The Centauri Conspiracy

by G Russell Peterman

Chapter Forty

  In space

  Out in space New Horizons arcs first toward the sun and quickly out distances any possible pursuit. Once it is beyond the point that any ship could have even a slim chance of catching it, all programmers predicted on Information Screens all over the planet that New Horizons was destined to burn up in the sun. And, just when everyone was certain of its sad end, New Horizons turns again the wrong way. With that final turn, all Information Screens report the ship as lost again saying that its faulty guidance program turned New Horizons out toward deep space. A week later the runaway and lost space craft was not mentioned anymore on screens and soon drops out of public discourse.

  Eight twenty-four hour units or days after the last guidance change a low frequency signal rings throughout the empty ship. In a long cargo case in Hold 29 Dee's eyes open and Vee's eyes open in Hold 134. Both cut the top of their cargo cases away, turn on their spotlights, locate two narrow door wide weld seams, and began cutting through ends of cases on their way toward the door. Numerous food packages have to be pushed into the foot high ceiling space beside and behind them. It is a slow operation. The laser cutters make quick work of necessary cutting. It is stacking food packages on top and behind that take time. Whenever batteries run out a new power unit replaces it. As much as possible food packages must not be damaged for it all may be needed so they carefully cut a path toward the door just large enough to slide forward.

  Vee was the luckiest. She was only two boxes from the door, cut a hole in the wall above the door, cleared an area to turn in, and slid out feet first. Vee was the first one freed. She listens and locates a noise in Hold 29. Vee opens the door to Hold 29 and pulls out boxes. When Vee locates noises in a box above her, she taps on the case’s bottom. Quickly Dee’s laser cuts through the bottom of the case; Dee slides out free face-first with Vee assisting. Hurriedly they open all doors to storage areas and listen for Zee's noise or her signal. Zee had a four hour delay on her activation program because she was taller. Dee and Vee separate to listen on different floors.

  Two hours and forty-eight minutes later they hear a noise on Level Four, Section Eight, and in Hold 413. It is a weak sound and both know Zee is toward the back. Quickly, both mechanicals open the door, drag three dozen boxes out into the hallway, and locate the noise in back. It is from a large case way back against the outside wall. Vee taps out of the letter “Z” in Morse code on a case end and Zee taps their program help signal, “four taps and a Z,” and they discover that she is facing the wrong way. Carefully they slide and carry her box out in the hallway, cut the top free, and help Zee out. The three mechanicals hug.

  Quickly, all three mechanicals walk into their assigned sections, increase the heat, and turn on artificial gravity and life support systems. For three weeks they work without resting or stopping to shut down except for a recharging hour once every eleventh hour. The three mechanicals open cases and carry equal shares of food cases and other supplies into each section. As they open boxes to equalize food supplies, they locate five cases of seeds for each section. The cases of liquid nitrogen filled cylinders are separated into the correct pairs. One case of nine pairs is placed in each section before starting to build a cloning lab in each section. After all things they need are installed, all empty cases are put into storage in equal amounts in each section.

  In space while Dee, Vee, and Zee work at preparing everything for their long mission, Bakman waits for sentencing. Down below on earth, Bakman has had a very exhausting three eleven-hour days of a very public trial. A three week delay before a final sentencing hearing at which Bakman’s defense attorney argues Bakman paid for everything. He owned it. It was his. He sent it out on his own mission as was his right.

  Waving two signed confessions the U.N. Prosecutor countered with the argument that a private citizen does not have the legal right to build or fly a spacecraft. At the end of his sentencing hearing, the court declared Bakman was guilty for they had a signed confession from both Duncan Bakman and Harry OpDyke.

  Standing silently Bakman was sentenced to twenty-six life sentences for his crimes of fraud, destruction of property, attempted bribery, bribery, grand theft, and numerous kidnappings. The U.N. and New Dallas government seized all his property and money. The total estimated value of his cash and property was 41 billion dollars and that surprisingly was the exact amount of his fine divided eighty-twenty with New Dallas. In addition to that, the OpDyke Building strangely became a New Dallas government office building at a cost to the city of one dollar. Bakman's three mechanicals were not found and it became a mystery that was not soon solved

  Owners of the talking heads order repeated screens full of information from the disk and programs reminded people about how angry they all are over Bakman stealing their property, kidnapping citizens, and stealing from their city and global governments. Twice fearing mob attacks the U.N. felt forced to move Bakman quietly to new prisons during the night.

  Near the end of the fifth week of work Dee, Vee, and Zee finish their construction, set the final course, turned on the automatic pilot and bolt an inch thick clear plastic cover over a heated area of the control cabin, fasten down and attached a six-inch insulated heat-tube run to and through a hole cut into the outside hallway on level one. Through the next four recharging periods they check and recheck the sorted out remaining materials, cases in the storage sections, and construct an insulated double wall across the end of the main hallway on level one just outside the control center to have a small area with minimum heat, and seal and fasten the heat-tube to the automatic pilot equipment area. Using a smoke generator they check their new compartment for leaks and seal two in the upper corners.

  The last items activated are a planet sensor and a repeater signal array. They set the first signal for ten hours every thirty twenty-four hour time periods to start in thirty days. All items on their list are completed and checked. It is ready. Each one carries their long empty case into the small section to be heated to 5-degrees above freezing.

  After a hug all around Dee turns off the ship’s life support, heat, and artificial gravity systems. Vee turns on heat in their small room and sets it at 37 degrees. Using a smoke canister Zee checks for leaks, Vee repairs one on the bottom of the door into the Command Center, and Dee sets the control for the automatic life support backup system to power up monthly to supply power to the signal array and recharge their batteries. They fasten their cases down and plug them into the main unit. With a last smile Zee and Vee lay down in their cases. Dee plugs in their charge lines, deactivates each of them, lays a dust screen sheet over each, and closes the lid of their case. After a last check of the planet sensor and signal array Dee lies down in her case, plugs in her power cable, closes the lid, fastens it from the inside, slides the dust sheet up over her head, and touches a spot on a hand-held remote.

  All three mechanicals are deactivated and once every thirty days while the signal is being sent a small trickle charge renews all of their battery levels. All three will remain in this condition until a signal from the planet sensor sounds years later.

  Below on earth Bakman sits alone in his third prison isolation cell. This one is near U.N. City in the Green Mountains. It has been a difficult time for him without visitors and not knowing how Dee and the children are. He wonders about the new baby and does not know that in the Clone Colony hospital for her final check up Dee's doctor tells her it will be a boy.