The Blue People of Cloud Planet (7 page)

 JOURNEY TO A STAR

LifeSeeker-2

‘Provisioning a starship for a 20 year voyage and then the unknown is a huge undertaking. I ensured that every necessary spare part was carried in sufficient numbers and that all materials and fabrication techniques were available to the crew. The most  vital of my tasks was storage of the key gases viz. hydrogen, helium, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, chlorine and other specialised gases which were required by the sophisticated equipment aboard LifeSeeker-1, in particular the cryo – hibernation unit. Water is synthesised on demand by the astronauts using hydrogen and oxygen. The aft section of the central tube of the starship is dedicated to gas storage using a concentric arrangement of reinforced high pressure cylinders to contain the precious gases.

‘LifeSeeker-1 can generate a significant force field in order to defend itself and, in ‘emergency red’ condition, can divert most of its power to protecting the starship and its occupants. The most vital requirement is the creation of a streamlined low energy force field to protect it against space dust particles when travelling in ion drive at significant fractions of the speed of light.

‘I provisioned LifeSeeker-1 with a large arsenal of weapons from small hand held versions to sophisticated missiles with on board computers to navigate them to specific targets. And, somewhat surprisingly to the astronauts, I included nuclear warheads.’

One month after seeing the astounding distress signal in the conference room at Moon Base, the seven astronauts were sitting, expectantly, in their command seats in the dome of LifeSeeker-1 which was still in orbit around Mars. During the last week they had trained meticulously in safety and evacuation procedures using the emergency shuttles.

‘Fellow astronauts,’ AJ began, ‘before we start our mission, there is one final piece of the jigsaw to show you. I have deliberately kept this off the dome screens.’

The starship slowly changed direction and then, to the astronaut’s right a huge shape began to appear in the clear dome.

‘LifeSeeker 2,’ announced AJ. For a while there was complete silence as the whole of the visible area in front of the astronauts was filled with a behemoth. ‘She’s more than 1 kilometre away, this is the nearest we’re allowed to approach.’

There were whistles and gasps from both teams and even Martha and Pete who had already seen the monster many times.

‘It’s like an enormous building site in space!’ Scott enthused, ‘How big is that thing?’

 ‘LifeSeeker-2 is the biggest project I have managed since the building of Mars Base. The ion engine itself is 150 metre diameter by 150 metre long, and there will be four 30 metre diameter, 100 metre long modules – two of these are substantially finished and the third is about 50 per cent completed. I have designed the following - command/cryo/utility, accommodation, spare accommodation/utility and a full research unit which I am currently fabricating at Moon Base.

‘The research and the spare accommodation modules are ‘removable’ and the plan is to attach them to LifeSeeker-1. There’s a portal on the underside of this starship, which will become a permanent orbiting station around Cloud Planet. But only if this strange world proves sufficiently interesting.’

Indeed, many parts of the structure were huge arrays of girders yet to be clad with the starship’s outer skin. Whilst around it buzzed shuttles which delivered and attached pre-assembled components from their cargo bays.

As detailed drawings appeared on the dome, there were many questions but AJ held up his hand. ‘Plenty of time for questions and answers on the first part of our journey but first...’

The General’s face appeared on the dome. ‘I trust you’re now convinced that there is a second starship and she will be on her way just as soon as possible – that’s my responsibility and promise to you. I will be in mission control at Mars Base full time watching your every transmission and I pray for two things – your safe and healthy arrival at Cloud Planet and that I live long enough to hear it!’ This brought a smile all around. ‘But, of course, I will never meet you again, and that is a fact, so good luck to you all, it’s been an honour knowing you.’ With that his face disappeared.

‘OK,’ said AJ, ‘command! Start mission to Seren.’ The astronauts placed their left hands on the console and Zec-C confirmed their identity.

‘Mission to Seren - confirmed!’

The starship veered to a new course and started to accelerate.

At last, the journey had begun.

The Long Sleep

‘The journey took them towards Jupiter where I used the huge gravitational pull to sling shot and accelerate LifeSeeker-1 onto a new course. Then I, or should I now say Zec-C, navigated the starship through the tricky asteroid belt and then to the edge of our solar system.

‘Initial power was provided by four conventional rocket engines, fuelled by hydrogen / helium propellant, in a cluster at the centre rear of the ion engine. Even in the vacuum of space these consumed significant amounts of fuel and this was one of the limitations that prevented LifeSeeker-1 from returning.

‘Then, 2 months into the mission and travelling at 250,000 kilometres per hour and already 180 million kilometres from Mars, I hand over complete control of LifeSeeker-1 to my trusted assistant, Zec-C.

 ‘I continued to monitor the mission from Mars Base but, even at the speed of light, signals are now taking 9 minutes to reach me and would, of course, take longer as the distance increases.

‘Meanwhile I know that Zec-C is now shutting down the conventional engines and preparing to ‘fire up’ the nuclear power reactor. This provides the heat to generate the stream of high speed ions that fire out of the tens of thousands of tubes at the rear of the engine.

 ‘Ultimately pushing the starship to half the speed of light.’

Weightlessness could be fun in short sessions, but as weeks rolled into months the frustration of slow measured movements tested the temperament of the astronauts. At all times they had to wear seat clamps, or tethers when they were free walking. At night they zipped themselves into specially tailored sleeping bags which were fixed to the surface of their beds.

They maintained a normal day / night routine in the starship which was artificially controlled by Zec-C. Their mornings were spent in the command dome and focussed on training and discussion of what lay ahead. After lunch they were put through physical training programmes to maintain their fitness and the rest of the day was for leisure.

But most apparent was the power struggle between Olivia / Scott and Alison / Steve. Both teams wanted desperately to be first to land on Cloud Planet but only one pair would be chosen by the majority vote of all the astronauts. Generally the electioneering was light-hearted but occasionally there were more heated exchanges particularly between Olivia and Steve.

‘I notice you’re spending a lot of time lately with Martha in the medical bay,’ Steve said sharply to Olivia, ‘I hope you’re not undermining our team!’

‘I object to that insinuation!’ replied Olivia testily, ‘As it happens I’ve been seeing Martha on a personal matter, which is none of your damned business.’

Of course, the votes of Martha and Pete were crucial and it was hardly surprising that both teams were openly and secretly seeking their support. However, AJ was another matter and they all knew that he would judge purely on professionalism.

‘Guys! Lighten up,’ Pete interrupted, ‘it will be over 20 years before we decide and we don’t know if you’ll all wake up after cryo! We may not even need to vote!’

The humour fell a little flat but it had helped defuse the rising tension. Finally, they approached the stage in their journey which filled them with apprehension and dread. There was no turning back and the mood was sombre as they looked at each other wondering about their unknown future.

‘Conventional rockets shut down and ion engine primed for firing.’

 Zec-C informed the astronauts and the mimic display screens changed to show the new status of the starship.

‘Command quarter power to ion engine,’ AJ instructed and seven left hands reached to the console to confirm the decision.

‘Quarter power applied and steady, course now set for Seren,’

The astronauts felt a slight force pushing them into their seats as LifeSeeker-1 noticeably accelerated. In a short time their speed was 500,000 kilometres per hour and still accelerating but this was sluggish compared to the speed they would travel when asleep!’

Then the pivotal moment had arrived as Zec-C announced,

 ‘24 hours and counting down to commencement of cryo–hibernation.’

The astronauts looked at one another with varying feelings and expressions and said in unison.

‘Confirm countdown started.’

They immediately had their last meal together before cryo and Martha urged that they eat no further food and should drink sparingly, particularly during the final 4 hours to hibernation. She then advised a good night’s sleep and the astronauts separated to their quarters, each with their own thoughts on the uncertain future ahead.

As they boarded the maglev and travelled towards the accommodation block, Olivia said,

‘I always wanted to go to bed with you, Scott, but I didn’t think it would be for 20 years!’

Seven ghost-like figures clad head to toe in gossamer-thin white breathable tunics shuffled carefully out of the airlock and approached the cryo–hibernation units that would be their homes for the next 20 years. Each carried a bundle of differently coloured tubes in their right hands and Martha led the way. Then they each stood in front of their specifically tailored unit.

They had practised the procedure several times during the voyage under Martha’s watchful gaze but now it was time for the real thing. Two hours earlier she had personally attached the three intravenous lines and two catheters to each astronaut and they gingerly carried these lines with their connectors as if they held their own entrails.

Each unit was in its open, recliner position and at a nod from Martha they carefully lowered themselves onto their high tech beds. They engaged the leg, shoulder, waist and groin straps that would hold them in position during their weightless sleep.

‘I am particularly proud of the design of these units especially the surface of the bed in contact with the user. This is comprised of thousands of vertically aligned sprung rods of PTFE plastic, whose smooth dome diameter is 2 millimetres, and they perfectly mould to the body shape providing comfort. But this is secondary to the key functions of the bed. Firstly the rods are raised and lowered a few millimetres in sequential horizontal rows from top to toe ensuring that no part of the body is in constant contact with the bed thus eliminating sores. Secondly, groups of rods are raised and lowered by significant amounts to gently flex the astronaut’s neck, backbone, limbs and fingers to maintain flexibility through the protracted hibernation. All these functions are controlled by the unit’s computer which is programmed with each astronaut’s precise morphology. Signals are sent to the hydraulically controlled pistons at the lower end of each rod enabling the smooth control of every flexing movement. I consider that these beds are a marvel of 22nd century micro-technology.’

At a second nod from Martha, each astronaut pushed home the five tubes they carried into the identically coloured receptors located near their right hand. They looked in turn at their individual diagnostics screen and saw five lights change from red to green confirming that all connections had been correctly made. Anaesthetic and saline would be fed from one of the IV lines and the two genetically engineered drugs would enter the body separately by the other IV. The tiny amounts of waste, mainly water, would be dealt with by the catheters. Each computer was pre-programmed with the individual’s precise statistics so that dosage rates matched their metabolism. All major measures - pulse, ECG brain activity, blood pressure and temperature were already being wirelessly transmitted to the diagnostics computer. Martha noted without surprise that several of the astronauts had high pulse rates but not AJ – well, he had been through this before.

She checked that all seven sets of lights were green and again nodded. Each traveller slipped on their own pair of tailored goggles which were already connected to the unit and pressed a switch on the side of the spectacles – a light changed from red to green on each monitor.

‘The average human blinks 30-40 times per minute during waking hours and this ensures that the surface of the eyeball remains lubricated with liquid from the tear ducts. After a night’s sleep we sometimes have a little difficulty opening our eyes but after 20 years? During the day the computer is programmed to send a signal every 5 seconds to each astronaut’s goggles where a short burst of harmless radiation causes spasms in the muscle controlling the blinking process. At the same time, a tiny amount of synthetic tear liquid is atomised in front of each eyeball and condenses onto it thus maintaining lubrication.’

And now, at a final nod from Martha, the astronauts donned their face masks ensuring that they fitted snugly. These carried oxygen to and carbon dioxide away from the mouth and in deep cryo would provide the tiny amount of oxygen needed to sustain stable activity at 5 degrees Celsius. Once more a switch was engaged on the mask and a reassuring light changed colour on the console.

She repeatedly looked along the banks of monitors and was satisfied that all the astronauts, including herself, were correctly hooked up and all life signs were as reasonable as could be expected for people entering the unknown.

Meanwhile Zec-C was also carefully monitoring each step taken by the astronauts and the hundreds of other functions supporting the complex technology of the cryo-process. All key data was immediately, or as fast as the speed of light would permit, transmitted to Mission Control at Mars Base where rows of personnel scanned the vital information. The General personally supervised these activities and hardly slept at all during the early part of the mission.

Zec-C’s quiet voice interrupted their thoughts,

 ‘Confirm all astronauts correctly connected to cryo-units, permission to commence cryo–hibernation.’

Martha raised her right hand and gave a thumbs up and each astronaut followed suit. What a strange sight they looked clad in white, wearing weird-looking masks and goggles and with five coloured tubes snaking from their bodies. They then each placed their hands into gauntlets fixed to the sides of their units and palm readers inside each glove confirmed their individual identities. A larger light at the top of each monitor changed from red to green.

‘Confirmation received, all astronauts correctly hooked up, commencing cryo–hibernation, next stop Seren.’

Olivia heard a quiet whirr of machinery and the recliner slowly moved to the horizontal position. She had been dreading this moment but had been assured by Martha that she would be anaesthetised and sound asleep many hours before the cryo-unit closed on top of her. Olivia was concerned about dreams, but Martha had assured her that brain activity at 5 degrees was minimal and none of her ‘criminals’ had ever complained of a bad night’s sleep.

About one hour later, Olivia felt a slight cold sensation running up her right arm and then nothing – all the astronauts were asleep within seconds and being monitored carefully by Zec-C. Four hours later Zec-C closed the cryo-lids and commenced the cooling process. The astronauts’ bodies would cool at zero point 3 degrees Celsius per 24 hours and it would be 3 months before 5 degrees was achieved. Well before then, the controlled doses of the two DNA drugs would be continuously administered.