Read Online The Solar Sea by David Lee Summers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: David Lee Summers
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are sequences that repeat with subtle changes more than any specific words. It's as though the whales are reciting poetry or repeating a litany."
Myra nodded to herself. “That's what I would have expected to find given their behavior."
"Us too."
Myra thanked the linguist, then shut down the computer connection. She brushed tangles out of her hair while visions of whales floating in the clouds of Saturn came to her mind.
* * * *
Pilot smiled when Jefferson's jaw dropped as they climbed into one of the launch bays, near the spheroid's central core. The craft before them was like nothing the colonel had ever seen. The lunar transportation shuttles were large, chunky ships with cylindrical bodies mounted on broad delta wings. Aside from their size and the power of their engines, they were very similar to the space shuttles of the late twentieth century. Even the Martian Lander was a large bug-like craft, built more for functionality than for grace and speed. The shuttle aboard the Aristarchus was trim, with graceful, curving lines. On one hand, the sloping delta wings made the craft look a little like the fighter jets that Jefferson had once flown for the Air Force. On the other hand, the gently sloping top and sleek lines gave him the impression of a sports car.
"It'll hold a crew of six,” explained Pilot. “This one is optimized to handle the high winds of Jupiter and Saturn's upper atmospheres and stay there for an extended time."
"This one?"
"There are four extravehicular craft in all.” Pilot stepped over and ran his hand along the shining, silver wing. “This one is for the Jovian planets. We also have one for the thin, Martian atmosphere, one for the thicker atmosphere we're going to encounter on Titan and one for deep space exploration and towing—another redundancy in the ship's control system. Though they are optimized for certain environments, each ship can operate in all of the environments we're likely to encounter."
"So, we have a way to rescue someone who's stranded, for instance,” said Jefferson.
"Precisely. Or if one shuttle malfunctions for some reason, we don't have to abort the entire landing mission.” Pilot looked lovingly up at the little silver ship.
Jefferson walked over and touched the wing, in spite of himself. After a moment, he scowled. “Have any of these ships been tested?"
Pilot looked up at Jefferson, as though he'd been slapped. “Of course. Each of these has been flight tested between the Earth and the Moon.” His gaze fell to the floor for a moment and he turned his back to the one-time astronaut. “Admittedly, we may encounter ... unexpected variables along the way that might give us problems."
"That's the nature of exploring the unknown."
Pilot turned and looked at him. “All of our data, all of our information for how to design these craft came from NASA missions—either yours to Mars or unmanned missions to the outer planets."
Jefferson rubbed his chin and smiled darkly. “In other words, you're working with the best you've got. I understand that. I hope you understand that sometimes the best you got just isn't good enough. Sometimes, every backup system in the world fails and that's the end of the mission and the end of us. We learned that with Challenger and Columbia. Each and every one of us will have to face that possibility out there and I'm afraid you don't know what you're getting us into. I worry about people like O'Connell who've never had to risk their lives before."
Pilot nodded and frowned. “I suppose you think I'm an over-excited schoolboy who can't wait for the next field trip."
Jefferson snorted and turned away. “Not exactly.... “He stepped over to the hatchway. “More like an over-excited Boy Scout. You're prepared. I'll give you that. I'm just used to having more training time, getting to know my crew better. I also don't think you're being one hundred percent honest with me, Mr. Alonzo.” Jefferson descended the ladder.
Alonzo
Myra nodded to herself. “That's what I would have expected to find given their behavior."
"Us too."
Myra thanked the linguist, then shut down the computer connection. She brushed tangles out of her hair while visions of whales floating in the clouds of Saturn came to her mind.
* * * *
Pilot smiled when Jefferson's jaw dropped as they climbed into one of the launch bays, near the spheroid's central core. The craft before them was like nothing the colonel had ever seen. The lunar transportation shuttles were large, chunky ships with cylindrical bodies mounted on broad delta wings. Aside from their size and the power of their engines, they were very similar to the space shuttles of the late twentieth century. Even the Martian Lander was a large bug-like craft, built more for functionality than for grace and speed. The shuttle aboard the Aristarchus was trim, with graceful, curving lines. On one hand, the sloping delta wings made the craft look a little like the fighter jets that Jefferson had once flown for the Air Force. On the other hand, the gently sloping top and sleek lines gave him the impression of a sports car.
"It'll hold a crew of six,” explained Pilot. “This one is optimized to handle the high winds of Jupiter and Saturn's upper atmospheres and stay there for an extended time."
"This one?"
"There are four extravehicular craft in all.” Pilot stepped over and ran his hand along the shining, silver wing. “This one is for the Jovian planets. We also have one for the thin, Martian atmosphere, one for the thicker atmosphere we're going to encounter on Titan and one for deep space exploration and towing—another redundancy in the ship's control system. Though they are optimized for certain environments, each ship can operate in all of the environments we're likely to encounter."
"So, we have a way to rescue someone who's stranded, for instance,” said Jefferson.
"Precisely. Or if one shuttle malfunctions for some reason, we don't have to abort the entire landing mission.” Pilot looked lovingly up at the little silver ship.
Jefferson walked over and touched the wing, in spite of himself. After a moment, he scowled. “Have any of these ships been tested?"
Pilot looked up at Jefferson, as though he'd been slapped. “Of course. Each of these has been flight tested between the Earth and the Moon.” His gaze fell to the floor for a moment and he turned his back to the one-time astronaut. “Admittedly, we may encounter ... unexpected variables along the way that might give us problems."
"That's the nature of exploring the unknown."
Pilot turned and looked at him. “All of our data, all of our information for how to design these craft came from NASA missions—either yours to Mars or unmanned missions to the outer planets."
Jefferson rubbed his chin and smiled darkly. “In other words, you're working with the best you've got. I understand that. I hope you understand that sometimes the best you got just isn't good enough. Sometimes, every backup system in the world fails and that's the end of the mission and the end of us. We learned that with Challenger and Columbia. Each and every one of us will have to face that possibility out there and I'm afraid you don't know what you're getting us into. I worry about people like O'Connell who've never had to risk their lives before."
Pilot nodded and frowned. “I suppose you think I'm an over-excited schoolboy who can't wait for the next field trip."
Jefferson snorted and turned away. “Not exactly.... “He stepped over to the hatchway. “More like an over-excited Boy Scout. You're prepared. I'll give you that. I'm just used to having more training time, getting to know my crew better. I also don't think you're being one hundred percent honest with me, Mr. Alonzo.” Jefferson descended the ladder.
Alonzo
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