as the approach of the neutron star begins to affect the Sun,” he said in a more subdued voice. “Intense plasma storms on its surface, increased sunspot activity, and massive solar flares far greater than any recorded before will almost certainly occur. These by themselves will disrupt communication across the planet and adversely affect our weather patterns. But that’s not the worst of it.”

  Turning to face Mase and Steve, he continued. “As the neutron star makes its closest approach, we can expect major earth movements along most of the planet’s fault lines. Earthquakes far greater than any recorded in modern times will shake the planet, causing massive shifts and uprisings in the crust. Huge tidal waves caused by the earth movements will flood all the low-lying areas around the globe. We also expect intense volcanic activity to commence all around the Pacific Rim, throwing millions of tons of smoke and ash into the upper atmosphere.”

  Steve and Mase looked at each other, their faces ashen. These were their worst fears. They wondered if anyone would be able to survive.

  “If a massive solar flare strikes the Earth, temperatures near a thousand degrees could be experienced,” pausing, Timmons nodded, and another picture appeared on the viewscreen. It showed massive shifts in the orbits of the planets. “When the neutron star leaves our Solar System, the Earth’s orbit will extend out past the current orbit of Mars and inward almost to the orbit of Mercury. Life on our planet will have ceased to exist except possibly in the deepest of underground shelters.”

  The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop as everyone digested the information. Each person in the room except Steve and Mase had already been briefed on this. However, hearing it again only reinforced the reality of the dismal future they all faced.

  “What are you going to do?” asked Mase, looking at the president. “Can enough shelters be built deeply enough underground to allow some people to survive?”

  “Naturally deep shelters will be built, but the massive earthquakes we’re expecting make their survival very questionable,” President Kateland responded quietly.

  “Then what are we going to do?” asked Steve, gazing at the president. He had thought that at least some people on Earth would survive. Would the only survivors be on Star One and the Moon?

  “Ms. Kinsey feels and I agree that our best hope of people surviving will be in the deep man made caverns on the Moon and on Star One,” President Kateland answered, looking at Steve and Mase.

  “The deep caverns on the Moon at Tycho City should be nearly impervious to quakes,” Jane Kinsey added. “As everyone knows, Tycho City was built in a large meteorite crater. The impact crater itself should cushion any devastating moonquakes and of course, since there is no atmosphere on the Moon, volcanic activity will be less severely felt. There will be no severe storms on the Moon like here on Earth.”

  “What we would like to do is begin a rapid expansion of Tycho City and move as many people as possible to the Moon,” President Kateland said in a tired voice, looking at Mase. “We would like for you to begin screening your people on the Moon to weed out any undesirables.”

  Continuing to look at Mase, she continued. “We will submit for your review people on Earth who we have screened and accepted as possible colonization candidates. You will have the final say so on who or who may not be admitted to the Moon.” Stopping, she looked briefly at some notes lying on the table in front of her. “These people will be the Earth’s best and brightest.”

  “Star One has a good chance of survival also,” she continued, looking over at Steve. “Being in space, there will be no threats from earthquakes or volcanoes. With the new layer of Luxen that you are installing on its surface areas, it will also be immune from all projected levels of increased solar activity from the Sun.”

  “We are making arrangements to ship up to Star One any parts or equipment that we can think of that you might need,” Jane Kinsey said, studying a report in front of her. “I have a special team already formed that is looking into what might be needed for a long term stay in space.”

  “Once again, we need to weed out any undesirables on the station and look at what type of people the station could best use to increase its chances of survival,” President Kateland spoke. “We estimate, from the information you have furnished that Star One could easily accommodate another 1,000 people. We believe that by intensifying our efforts, we can end up with 3,000 people on Star One and nearly 10,000 on the Moon.”

  Steve and Mase stared at each other in shock. This news was far worse than anything they had discussed in their communications the last several weeks. They had expected the Earth to be affected, but nowhere near to this extent. They were talking about the possibility of only 13,000 survivors!

  “Is there any chance the data could be incorrect?” asked Steve, looking at the president. “The
re are still a lot of anomalies we can’t explain.”

  “Thirteen thousand survivors isn’t a lot of people to start over with,” Mase said, glancing at Steve with wide eyes.

  President Kateland, looking weary, responded. “That’s one reason why the FarQuest mission is so important. We have to know if there are any other potential threats out there we must prepare for. However, the data we already have is indisputable. Life on Earth will most probably come to an abrupt end very soon. The only survivors may well be those we can get up to Star One and Tycho City.”

  “What about here on Earth?” asked Steve, refusing to believe that everyone on Earth was destined to die. “Is there not anywhere underground shelters can be built to save some people?”

  “We have two locations in the United States that might have a slim chance of survival,” replied Tim McPhryson, glancing at some notes in front of him. “We have already begun construction of deep underground bunkers at both sites. If we are successful, we should be able to put between four to six thousand people in each one. We are making them totally self-sustaining. They should be able to survive for ten years without contact with the surface.”

  “We will also be building survival bunkers in some of the deep cave systems, as well as other areas across the country,” President Kateland added. “However, it is very doubtful that these will be able to survive the earth movements the Crays have projected. But we have to try. We will put as many people as we can in deep shelters and hope for the best.”

  Turning to Avery Karver, the Pentagon man, she continued. “Avery, we must ensure that the launch facilities at the cape are protected against any conceivable threat. I want you to be personally responsible for setting up whatever is needed to make the cape impregnable. We will need to secure a large area around the complex since all of our people can’t be expected to live permanently at the launch site.”