In the shadow of the Earth #2
Posted 06-19-2012 at 03:28 AM by mojoey
"Houston, we're at five meters." I adjusted the camera. I glanced over at Will, watching him nudge the controls.
"Docking Probe." Ordered Will.
"Docking probe is extending."
I flipped a switch, and watched the indicator turn to gray.
"Probe is extended. Three meters." I reported.
"Dead center. Recycle hydro."
"Hydros recycling." I replied.
I pushed two buttons and heard two distinct thumps.
"Recycled. One meter to contact." I said.
A moment later, the probe slid into the reciever. The indicators barber polled.
"Contact." I said.
"Houston, we have contact. DH actuators are online." Reported Brandon.
"Do it Pat." Said Will.
With a flick of a switch, five loud bangs reverberated through the capsule.
"Houston, that's a hard dock."
"Congrats guys. That's all for today."
The sim screens flickered off, and the panels shut off. I laid my head back, knowing that we had nailed it.
"Awesome job Will." Said Brandon.
"Thanks Brandon."
We all climbed out of the simulator, and stretched our legs. I saw Jack walk up to us.
"Excellent job, fellas. That put the Redwood three team to shame. Uh, Patrick, can we talk?"
"Sure. I'm gonna head for coffee. You guys want any?"
"Nope." They both replied. Jack and I made our way to the cafeteria, discussing flight details along the way. We walked through the double doors, and I casually glanced at the TV. CNN was doing a piece on the NASA ship Constitution. She was on her tenth mission, and was the first manned ship out of LEO since Apollo 17. I shrugged and made my way to the line.
"You know Pat, those NASA guys are gonna try a landing on 11. I just know it."
"Wouldn't surprise me Jack. Would be one hell of a way to rub it in the Russians face."
"Too bad they're gonna be second there."
"Ha. Ain't that the truth."
I turned around to look at the TV, watching some random stock footage of Constitution. Just then, a breaking news flashed across the screen. The camera cut to some reporter standing outside KSC.
"Hey Ben, turn it up." I said.
Someone turned up the TV.
"This just in to us. NASA Representatives have reported to us that the SEP Constitution has made an emergency landing on the Moon. The reason stated was a severe CME that could harm Constitution. They have said that landing on the Moon is the best way to shield the crew, and the ship from harmful radiaton."
"Those bastards." Was all I could say. I walked out of the cafeteria furious.
CME my ass.
I practically pushed the door down as I walked into my office. I grabbed the phone and dialed.
"Peyton."
"What the hell are you guys pulling?"
"What are you talking about Patrick?"
"Oh don't give me that. It's a phony CME."
"No it's not. If you'd bother to check your email once in a blue moon, you would see that I sent you the data."
I quickly woke up my laptop and logged into my email. Sure enough, raw data from the EWS sats.
"I just made a complete ass out of myself, didn't I?"
"It's ok. We all make mistakes. Sorry you couldn't be first. I know how much it meant to you."
"It's ok. Pass on my congrats to the crew."
"Will do. Listen, I gotta go."
"Alright. Talk to you later."
I hung up. I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. I felt like screaming. We'd worked our asses off for almost a year, just to get beat by nature. My phone rang.
"Hello?"
"It's George, we need to talk. Now."
"Be there in five."
I hung up and rushed out of my office. The hallways were buzzing about the recent news, and so was my mind. I stepped in the elevator, and blindly pressed the '5' button. i'd done it so many times.
George 'hardline' Richardson. A former test pilot for the Air Force. He'd tested the F-35 JSF, and had been hired on to assist in development. He was my boss, and someone you did not want to mess with.
I arrived at the fifth floor and stepped off. I walked down the hall, arriving at his office.
Get ready to get chewed out...3...2...1...
I knocked.
"Come in."
I opened the door and walked in.
"Ahh Patrick. I'm sure you've seen the stunt NASA pulled."
"I talked to Matt Peyton earlier. He sent me some data from the EWS satellites."
"So the CME was real?"
"Indeed it was."
"Well, regardless of what caused their landing, we need to keep pace."
"How so?"
"You've got two weeks to pack and get to the launch site."
"That's cutting the cycle in half!"
I was stunned. The last thing we needed was to screw something up because we sped along too quickly to save face.
"I know it's a stretch. We have full confidence in your crew and the ship."
"Confidence won't mean anything if we get killed because of a mistake."
"There are risks with spaceflight, granted. However, everything is ready. We could launch tomorrow."
"Whatever. I'll get the guys up to speed. I need to get back on it."
"Agreed. Remember, it's not the end of the world."
I turned around and walked out. Two weeks wasn't enough. I felt uneasy about the whole thing. It didn't seem like the right idea.
"Docking Probe." Ordered Will.
"Docking probe is extending."
I flipped a switch, and watched the indicator turn to gray.
"Probe is extended. Three meters." I reported.
"Dead center. Recycle hydro."
"Hydros recycling." I replied.
I pushed two buttons and heard two distinct thumps.
"Recycled. One meter to contact." I said.
A moment later, the probe slid into the reciever. The indicators barber polled.
"Contact." I said.
"Houston, we have contact. DH actuators are online." Reported Brandon.
"Do it Pat." Said Will.
With a flick of a switch, five loud bangs reverberated through the capsule.
"Houston, that's a hard dock."
"Congrats guys. That's all for today."
The sim screens flickered off, and the panels shut off. I laid my head back, knowing that we had nailed it.
"Awesome job Will." Said Brandon.
"Thanks Brandon."
We all climbed out of the simulator, and stretched our legs. I saw Jack walk up to us.
"Excellent job, fellas. That put the Redwood three team to shame. Uh, Patrick, can we talk?"
"Sure. I'm gonna head for coffee. You guys want any?"
"Nope." They both replied. Jack and I made our way to the cafeteria, discussing flight details along the way. We walked through the double doors, and I casually glanced at the TV. CNN was doing a piece on the NASA ship Constitution. She was on her tenth mission, and was the first manned ship out of LEO since Apollo 17. I shrugged and made my way to the line.
"You know Pat, those NASA guys are gonna try a landing on 11. I just know it."
"Wouldn't surprise me Jack. Would be one hell of a way to rub it in the Russians face."
"Too bad they're gonna be second there."
"Ha. Ain't that the truth."
I turned around to look at the TV, watching some random stock footage of Constitution. Just then, a breaking news flashed across the screen. The camera cut to some reporter standing outside KSC.
"Hey Ben, turn it up." I said.
Someone turned up the TV.
"This just in to us. NASA Representatives have reported to us that the SEP Constitution has made an emergency landing on the Moon. The reason stated was a severe CME that could harm Constitution. They have said that landing on the Moon is the best way to shield the crew, and the ship from harmful radiaton."
"Those bastards." Was all I could say. I walked out of the cafeteria furious.
CME my ass.
I practically pushed the door down as I walked into my office. I grabbed the phone and dialed.
"Peyton."
"What the hell are you guys pulling?"
"What are you talking about Patrick?"
"Oh don't give me that. It's a phony CME."
"No it's not. If you'd bother to check your email once in a blue moon, you would see that I sent you the data."
I quickly woke up my laptop and logged into my email. Sure enough, raw data from the EWS sats.
"I just made a complete ass out of myself, didn't I?"
"It's ok. We all make mistakes. Sorry you couldn't be first. I know how much it meant to you."
"It's ok. Pass on my congrats to the crew."
"Will do. Listen, I gotta go."
"Alright. Talk to you later."
I hung up. I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. I felt like screaming. We'd worked our asses off for almost a year, just to get beat by nature. My phone rang.
"Hello?"
"It's George, we need to talk. Now."
"Be there in five."
I hung up and rushed out of my office. The hallways were buzzing about the recent news, and so was my mind. I stepped in the elevator, and blindly pressed the '5' button. i'd done it so many times.
George 'hardline' Richardson. A former test pilot for the Air Force. He'd tested the F-35 JSF, and had been hired on to assist in development. He was my boss, and someone you did not want to mess with.
I arrived at the fifth floor and stepped off. I walked down the hall, arriving at his office.
Get ready to get chewed out...3...2...1...
I knocked.
"Come in."
I opened the door and walked in.
"Ahh Patrick. I'm sure you've seen the stunt NASA pulled."
"I talked to Matt Peyton earlier. He sent me some data from the EWS satellites."
"So the CME was real?"
"Indeed it was."
"Well, regardless of what caused their landing, we need to keep pace."
"How so?"
"You've got two weeks to pack and get to the launch site."
"That's cutting the cycle in half!"
I was stunned. The last thing we needed was to screw something up because we sped along too quickly to save face.
"I know it's a stretch. We have full confidence in your crew and the ship."
"Confidence won't mean anything if we get killed because of a mistake."
"There are risks with spaceflight, granted. However, everything is ready. We could launch tomorrow."
"Whatever. I'll get the guys up to speed. I need to get back on it."
"Agreed. Remember, it's not the end of the world."
I turned around and walked out. Two weeks wasn't enough. I felt uneasy about the whole thing. It didn't seem like the right idea.
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