by A J Britnell
“Tower, this is EV001 Adriatic requesting launch from EVAC pad – over.”
“Your request is received, EV001. Ready for launch in thirty seconds. Kennedy is expecting you, good luck.”
Space again; at least for a couple of days. The weightlessness felt familiar, their bodies attuned, their reactions adjusted and sure. Earth grew in the curved cockpit window, beckoning them. Apart from the general exchange of flight checks, the crew were quiet, each deep in thought as they took in the beauty of their home planet.
Forty-eight hours later they were in orbit, drawn by its pull, physically and emotionally. Continents sped past beneath swirling clouds, spiralling in their individual dance, choreographed by their jet streams. Mountain ranges appeared; their ridges rippled. From this vantage point they could look back in time, to the millions of years of erosion that carved the landscape.
And then they flew into night. The world glistened with a million of its own man-made stars. It changed their perception. They stopped thinking about the serene beauty of their planet and thought of the people they had left behind; their existence advertised to the universe.
“Eyes back in the room boys. Fire RCS thrusters.” The craft reacted and the Adriatic passed over the planet with its belly pointing to space.
Haruka exchanged data with flight control in, “Time for ignition - four hours, hydraulics check, please.”
Stefan relayed the aero surfaces information back, methodically. Every system required scrutiny. Despite being straight out of the box, this was the Adriatic’s first re-entry and the flight crew used this time to go over the simulations one more time, even though they had acquired many hours in the simulator back at base. The Adriatic’s propulsion systems were second to none, but the descent through the atmosphere would still be unpowered. The rotational engines retracted within an aerodynamic casing, turning the craft into a sleek dart. Only when through to the lower atmosphere, could the engines be restarted to slow and direct their travel towards a more controlled landing.
“TIG three hours, go for OPS 3,” Haruka initiated the Flight Control software. She traced the trajectory illustration with her finger, trusting the computer to guide them home. Their approach to Earth would begin at a high orbit, with a fifty-seven degree inclination, ascending the globe over the South Pacific Ocean.
“TIG two hours.” After helping each other into their flight suits the crew made their way to their seats in the cockpit with nervous anticipation. Haruka sat in the middle of three seats at the front of the cockpit, Healey and Stefan sat to each side of her and the rest of the crew sat to the rear in a confined semi-circle with a set consoles that pivoted between them. Haruka had given her crew jobs of varying importance to keep them occupied and they set about their tasks, calmly focused.
“TIG one hour. Here we go. Go for de-orbit burn.”
Nearly three-hundred kilometres above Indonesia the OMS fired. Haruka counted down, shutting off after two minutes and forty-two seconds, breaking the craft free to search for its approach corridor. Another burn, the ship rotates and the crew look upon the Earth in a familiar orientation, finally within the reach of gravity.
“Entry interface.” The atmosphere hit back; a low rumble could be felt and the crew look around the cockpit for signs of vibration. Slowly it built, rippling through every surface as the friction increased. Fighting to keep course, Haruka engaged the thrusters. The Earth’s defence system worked perfectly; as the pressures increased so did the heat. An angry storm of energy pushed back the invaders. Plasma built on their leading edge, its glow enveloped the craft, crawling around the side windows in a desperate attempt to consume.
As they descended the air pressures increased, slowing the vehicle further. The ailerons and elevens reacted to the force and the nose began to tilt but the heat continued, reaching 1600 degrees Celsius at the most vulnerable points.
“Twenty minutes until touchdown. Go for energy management.” Haruka nodded to Stefan and he took hold of the stick to begin the rolls to bleed off their speed. She watched him, smiling to himself. Flying wasn’t the same without an atmosphere and he relished in the battle as he forced the craft into a series of eighty-degree rolls.
They were clipping the coast of Columbia. As they banked the lush green forests were visible in contrast to the azure sky. It was dazzling as if their brains had lost their ability to perceive the spectrum.
As they slice through the atmosphere close to Florida they herald their arrival with a sonic boom and prepared to circle Kennedy. The Adriatic’s engines re-engaged and reduced their speed further, turning towards the alignment heading cone.
“Five minutes to landing.” Haruka took back control for the manual landing and Stefan co-piloted, relaying instructions from flight control. The deck was silent apart from their communications. John took it in his stride, straining to see out of the window, Herman bent his head down within his helmet as if praying and the others just looked straight ahead, on high alert.
They felt the nose lift slightly and three beeps indicated the landing gear was being lowered. A roar of the engines in reverse thrust reduced their descent further to a more manageable speed than unpowered craft and the force threw them forward in their seats. Haruka contemplated bringing the ship down on a long glide but since it was designed for vertical landing, that’s what she was going to do; she knew she had the power for a go around if she came in too fast.
It was text book, though a little choppy. They landed after travelling two- hundred metres in vertical descent mode, bobbing like a bumblebee before stabilizing and lowering gently to the tarmac.
After the statuary fifteen- minute wait while the ship undertook safety checks, the team allowed their bodies time to acclimatise before the medical team boarded. When given the go ahead for egress, the hatch opened to a group of medics in white suits who made their way to each crewmember in turn. The back group waited patiently while they attended the flight crew. Haruka was the first to be unbuckled and lifted by two personnel from the cockpit. She held her helmet in her right hand but her weak muscles failed her and she passed it to a waiting technician.
“Wow, look at Haruka!” John announced, “And she’s one of the fittest.”
Herman agreed and added, “They’re going to need three of them to lift your bulk!”
“Hey, I’ve lost ten kilos – I had to the new suits are bloody revealing!”
Eileen lent in, “Joking aside boys, this is going to take its toll on all of us, though we have gained a bit of muscle mass on the Moon, thankfully.”
It was apparent to all of them, they felt every kilo of their lethargic bodies even while seated, even lifting their arms to remove their helmets was a struggle.
“Hey I think it’s our turn,” Eileen removed her gloves and fumbled with her buckles in eagerness.
Marcus was the last to depart the ship. He stood on the threshold to the clean room attached to the exit hatch. He felt relatively strong and attempted to walk with aid. Each step exhausted, like dragging yourself up swimming pool steps after a marathon. The cleanroom appeared deserted until Claus emerged from a cubicle wearing an unflattering jumpsuit, his hair still damp.
“Where is everyone?”
“They’ve gone through to the transport vehicle.” He tousled his hair with a rough blue towel, studying his friend. “Not long now Marcus, you’ll be sunning yourself at the OAP pool in no time.”
Flopping into the nearest seat, he panted, “I feel knackered mate! As soon as I lay down I’m not getting up for a week!”
The transport vehicle had to make two trips to reunite the crew at the terminal. They were required to remain in a self-contained recovery unit for a week but Healey pulled a few strings and brought it down to two days on the understanding that Eileen would continue monitoring their progress at the beach house.
On entering the terminal, they could see a bustling crowd on the other side of a glass partition. It was the press. Healey turned away and corralled his team
through a door before they noticed.
After a barrage of blood tests, MRI scans and treadmills, the team were deemed fit for departure. Eileen was commended for her diligent records and fitness regimes; their condition was impressive considering it had been nearly three years since many of them had experienced permanent gravity. They were all still very weak but the thought of a few weeks in the sun, lifted their spirits and boosted their energy levels.
Chapter Seventeen
“Good evening, we are now going to catch up on events in the science sector. The EVAC Rapid Response Team; commended for the apprehension of terrorists on the Magnificent Desolation Hotel on the Moon, are rumoured to have landed at Kennedy Spaceport. Our reporter was there earlier today but was unsuccessful in gaining an interview or even confirming their arrival. If it is true, this return was unannounced, causing speculation into the condition of the astronauts. I’m sure we will fill you in on any developments as soon as we are able to make contact with their spokesperson.”
When they left the facility, jumping in the back of a chauffeured people carrier, the sun was shining and the temperature was a comfortable twenty-five degrees. They all donned sunglasses and baseball caps, finding the light disappointingly uncomfortable when trying to stare up at the cloudless sky.
Spirits were high; they chatted about their plans to meet their families in the coming weeks and enjoyed the wide views across the everglades that dashed past as they sped away to their secret getaway.
Healey turned around to address the group “I thought we’d have a rest for two weeks before you go off to meet with family. It should be quite relaxing - apart from an engagement I’ve arranged.”
“A press meeting, no doubt,” Haruka guessed.
“Actually, much more fun. My next Melee is in Peru and I thought we’d make an appearance.”
That sounded agreeable to all.
Luxury was an understatement. The beach house perched on a grassy knoll overlooking a secluded bay. Its colonial veranda stretched three sides of the building casting cooling shade on wicker swing sets. As they approached along the sweeping drive they noticed a covered swimming pool and tennis court. Staff milled about the premises, attending to their duties in the ornamental gardens. A sprinkler rhythmically pumped water over the coarse green grass, generating a rainbow arc in the tree line.
Haruka wanted to run like an excited child but her body protested. Instead she slowly glided through the double doors to a circular lobby with twisting staircase to the bedroom apartments.
Stefan joined her after being rebuffed by an enthusiastic bellboy. He took off his sunglasses, “Wow, this is incredible Healey.”
“Gorgeous isn’t it. I visited once before, many years ago, with my ex-wife and her family.”
“Oh, how is Maria?”
“Oh, much the same, just richer and even more insufferable,” he left the statement hanging and wandered off to the kitchen.
The group hastily unpacked and went their separate ways to explore their surroundings. Stuffing the last of her clothes into a drawer, Haruka announced, “Stefan, I can’t wait any longer, let’s go visit that fabulous beach; I’ve been dreaming of this moment for months.”
Stefan didn’t care what he did, this moment with Haruka was already perfect.
It was late afternoon and the sun was low behind them, but still warm enough in the gentle breeze.
Haruka tentatively stepped out of her flip-flops and dug her toes into the white sand. She held Stefan’s hand for support and made their way down to the shoreline. “Do you think this is what the Moon dust feels like between your toes.”
“I wouldn’t suggest trying it.”
They laughed at the impossible comparison and ran into the waves, exhilarated; their senses on overload as they experienced the Earth with fresh eyes.
The rest of the crew made full use of the facilities; their first stop the solar heated pool. It was only ten metres long but sufficient and after mucking around for a while, they began swimming lengths, the water supporting their unfamiliar weight as they strengthened their muscles.
Eileen glided in an elegant breaststroke, bobbing her head into the cool water as she stretched into a long stroke. Gopy struggled to keep up with her, paddling in her wake, while the others raced on the other side of the pool with a frenzy of thrashing arms. Eileen glared at them after choking on a bow wave.
Healey left them to unwind for the first week and then he set to work. An entourage appeared; hairdressers, stylists and personal trainers. The gymnasium above the triple garage transformed into a bio-lab. Eileen supervised the training regime, paring the team into suitable training partners and making them adhere to a strict timetable. When they weren’t training, they were being pampered. Sports masseurs pummelled their underused muscles and worked out knots they never knew existed. It was relentless.
The team were accustomed to compulsory exercise but the grooming came as a bit of a shock. Everyone received a haircut though Marcus’s shaved head only required an oiling. Herman insisted on keeping his dreadlocks, much to Healey’s annoyance, but compromised by having them trimmed to just below his jaw. For the first time in nearly three years, Haruka had a professional haircut. She began her mission with close cropped hair and just let it grow, getting Eileen to attack her fringe occasionally. The layers in her shoulder length hair bobbed as she glided on her private catwalk.
Eileen had always kept her auburn locks tied in a ponytail. The stylist layered it through and teased the strands into loose curls over her shoulders. “Well it’s hardly practical,” Eileen conceded, “but I do love it.”
The girls giggled, pulling faces at each other in the mirror to the amusement of the stylists.
When released from training Herman and Gopy spent their free time in the garage with EMO. A mysterious procession of parcels arrived on a daily basis containing electrical components. Marcus wandered in, eating a steak sandwich. “What you up to?” he mumbled between mouthfuls.
“Hey, keep your crumbs away!” Herman ushered him back a metre while he slotted a memory board back into its slot. EMO stood there motionless and naked of his casings.
“Think he looks worse, Herman.”
He shot him a contemptuous look and placed his screwdriver into the correct foam compartment in his pristine tool-case.
“It might not look like it but we’ve actually increased its processing capability tenfold,” Gopy volunteered, “Well I say we – Herman has been the visionary - take a look over here,” he beckoned. Marcus dutifully followed Gopy to the final unopened box in the corner of the room. “Come on Herman, you can do the honours.”
Herman pulled a knife from his pocket and carefully slit the tape to reveal a tonne of packaging pellets. He delved in and retrieved a number of curved pieces of Lacecell, covered in blue protective film. Laying them out with care on the workbench, EMO’s body parts stretched the length of the table; a three- dimensional puzzle of Herman’s design.
“Hey, pretty cool.” Marcus picked a piece, turning it in his hand. Many of the pieces had a broad turquoise line across them; he tried to fathom the end result. “Would you like a hand putting it together?”
Herman accepted the offer, grateful for his friend’s interest and began describing his design process. Using his software, he had modelled the outer casings while aboard the Adriatic and sent the design to Healey’s factory for milling. His boss used his position to have the products fast tracked and expressed from India.
Gradually they reassembled EMO’s body but with a few improvements. Its long forearms were almost muscular in appearance; the hydraulics were beefed up to deliver maximum force and its body, wider to provide extra space for additional tools. The rear legs had the same treatment, the curved casings housed additional thrusters, at what could be, the knee joint, for added manoeuvrability.
Marcus used his engineering skills to help wire in the additional cameras in the rear of the head unit. Improvements to the sensors increased the
size of the forehead, exaggerating the resemblance to a gorilla; a pleasing comparison that Herman exploited. With the final casing attached, EMO came back to life. Even though the cameras encircled the head, a tinted casing distorted their view, ensuring the robot still had a face.
Herman rubbed his chin, worried, “Do you think he looks aggressive?”
“Course not, it looks immense…. though he does look like he can handle himself in a fight,” he added.
“That’s what I’m worried about, I don’t want it to scare people,” Herman walked over and polished the camera casing with his sleeve.
“Maybe if it was battleship grey it would, but come on – it’s peppermint!”
“The orange stripe is cool though?” Goby enquired hopefully, overestimating Marcus’s knowledge of robot styling.
“Very retro Gopy….” He gave the thumbs up.
EM-01 had definitely received the EVAC treatment. Herman’s clever livery made it impossible to find a patch big enough to add even the smallest of sponsorship logos; which would hopefully infuriate Healey.
Gopy fidgeted with excitement, “Well let’s turn him on Herman.”
He fiddled at the back of the robot’s neck.
A whir of motors responded to the command and its arms twisted in a succession of tests. “Upgrade installation successful,” EMO confirmed with its reassuringly passive voice.
Dinner that evening on the veranda, gave everyone the opportunity to show off their new looks. The transformations weren’t just skin deep, they felt different, like a new beginning.
It was sunset when they sat down to their final meal. The barbeque continued burning into the evening, warming the group as they tucked into the charred meats and fish. Tomorrow they would jet off to Peru for Healey’s South American leg of Melee.
