The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3) (4 page)

Major Connors looked at the rockets that were bringing the first part of the project Long Shot. He knew that this was only the beginning of the major project.

He brushed his black hair and looked at his image on the mirror. Grey eyes looked back at him. He could notice a few wrinkles that were forming on his forehead. His full lips formed a smile. Thirty years of age and he was living his dream. Before becoming an astronaut he was a pilot. He had high scores during his college years in mathematics and physics. That and the high pilot skills gave him the chance when he applied for this job. He looked at the blue world that stretched outside. He knew that that look was all he needed, all he ever wanted.

He knew that this are the last days before the real work will begin. The space station was finally finished ten months earlier and in just couple of days the first real project it had will begin.

He turned toward the computer that showed that the new information from the New Horizon was downloaded. He sat down and carefully looked at it. After the finishing of its primary mission with success the probe continued with mapping and taking pictures of several objects in the Kuiper belt. And one of them was the 90377 Sedna. After years of waiting today was the day when the first pictures arrived.

Shouts came from the other room to his left as the other astronauts talked about some parts of the project. The space station was timing with activity these days as the first ever built ship to be sent to another star was about to start being constructed. He smiled as he looked at the computer that started processing the information. But as he looked at it he almost chocked on the coffee he was drinking. He increased the images at maximum resolution and looked at them again.

“Dear God.”

Then he stood up and drifted to the other module. He looked at the Russian astronaut that was watching the computers that were their link with NASA.

“Yuri get in touch with NASA and send them the latest information from New Horizon and tell them…tell them that we have made contact. Send it on a secure channel.”

The Russian astronaut looked at his American friend with shocked eyes.

“What did you just say?”

“Send the copy and come and take a look yourself. And see if you can get me a video link with someone down there.”

After this Connors returned to his room and continued to watch the images.

Without saying another word the Russian did as he was ordered.

A minute later the angry and surprised face of Dr. Paterson appeared on the screen.

“What is it major? Why is there a need for a secure channel?”

“I think that the images that you should be receiving now will tell you the reason Doctor. I will need a secure link with Washington after this talk.”

As they talked he could see the face of the doctor turning white.

“O my God.”

“Why does he say that?”

The question came from Yuri. Connors turned toward the Russian astronaut and showed him the images that both he and Paterson were just seeing.

As he looked at them the tall blonde haired Russian settled down on the chair and his face also showed shock.

“Are those ships?”

24 March 2017 13:00 hours

White House Washington

The president of the United States looked at the report on his desk. He knew that that same report was now looked at in several other rooms like his around the world.

He raised his head and looked at the eyes of General Taylor.

Taylor was the CJCS and his prime military advisor.

“Has this report been confirmed?”

Taylor looked at his president. He knew as well as the president what this meant. The other people in this room knew as well. And they knew the implications it brought.

“Yes sir. For the past two weeks the probe took continuous pictures of the objects. The images show that the objects are in what appears to be a stationary orbit around Sedna. There are no electronic or any other signs coming from them that the probe can pick up. We will know more in couple of months as the probe has been accelerated by using the thrusters and it should be much closer to Sedna by the end of this year.”

He turned to the executive from NASA.

“Are you sure that these objects are ships.”

The man looked at the general and then he turned toward the president.

“We looked at them in every possible way sir. The infrared scan confirms our initial findings. And as the probe gets closer to them we will get clearer pictures. I think that I can say with ninety percent certainty that what we are looking are ships.”

“How come we never saw them before? Can they be ships that arrived recently? Are we dealing with aliens?”

The scientist smiled at the last remark.

“As for the last question I’d say that we can take that for granted. Those ships are surely not from this planet. And the elements that the scan revealed shows several materials that are in the unknown list. So yes there might be aliens Mr. President.”

As the president opened his mouth to speak the scientist continued.

“But even if there are aliens on those ships sir they are surely dead.”

“Why do you say that?”

“After the first pictures and scans arrived and after they were confirmed over the next days you can imagine that every available telescope was turned there. And we took out all the older images from that region and looked more carefully at them. And since we knew what to look for and where to look we found them easily. Those objects are in stable trajectory around 90377 Sedna for at least fourteen years sir. And we believe that they might have been there for a much longer period although we can’t confirm that as the dwarf planet was discovered in 2003. Since they haven’t moved for almost fourteen years I believe it is safe to assume that they are dead in space.”

The president turned and looked through the window. He thought for a minute before saying anything. What he was about to tell them was already decided by all the presidents of the nations that knew of the discovery. The European Union, Russia, Japan, China, India, Brazil, South Korea, the countries from the Commonwealth, South Africa and several others.  They all had the same information as him. Although he was the one who made the final decision.

“Gentlemen as of this day the project Long Shot is canceled.”

The executive from NASA looked shocked.

“But sir…”

“That is the final decision Dr. Paterson of all member countries of the project. Instead of building an unmanned ship that will leave this solar system and head for Beta Centauri we will build a ship that will carry a crew to Sedna. You were always dreaming of having unlimited funds. Now you will have them. Tomorrow the Senate is going to approve a new budget for scientific research. Every country that was involved in Long Shot will be represented here as well. Your job will be to build a ship that will take us there. Because if you are right than this is the greatest discovery in the history of mankind. “

A new age is about to begin doctor. Humanity will soon turn towards space again.

The NASA scientist looked at the president with eyes that showed joy.

“Mr. President that will require a lot of research and time, the ship will have to be a lot bigger than anything we ever built and …”

“I know doctor. That is why you will also have the help from the private sector in this project. All the companies that have built smaller spaceships for taking people in space will be involved. “

The NASA scientist looked surprised.

“I thought that this will be regarded as a national secret.”

The president smiled.

“I wish it was that easy. You are well aware that the secret is already out. The information the probe sent was received not just by NASA but by millions of other agencies and everyone who is searching the net can find it. We managed to hide it so far but that won’t last. By allowing the civilian sector and private companies to be involved we will limit the damage.

What I want to know from you is how long will it take for the ship to be build.”

Paterson scratched his head and thought for couple of minutes. The rest of the people in the room looked at him with looks that would put a Spartan to shame for his indiscretion. But he paid them no heed. The President only smiled. He saw the chief executive of NASA smiling as well. They both knew that the doctor never liked politics and always hated coming to Washington. His dreams and true passion lay exactly in the field he was offering him. He was the lead scientist in the Long Shot project. He was the one that insisted on the program and did everything in his power to acquire the funding for it. And he was the right man for this job.

“With the help of the private sector and if there are no financial setbacks I think that we can have a ship in fifteen to eighteen months.”

The other people in the room looked at him. The President just smiled.

“Very well I expect a report about the project as soon as possible.”

“You’ll have it sir. And thank you.”

The President looked at the scientist and then at the rest of the men in his office. He smiled and turned.

“That will be all gentlemen.”

After this all the people exited the room. The president turned his gaze towards the sky. He knew that no matter what happens from now on the civilization was about to change. He knew that they won’t be able to keep this a secret for very long. Thousands of telescopes were looking at that part of the sky and sooner or later someone else would also notice the strange objects that orbited the dwarf planet on the edge of the solar system.

5 May 2017 19:00 hours

Kennedy Space Center 

Paterson looked at the pile of documents that were thrown all over his desk. He felt tired. The past month he was in constant trips to Washington and back, he went to the meetings with the members of the private sector that were involved in to the project. But even after a whole month he still had no idea how to build a ship that was going to be fast enough and strong enough to reach its destination and come back.

“I just can’t see how we can do it. I mean we can’t even build a ship that can take a crew to Mars and they want as to build a ship that will take them to Sedna.”

The comment came from Mike Stafford. The old scientist was nervous. But that was understandable. Everyone, not just in this room but everyone involved in NASA could feel the pressure. They all knew what was expected of them. And they all knew the potential gain from the discovery.

“I don’t think that we can’t do it. It will be expensive, it will be hard but it’s not impossible. I mean for god sake we planned to launch a ship to another star, four light years away. If we could do that than I don’t see why we can’t do this.”

Sharon looked at the other scientists. The tall blond scientist was one of the biggest supporters that Paterson had since he came back with the news.

“Because that ship was going to be unmanned, no risk of hazardous radiation, no food supply, air tanks and million other things. You know damn well how much job is required to send a man to the moon. And this is a mission to a distance of ninety AU. It will take months to reach there.”

As the old scientist and his colleagues argued, two people at the end of the table watched them carefully. The older one smiled and looked at his colleague.

“I knew that scientists are boring but I never imagined how much.”

“You got that right Sam. I think that I should stop them before this gets out of hand.”

“Yea, I believe its time.”

The younger one looked at one of the scientists in the room.

Edward observed the discussion and looked at the paper he was holding in his hand. The document had the name Long Shot written on top.  He was the youngest of the entire scientist staff in the room. A Harvard graduate he came to work in NASA at the start of the Long Shot project. He was recruited by Dr. Paterson and they became coworkers on what seemed to be the biggest project since the first landing on the moon. And it was until this landed in their lap. When he first saw the results it was hard to believe but as the days passed and the probe kept sending images and scans he became more and more fascinated by the project. And he knew that he had the answer to the question. He looked at the two men on the end of the table. They were sent by the military. They were both engineers in the navy and their specialty, building ships and submarines. All it took was one evening discussion and a look at the papers of the Long Shot project and they told him that they can build the ship. And he knew that they spoke the truth.

“I think you should see this gentleman.”

As he said those words, all heads turned to him.

Dr. Paterson looked at his younger colleague. He knew that he wouldn’t interfere in the discussion unless he had something important. As he looked at he also looked at the two men that were sitting on the opposite side. He was informed that the military is sending some of their experts as well to help with the problems they were facing. He couldn’t imagine how but he was willing to listen to them.