Nu Trilogy 1: The Esss Advance (6 page)

As the Nu scout ship approached the twenty-seventh star in this promising stellar nursery, the crew’s anticipation was palpable. This star had the appropriate yellow light spectrum. The giant gas planets circling the star were at a distance that precluded liquid water. However, there were at least three planets between the gas giants and the star in the zone where water could exist in its liquid state. This could be the first star in the nursery where they could begin their work.

“Set our heading for the largest planet where we can refuel. From there, we will have an excellent view of those interior planets,” AlvaResh said. “Record as much as you can of our pass through the outer shell of debris around this new star. If we find what we hope, we will need to establish our initial base there. I want to know both the water and mineral content of each body we pass to select our first candidates to send to the planet with the greatest potential.”

AlvaResh was now a seasoned leader. The “Crossing” had tested the Nu to their very limits. The pod had had to share the tiny interior space of the
Harbinger
for millions of years on minimal rations. After all, the void between the galaxies was enormous indeed, with nothing to hold their interest but their slowly approaching galactic neighbor. Boredom was their biggest enemy. It was only through the force of the leader’s will that they were able to keep focused on survival and the rebuilding of the Nu race and a shorter-lived race of warriors to combat the Esss when they arrived.

Now, in this star system, their real work could begin in earnest.

It had been three weeks since Sted’s prosthetic surgery, and he had been working steadily with Alice in the PT lab the entire time. At this point, he had graduated from walking between two parallel bars to a wheeled walker, and his motions were becoming more and more natural.

The finer control needed for walking in the lower lunar gravity had slowed their progress, because the prosthetic legs had been designed for use in Earth’s full gravity. Alice had been forced to dial back the pressure applied by the imitation prosthetic calf muscles, because Sted tended to “lift off” every time he tried to take a normal walking step.

“Remember, Captain, the first time you go back down to Earth’s surface, you’re going to have a major adjustment to make. I have retained the original settings in the processor for reactions under Earth’s gravity, but you are going to have to reset the processor after you land and then take your time relearning the walking process.”

“Let’s not worry about that now,” Sted replied. “I have no intention of going back down to Earth anytime soon. If the need arises, I will probably make do with a wheelchair for the duration instead of spending the time reprogramming these legs and then reprogramming my brain. Right now, I want to begin working out my body to get back into full military shape, and I need your approval to begin a rigorous exercise routine. What do I have to do to get it?”

“When you can walk without assistance from the PT lab to the cafeteria, up four flights of stairs to your room, and then back down four flights of stairs to the lab again without falling, then you will have my approval. You can begin working on that anytime now, but I will have to accompany you on the final test. I specifically want to accompany you on the stairs portions of the journey to make sure you are not getting assistance from the handrails. Going down the stairs will be your biggest challenge.”

“What about jumping and landing? How much pressure can I put on the interface between my thighs and the prosthetics?”

“You should not have to worry about that at all. The fusion of the prosthetic to the femur should be able to absorb all the pressure without impacting the soft tissue interfaces. Just remember to flex your knees before landing like you would normally, and everything should be fine. Also, remember to keep your leg batteries charged. You wouldn’t want to land and not have enough juice to bend properly.”

“I plug in every night while I sleep, Doc,” Sted replied. “Did you order a backup battery core like I asked?”

“Yes. I got approval from Vice Admiral Bunting yesterday, and the core should be on the next shuttle.”

“Great. Now let’s try the walk to the cafeteria for lunch without this walker. Can you walk next to me with your hand on my elbow for some added stability on my first attempt? I don’t want to sprawl on my face in the corridor. If I begin to fall and you catch me, I’m buying lunch. If I make it the whole way without a problem, you buy.”

“I’ll take that challenge,” Alice said, knowing full well that her money was safe.

Once cleared by Alice to begin his new exercise routine, Sted went to work on his body in much the same manner as he did during his basic training on the Council of Eight (C8) platform. This, of course, was much less rigorous than on C8, because neither Tranquility Hospital nor Tranquility Base had the training facilities built into the Space Naval Academy there.

In particular, Sted did not miss his exercise time in the “Hell Wheel.” All of the fresh recruits just up from the deep gravity well of Earth had to learn to handle weightlessness and to become accustomed to the standard one lunar gravity used as the default for all orbital facilities. However, those recruits coming from one of the many lunar communities needed to learn to handle Earth’s gravity and more.

The compromise for getting all recruits trained to the same degree was time on the Hell Wheel. This particular section of the C8 platform offered six levels of training, ranging from zero gravity to one-and-a-half Earth gravities. Everyone had to pass a rigorous test at each of the six levels.

The six levels referred to the five rings on the rotating wheel plus the zero gravity gym in the hub. The centrifugal force increased as you moved from level to level. The sixth level at one-and-a-half Earth gravities was the reason the facility was called the Hell Wheel. The cardio workouts on level six made anything they had at the SEAL training facility in San Diego look tame.

In the gym at Tranquility Base, Sted was able to simulate higher gravity workouts with what they called “The Rubber Band Machine” or “RBM.” By strapping into the RBM, Sted could attach various strength-stretching bands to his legs or arms and push or pull against the resistance. This was particularly helpful when learning to control his new legs, because he could keep upping the resistance until he reached the limits of his prosthetics.

For the last three weeks, Sted had been using his workouts to work out his frustration and anger with the cards dealt to him by a cruel and uncaring universe. The first two weeks included a morning PT session with Alice and then a rigorous afternoon session in the gym, where Sted drove himself to exhaustion. It was the only way to clear his mind and stop thinking about what happened in that airlock.

When the PT sessions ended, Sted substituted a full morning workout in the gym, followed by a full afternoon workout going up and down the stairs at the hospital and then throughout the base. The previous afternoon when he completed his stair-climbing routine, he recorded the results from his personal monitoring device and found that he had climbed and descended over 3,000 feet of stairs in a four-hour period. That exceeded his goal by fifty percent.

Because Sted had added these workouts to his formal recovery plan, including personal goals that he wanted to achieve before he felt he would be ready to go back to work, Vice Admiral Bunting had been able to track Sted’s progress toward fitness for duty. It was also how Bunting knew it was time to push Sted into his next assignment.

After a particularly strenuous morning workout, Sted was surprised to find Bunting waiting for him in the locker room. With sweat pouring off of his head and torso, Sted didn’t feel much like talking. All he wanted was a cool shower and enough liquid to rehydrate. However, it was not wise to show displeasure with his superior officer.

“Hello, sir,” Sted said as he pulled the towel from around his neck and sat down on the bench in front of his locker. “What can I do for you?”

“I was having some trouble believing the progress you were making in your physical recovery, so I came down about thirty minutes ago to watch one of your workouts. I must say that I am very impressed. After you shower and get dressed, I want you to come up to my office for lunch and our final discussion of what is available to you right now in the Navy. You will be discharged from your recovery program by the end of next week, and we need to wrap up the planning process now.”

“I’ll be there in about thirty minutes, sir,” Sted replied. “Can you make sure you have enough carbs in the meal to replace what I’ve been working off? I’m eating about four thousand calories a day and still losing some of the weight I put on in the hospital.”

Bunting smiled. “No problem at all. I’ll have my aide order lunch for three people, and you can eat two of the meals. I’ll see you in thirty minutes.”

When Sted was admitted to Vice Admiral Bunting’s office, the first thing he noticed was Lieutenant Hartman depositing plates of food and closed containers of drinks on the table in the sitting area.

“Will that be all, sir?” Hartman asked once he was finished.

Bunting nodded. “That will be fine, Lieutenant. “We’ll take a peek at the food and let you know if we need anything else.”

He gestured to the chair in front of the table. “Have a seat, Captain. I am afraid the lieutenant went a little overboard when ordering our lunch. From what I see on the table, we probably have enough food for four healthy young men!”

“Thank you, sir,” Sted replied as he pulled out a chair and waited for Bunting to sit down first. “Lieutenant Hartman has quite a reputation around the base. Is he really that good?”

“If you knew James like I do, you would think this was normal. I’ll wager that every dish on the table is one of your favorites. He has an uncanny ability to know what my guests and I need or want before we even think about it. I don’t know how I’d run this office without him.”

Sted ate steadily through the first three dishes on his side of the table before he began to slow down. The burning hunger from the extended workout was finally under control, thanks to a stacked Reuben sandwich with crispy fries, a plate of pot roast and mashed potatoes with gravy, and a generous slice of peach pie for dessert. He washed it all down with several glasses of pineapple-orange juice.

Sted sat back and wiped his mouth. “Thank you, sir. You were absolutely right about the lieutenant. That is the best meal I’ve had in years. I can’t remember the last time I ate a meal for anything other than sustenance. I haven’t had peach pie like that since joining the Navy!”

“You are quite welcome, Captain,” Bunting replied. “Would you like a cup of coffee as we begin our discussion about your career?”

“That would be wonderful, sir.”

The vice admiral poured the coffee as he started into his briefing. “The last three months have been filled with activities designed to advance both your physical and emotional recovery. I reviewed your file this morning, and I am of the opinion that you are ready for your next assignment.”

Bunting paused as he set down the coffee pot. “Cream? Sugar?”

“No thank you, sir.”

Bunting nodded as he added generous portions of each to his own cup.

“From my perspective, Captain Richardson, the most suitable job available would be at the naval training facility on C8. You graduated top of your class from Officer Candidate School, and several of your instructors have shown strong interest. Your academic record, along with your nine years of field experience, makes you ideally suited to train our new officer candidates. In fact, Commander Jenssen in tactics has specifically requested that you be posted to his department.”

Sted took a sip of coffee before replying. “That is very flattering, sir, but I’m not sure my temperament is suited to a desk job. I would probably be fine for a few months, but after that I would probably go crazy with inactivity.”

Bunting nodded as he stirred his cup. “I was afraid of that. The Space Navy has not really caught up with the advances of medical science. Based upon your workout record in rehab, you are just as strong as or stronger than you were before the accident. But my hands are tied by regulations. Active duty personnel with prosthetic limbs are limited to non-combat positions.”

“I think we need to protest and get those regulations changed, sir!” Sted replied in voice that filled the room with tension. “I want to get back on the bridge as a captain of my own ship!”

“And just how long do you think it would take to get the Navy to make that kind of change?” Bunting asked sharply.

Sted looked down at his coffee. “I really don’t know. But if we don’t start now, I’ll never be eligible to command the interstellar ship they’re about to build at HG Rickover Shipyard out in the belt!”

“Fortunately, I anticipated this, and I have a few alternatives while we wait for the Navy to come around,” Bunting said. “Commercial ship captains are mostly ex-Navy. The majority of them work for one of the five mining companies in the belt. The remaining two jobs I have are as captain of two of the three new passenger shuttles that ferry construction crews and support staff to and from HG Rickover Shipyard.”

Bunting pulled out his tablet and tapped a few buttons. “Let’s go over the openings. I’ve just sent you a brief description of each position as well as contact information.

The two shuttle captain positions are with Lockheed Aerospace. The company runs a single shuttle between the moon and the naval shipyard, which is still under construction. However, they are getting close to opening the shipyard to begin building the first of three interstellar ships that you mentioned. That means traffic to and from the yard will increase significantly. They plan to have four shuttles running concurrently by the end of next year. Two of the three new shuttles are almost ready for trial workups, and crews are being assembled at Lockheed’s lunar base.

“The next position is with Asteroid Mining Company. AMC is in stiff competition to find and mine the best sources of raw metal ore to sell to the foundries. The foundries output the refined metals required to build those interstellar ships. AMC has been building a new breed of fast assay ship that can jump from asteroid to asteroid and quickly determine if there are enough raw materials to lay a claim and begin a mining operation. As you know, claim jumping in the belt is all too common. Your time spent on the
Revere
patrolling the belt to keep some order out there makes you particularly qualified for this position. You know the dangers and have had to deal with claim jumpers as part of your duties.

“I spoke directly with Cam Dunston at AMC, and he would love to have you on board as soon as possible to assist them directly in the final configuration of their new ship. They have built new defensive weapons systems to fight off claim jumpers until the Navy can arrive to help. Cam is currently at Tranquility Base specifically to meet with you before heading out to their lunar headquarters. I strongly suggest that you schedule some time with him today.”

“Yes sir,” Sted replied. Neither position had the appeal of a true naval captaincy, but each had its pluses and minuses. “Let me go over the details of each offer, sir. Then I’ll contact each of the companies this afternoon. I’ll contact Mr. Dunston first and set up an appointment at his convenience. Then I’ll contact Lockheed and see what develops.”

Sted stood up. “Thank you, sir, for all you have done for me over the last few months. I know the Navy did not have to go to these lengths with my rehab, so I want you to know that I owe you and the Navy a personal debt of gratitude. I will keep you informed about my progress, and I may call on you for advice in making my final decision.”

“You are most welcome,” Bunting replied. “You never know when we may need your services in the future, especially if we can get that policy changed. We want to make sure you are properly positioned should that happen. If we call in that debt, we want you in top shape and within reach on short notice. I’m just sorry that you’re not interested in the current naval training positions on C8. Commander Jenssen will be very disappointed.”

Once Sted left his office, Bunting had Lieutenant Hartman connect him with Cam Dunston.

“Hello Cam. I just finished my session with Captain Richardson, and you should be hearing from him shortly. He is not thrilled to be anything short of a true naval captain, but perhaps you can convince him that his time spent with AMC will be useful in furthering his career.”

“Don’t worry about that, Vice Admiral,” Cam replied. “When he sees what we’re trying to accomplish with our new Delta class ships, I think he’ll be hooked.”

“Just remember our deal,” Bunting said. “If I need Sted back for any reason, you are to give him up willingly. Also, I’m going to hold you to your promise of passing his fitness reports back to me on a regular basis. I have a feeling we may need him sooner than later.”

“I understand. I definitely don’t like it, but you have my word.”