The Blue People of Cloud Planet (5 page)

Message from Space

The astronauts exchanged excited looks, ‘what does it mean?’

‘It means we are going to have a look!’ the General replied and waited for the penny to drop.

‘You mean we are going to this star!?’ Scott responded, ‘How can we? It’s 10 light years away!’

‘Yes, but probably not all of you. However, let me give you the good news, the incredible news and the not so good news.’

The astronauts were all ears.

‘When we discovered Cloud Planet of the star Seren we embarked on a 20 year project to build two star ships capable of travelling at a significant fraction of the speed of light. We also knew that we had to refine, improve and test cryo – hibernation so that astronauts could ‘sleep’ for most of the journey, oh, and wake up OK and with a bit of luck get back.’

The astronauts smiled at this unusual bit of humour from the General.

 ‘Our goal was to go to Cloud Planet in 2155 and that’s 5 years from now and the good news is that we are on target for this date. We have built our first starship capable of half the speed of light and have cracked cryo – hibernation!’

‘But that’s incredible,’ most of the astronauts retorted together.

‘So why have we been rushing through this training programme when we’re 5 years from take-off?’ Scott enquired still unable to digest what the General had said.

He smiled; Scott was usually the most perceptive of his astronauts. ‘Well, now for the incredible news,’ and he looked up to the display of Cloud Planet, ‘the ‘on – off’ pattern of this one particular light spot started off quite erratically and usually lasted for about 2 hours. Then it repeated every 20 hours which, by the way, is the 360 degree rotation time for this planet on its axis. It is also the same spot of light that blinks each day.’

Then he paused, his audience completely focused on the planet above them with its pulsing speck of light.

‘Now we move on about 20 revolutions of the planet as what you are about to witness happened gradually during this period.’

The General was silent and waited as the astronauts stared, gasped and some even stood up to get a closer view as the random flashing spot of light started to form a repeated pattern of ‘offs’ and ‘ons’.

After a while, Scott leaped to his feet, ‘IT CAN’T BE! IT CAN’T BE POSSIBLE!’ he yelled,

‘That’s the Morse Code for SOS!’

Now all the astronauts could see the repeating distress pattern and they sank back into their seats utterly stunned.

Scott then turned to the General more in hope and desperation and as their eyes met the General quietly shook his head and he knew it could not be. Olivia noticed the glance and she realised what Scott must have initially thought of the distress call from space. But now was not the time to dwell on it.

‘So fellow astronauts,’ said the General, ‘that SOS message has been repeating every Cloud Planet day for 2 hours during the last 5 years. Also according to our calculations that’s 1 hour either side of the planet’s midday sun - yet another fascinating symmetry.

We are convinced that this is no fluke or aberration of signals across space because there are too many repeating patterns, so we believe that this is a genuine message from space and we have decided to respond prematurely.’

‘And now,’ he continued, ‘the not so good news. We are going to send the first starship to Cloud Planet in one month’s time. This starship, called LifeSeeker-1, has the capability to reach Cloud Planet...... but not to return......
it will be at least five more years before LifeSeeker-2, which is capable of the return journey, leaves to follow the path of LifeSeeker-1..... the risks are high, 20 year cryo–hibernation is an unknown factor although ten has been proved and there is good confidence that extending the timescale will have no adverse effect...........’

He looked into the eyes of the ten astronauts before him seeing excitement, bewilderment and, in some cases, even fear. Then he said,

‘I’m looking for volunteers for a one way ticket to the stars!’

The Commander

After the silence, the questions flew thick and fast, and the General held up his hand.

 ‘One at a time, one at a time, please, I can’t answer all your concerns,’ he consoled them. ‘but I hear a common question........ ‘why did we build a starship capable of only the outward journey?’...... Well, as I told you earlier the plan was to send two ships in 2155, perhaps up to 1 year apart. The first, LifeSeeker-1, would have a crew of seven, two ROL’s and four emergency shuttles. The nuclear power plant feeding the ion engine would have a capacity to reach the star, Seren, and start initial investigation of Cloud Planet. Then LifeSeeker-1 would remain in permanent orbit and await LifeSeeker-2, a ship twice the size with a crew of 21, eight ROL’s and 28 emergency shuttles. Its power plant would have the capacity for the return journey accommodating all astronauts from both starships if necessary.’

He paused, ‘But the astounding SOS message has changed all that and we are sending LifeSeeker-1 at least 5 years before LifeSeeker-2 and,’ pausing again, ‘LifeSeeker-2 is only 50 per cent completed as I speak.’

It was Angus who broke the silence. ‘This is crazy! To send a starship on such a high risk mission with the backup not even built!’

‘Not crazy, but yes, very high risk which is why this mission is volunteers only.’

‘But General,’ continued Angus, ‘this sounds like a suicide mission. Who would be foolish enough to put themselves forward?’

He smiled, and reached for the remote, ‘Well, we’ve actually got our first crew member.’

Part of the night sky behind the General suddenly changed and the head and shoulders of Commander Abraham Joshua Stewart dominated the astronauts’ attention.

‘It’s Commander AJ!’ Olivia gasped, ‘Where’s he been for the last 5 years?’

‘Commander Stewart was known as AJ to his fellow astronauts and was the first astronaut to go to the moons of Jupiter. He is iconic in the space world as he volunteered to fly to the outer regions of our planetary system under full cryo – hibernation in an ion-driven spacecraft. AJ came back after 5 years in space and was successfully resuscitated with no ill effects and looking remarkably unchanged.

‘However, communications with an earlier similar mission were lost after the massive solar flare of 2125. This was piloted by Chuck Parker, Scott’s father.’

These facts flashed through Scott’s mind and painfully reminded him that it was his Dad that had not returned from space, but he quickly controlled his emotions as AJ started to speak.

‘The General has briefed you on Project Omega, and the remarkable message from Cloud Planet and you will soon be asked to volunteer for what must seem to you to be a most risky mission. I have been involved full time in Project Omega for the last 5 years and my main role has been putting LifeSeeker-1 through its paces and, believe me, she is the most stunning starship as some of you, I hope, will see tomorrow. The General has asked me to volunteer as mission commander, which I have, and I have closely watched your training and would be delighted to have any of you join me for this mission. But now I will pass you back to the General.’

The night sky returned to the dome display.

The General raised his hand, ‘Fellow astronauts, we have had a long four hour session without a break and I am going to suggest that we reconvene for dinner at 5 p.m. moon time, when I will be happy to answer more questions.

‘As I said earlier, I am looking for volunteers to man ROL-1 and ROL-2 on LifeSeeker-1 but I don’t want any decisions from you until tomorrow at 10 a.m. This evening you are all booked into the executive hospitality suites where you will enjoy complete privacy – no bugs I assure you! – to make up your minds.  Finally, whatever you decide will not be held against you and you can walk away from this with no effect whatsoever on your career.’

He moved to his coat and pulled out a wad of envelopes. ‘Each of you has proved themselves exceptionally in the last three months and you are all promoted to Senior Rank Astronaut, effective today. You are the elite of our profession.’

He handed out the envelopes amongst murmurs of thanks, surprise and appreciation and continued.

‘However, you must make your choice as a team – I cannot accept one person from one pair and one from another and you must both freely volunteer in each of your groups. Tomorrow, I will be back in this conference room from 10.00-10.15 a.m. lunar time and whichever teams walk through that door will be considered for the mission. Any final questions?’

‘What if no one turns up?’ queried Angus.

‘I hope that will not be the case, but if so we will wait for LifeSeeker-2 and then proceed with the mission.’

‘And if more than two teams volunteer?’ this from Scott.

‘Then I will have a difficult decision to make. See you all at five.’

The General gathered his jacket and left the room.

Decision Time

During dinner they discussed Project Omega at length but Scott could hardly keep his eyes off Olivia’s stunning dress. Made of creamy satin with a plunging back, it moulded itself to her perfect figure.

After coffee, the General excused himself and reminded everyone of tomorrow’s deadline. The teams started to disperse and Olivia picked up a nearly full bottle of red wine from the table along with their glasses.

‘We’ve got a decision to make,’ Olivia whispered to Scott, ‘let’s make it in my room.’

 Scott did not need any persuasion.

Later they luxuriated in the large bath facing each other with legs entwined and completely at ease. Olivia noticed a sad look on Scott’s face.

‘You thought it might have been your Dad when you heard that distress call, didn’t you?’ Olivia said softly.

‘For a moment yes, but the General shook his head when our eyes met and I knew it wasn’t. And how could he have been 10 light years away?’

He paused and looked into Olivia’s eyes, ‘I was six when, with my Grandfather, I watched Dad take off for the stars. At least that’s where Gramps said he was going and that he would be back for my 12th birthday. But all contact was lost 5 years later after that huge solar flare in 2125 and that was 25 years ago.’

She was touched by the sorrow in his voice. She sat forward, soapy water draining from her shoulders and breasts, and cupped Scott’s face. ‘Never give up hope,’ she said and kissed him tenderly.

Scott regained control and looked at Olivia. ‘That was more than a bad dream in Borneo, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes, it was my recurring nightmare,’ Olivia paused and then continued. ‘I’ve never told anyone but when I was six, that’s funny I was six too, I was on holiday with my parents in Italy. We were having a picnic and I wandered away towards the edge of the forest where there were huge rock formations. A dark hole in the rock caught my eye and, being the adventurer, I entered the cave entrance. Even though it grew dark quickly I wandered on and turned left and then right.’ Olivia shuddered and now Scott gently held her shoulders as she continued. ‘And then it was black, I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face and then, ......then, I tried to retrace my steps and banged my face against the wet, foul-smelling cave wall – and I screamed and shouted until eventually my parents found me – a quivering, lump of jelly!’

‘I only found this out recently. I have all Olivia’s records - academic, medical, psychiatric. I find it difficult to believe that this inner fear did not reveal itself at the many demanding interviews during her training programme. It is another factor demonstrating her strength and resolve to become an astronaut.’

‘So a fear of black holes – how ironic is that for an astronaut!’ Olivia continued, ‘You’re hardly going to want to go to the stars with me.’

‘I’d go to the end of the universe with you, Olivia,’ Scott said tenderly and in that moment they knew they had made their decision.

At precisely 10 a.m. lunar time, the conference door hissed open and Olivia and Scott entered. The General smiled. He would have bet a fortune that these two would be the first to volunteer. Five minutes later Alison and Steve entered but the door did not open again by 10.15.

However, the General was delighted with his two teams.