Blue Planet Rising (Pebbles in the Sky Book 2) Page 7
“It’s a shame about the one failure Hans, but not unexpected. I was only hoping for a seventy-five percent success rate and you have done much better than that. We haven’t done badly at all considering the whole group of rockets was second hand boosters from the old ESA and Russian inventories. Your crews have done an outstanding job. Now that this mission has been started we can get down to planning for the asteroid mining effort. I’m quite surprised that we haven’t heard from anyone at NASA or Space Force yet.”
Hans was about to reply when Benjamin’s PA chimed that he had a call.
“Good morning, minister,” answered Benjamin.
Benjamin listened to the tirade from the Bolivian Space Minister for about a minute before he answered. “Mr. Minister, we had discussed and expected a complaint from the United States. You, your President and I had already expected this. What gives them the right to dictate to your great country what you can and can’t do with your space rockets? I seriously doubt the United States would launch a nuclear attack on Bolivia. They should be aware by now that the rockets we launched contained scientific payloads and did not contain any weapons packages. We met our obligations and had previously informed the general public and the rest of the world that we were going to be starting operations at the new launching facility very soon.”
“Please tell your President that he should be very proud that Bolivia has the only other operational launch facility in the world besides those of the United States. Bolivia has demonstrated that it will be a leader in the civilian space industry now, and in the future. The United States cannot be allowed to dictate to the Bolivian people what they can and can’t do in space. We’ve shown the world that we can put satellites into orbit and the test we did today will let the rest of the world know that we are open for business.”
“Please remind your President that this facility will soon start reaping the rewards for launching satellites into orbit for other countries. Very soon now that revenue will start flowing into Bolivia. His treasury and uh…personnel accounts should flourish with the orders for commercial rocket launches. Tell him all that and I think he should calm down somewhat. It’s been a pleasure talking to you again, Mr. Minister. Stop by my Hacienda sometime soon. I think I have another case of that fine brandy that you like so much. Yes, Mr. Minister, I hope to see you soon, also.”
Hans had stood nearby and overheard the entire conversation. He shook his head in disgust. “Are all South American politicians that corrupt?”
Benjamin laughed. “Hans, I became rich because I learned very early in life that all politicians, no matter what country they are from, are that corrupt. There may be a few idealistic individuals such as the current United States President, but they are far and few between. You may tell all your crews that they earned an extra month’s pay as a bonus for their efforts today. You and your command team will get an extra bonus in your next pay check also. Again, let me congratulate you on a job well done.”
…
Jerry Thornton hurried back to the situation room after talking with his counterpart in the Bolivian Government. “Mr. President, I have been informed that the rocket launches from Bolivia were a test and demonstration of their new space launch facility. The launch plans had been made public several weeks ago. They state that all the rockets released probes for studying the new planet Elpis. In accordance with international law, they state that the United States does not have a monopoly on studying or working in outer space. He states that they are very offended that we would even suspect that they were launching a nuclear attack since they had previously announced the launches.”
“What a bunch of crap,” said the President. “Get the intelligence team assembled in here and see if the boys at NASA and Space Force can figure out what those rockets are designed to do. I can’t believe they would spend the money to put that many probes in orbit around Elpis to study it. The costs would be horrendous, even for Benjamin Greco and his cronies.”
Chapter 11
July 5th, 2044
Macon, Georgia
Jessica welcomed Brianna off the plane with a huge hug while Brett stood patiently waiting his own turn to hug his daughter. Brianna had just finished her basic astronaut training and had come home to Macon for a visit with her parents. It had been over a year since she had last seen them. After the requisite hugs and tears, they collected Brianna’s luggage and Brett drove them to a local restaurant for supper.
After ordering drinks, Brett leaned over and hugged Brianna again. “Ok girl, now tell us what you’ve been up too. Your weekly video calls really didn’t contain many details.”
“I’m sorry dad. I meant to call you both more often but I’ve been so busy,” Brianna apologized. “First, I had to do the boot camp, and then attend the general technical training that all the Space Force Cadets have to take. Even though I’m not in Space Force, I’m expected to be knowledgeable about the space ships they use and all the safety and emergency procedures. I had to learn how to use a space suit, escape and survival procedures, and all that sort of stuff. Now at last, we’re finally getting down to actual mission planning.”
“Brianna you look really fit. You’ve lost weight and just look at those toned arms,” said Jessica.
Brianna laughed. “Lots of ten kilometer runs and thousands of pushups tend to do that, Mom.”
“So what next?” asked Brett. “You don’t actually have to go up into space any time soon do you? That still makes me very nervous thinking about you doing that.”
“Actually,” said Brianna proudly, “I’m taking a magrail shuttle up to Space Station Alpha next month and then flying on to the moon. Because of my experience in the lab here at the DNA Ark, they want me to take a look at some ideas they have for the greenhouses at Farside Base.”
“You’re going to the moon?” Brett exclaimed, “I don’t think that is a good idea Brianna!”
“Dad, get over it!” Brianna said in frustration. “I’m not your little girl any more. The moon is right next door. In a couple of years, I’m hopefully going to be traveling to another planet. You just need to get a grip on yourself and accept that.”
“Brianna, don’t worry about your dad,” Jessica said as she kicked Brett under the table. “I’m so excited for you and so proud. I would love to go to the moon and see what they’ve done there in the underground greenhouse farms. From what I’ve read, they’ve done some amazing things. They’re producing all their own oxygen, scrubbing carbon dioxide, and producing most of their fresh vegetables there. I would love to see how they’re set up first hand. You’ll have to tell us all about it when you get back to Earth.”
“And by the way, Brianna, if they need any genetically altered plant stock, steer them our way. New World Genetics, our gene altering agricultural company, is just getting started. We’re running into a good bit of competition and could use a good government contract. We’ve done a few small contracts so far, but the only really big one we received was from the Agricultural Ministry of Bolivia.”
Brianna wrinkled up her nose. “Bolivia isn’t real popular with Space Force or NASA right now. Since they launched all those probes to Elpis, everyone has been scratching their heads to figure out what they’re trying to do. The mission planning guys down at the Bolivian commercial launch facility won’t talk to anyone about the probes or what they expect to do with them. Their security is very tight. They just keep saying that the probes are for research. The big question everyone wants answered is exactly what type of research they’re planning on doing. Their probes are either going to have to enter the atmosphere and crash on the planet or swing by it. They’re going way too fast to enter into orbit as they don’t have any type of propulsion capability to slow down. The only way they could slow down would be to enter the atmosphere and use atmospheric braking and parachutes. So, nothing we have seen makes any sense about them.”
Brett was sitting quietly. Something about what Brianna had just said was nagging at him but he couldn’t put h
is finger on it so he just shelved his thoughts and re-joined the conversation. They spent the rest of their dinner talking about how Earth had changed since the encounter and what plant and animal species seemed to be adapting and which ones weren’t. It was quite late when they got home and they all went straight to bed.
The next morning Brianna was drinking coffee and watching the news on the kitchen monitor. The President was asking for all the country’s citizens to start abiding by the voluntary food rationing rules. He was also announcing a subsidized program of home green houses and hydroponic farming modules being offered for people to purchase and start producing more of their own food if they had the room. Jessica came in and poured a cup of coffee and sat down to listen with Brianna.
“I bet all the former haters are thanking Benjamin Greco now,” Jessica said as Brett came shuffling into the kitchen with sleepy eyes. If his philanthropist group hadn’t given all those women birth control vaccinations, we would be having food riots and mass starvation by now.”
Brett nodded. “Yup, seems like the old codger could foresee the future after all.”
“I actually met his son, Jason, at the academy the other day,” said Brianna. “He was the one that piloted that ship back from Elpis when the mission commander died of a stroke. He was very nice, and not too bad to look at either,” she mused to her mother. “He’s supposed to be one of the lander pilots on the next mission. I wouldn’t mind spending a few months cooped up on a space ship with someone like him,” she grinned.
Brett cleared his throat. “I don’t think there’ll be any fooling around going on while you’re on board a space ship. I’m sure that there are rules and regulations against that.”
Brianna gave her mother a wink. “I don’t know dad. I’m not actually in the Space Force so those rules don’t apply to civilians. Haven’t you ever heard of the Zero Gravity Club?”
“I refuse to sit here and listen to you talk about your sex life and doing it in zero gravity,” Brett exclaimed.
“Brett dear, I remember a few times when we were younger when you tried to defy gravity,” laughed Jessica.
“Well, she better not be doing it with that Jason Greco. He’s probably just like his father and expects women to fall into bed with him just because he’s rich.” Brett said.
“Brett, I don’t think that’s a nice thing to say. I never got the impression that Benjamin was a womanizer,” Jessica admonished.
“Yes, dad, that isn’t a nice thing to say about him. You’ve never met the guy.”
Brett laughed. “Actually I have, your mother and I conceived him and his brother.”
Brianna looked confused. Jessica had to explain about the artificial insemination technique they had used, and how they had recovered the DNA from the umbilical of Benjamin Greco’s dead first borne son.
“Wow, it sounds like Mr. Greco really does get his fingers involved in a bunch of stuff. Vaccines, birth control, genetics, artificial insemination, as well as the Ark Project. Supposedly, he’s also the main investor in the Bolivian space launch facility.” exclaimed Brianna.
“You can add farming to that also,” said Brett. “The company down in Bolivia that requested all those seeds for aerial dispersion belongs to his investment company also.”
“He’s going to try planting crops from the air?” asked Brianna in amazement.
“Oh yea,” said Brett. They wanted us to coat each seed with normal ground bacteria spores and a fertilizer layer. I suppose the high plateau where they’re going to disperse the seed doesn’t have much in the way of normal microscopic flora and fauna from what he was saying. Didn’t make sense to me, but they paid really well for the order and we needed the work for the new company.”
“What kind of seeds?” Brianna asked as she sipped her coffee.
“That was the weird thing. All the seeds were for prairie grasses and some small trees and plants. Supposedly, they’re going to try and establish an ecology on a barren plateau where there is presently little to no existing plant life.” Brett said. “We mixed and packed the seeds into some special containers they designed that are going to be carried aloft.”
“The containers would be opened high in the air and then the seeds would be dispersed,” Jessica added.
Brianna sat up straight, spitting and spewing her coffee. Trying not to choke, she gasped, “How many containers?”
“Why, there were thirteen of them,” said Jessica. “What in the world is wrong with you Brianna?”
Brianna face had turned a pale white. “There were thirteen containers. There were thirteen rockets launched from Bolivia. Don’t you see? They’re going to seed Elpis and contaminate it with Earth’s life forms before we ever get there to study the planet. They have to be stopped. Oh my god, I have to call Peter Rockwell at NASA right away!”
Chapter 12
July 6th, 2044
Houston, Texas
Peter closed the communication channel that he had just spoken to Brianna Driskall on. He tapped his PA and told it to get him a communication circuit with Robby Tully.
Robby answered his call quickly. “Hey Peter, this is Robby, what’s up?”
“Robby, how long until those probes from Bolivia get to Elpis.”
“Hmmm, well the remaining probes should get there in about twelve and a half months,” Robby said.
“Remaining probes?” asked Peter.
“Yea, it seems one of them was hit by a small meteor or something a couple of days ago. It broke apart and is considered to be a total loss.”
“Robby, assuming that the probes are designed to enter the atmosphere, could they slow down enough to land safely by parachute?”
“Sure. That wouldn’t be a problem. They’re really not that big or heavy. They’re about the size of the old Apollo capsules. With a good heat shield, they wouldn’t have a problem getting down in one piece. I don’t believe they could make a controlled landing, however. They’re just not big enough for the propulsion system that would be required.”
“Robby, our mission profile to Elpis may have just changed; compliments of Benjamin Greco’s Bolivian Space Agency.”
“What do you mean?” asked Robby.
“Assemble the planning group in the small conference room in one hour if you can. At least try and get the ones that are on site to be there. I’ve got to check on some things, but I’ll be there in an hour.” Peter said.
…
“I’ll get right to the point,” Peter told the quickly assembled group. Our mission profile has changed dramatically. I want you to figure out how to put ten people down on the surface and keep them supplied, busy, and alive for four years.” The group of engineers and department heads immediately started arguing.
“Quite, please,” said Peter. The arguing just got louder.
“I said QUIET, PLEASE!”
The table grew quiet. “Thank you,” said Peter. “I believe we now know what the purpose of the probes that were launched from Bolivia was. Thanks to some new information I just received, it’s now pretty certain that those probes are meant to enter the atmosphere of Elpis. They will then slow down, and as they parachute down to the ground, they are going to disperse Terran seeds and bacteria into the Elpis environment. It seems some people are not patient enough to allow us to investigate and study the indigenous life forms that may exist there already. Instead, they’ve already started a project to seed the planet with Earth based life forms to hasten its terraforming so that it can be colonized.”
“We no longer have to worry about protecting the Elpis environment from contamination with Earth’s bacteria. Those probes will do that several years before our next mission even arrives at the planet. I’m going to try and get approval and funding for the extended mission. In the long run, it’ll save us money and greatly enhance what we can do there. Instead of a quick landing, and a four week window to explore the artifacts and the Elpis environment, the landing expedition will have a four year time period to do so. Now you rea
lly have your jobs cut out for you. I want preliminary plans in forty eight hours, so get on it. Overtime is authorized, and sleep is optional.”
Robby Tully spoke up meekly. “The mission biologists are going to be pissed.”
“A lot of biologists are going to be pissed,” agreed Peter. “I’m getting ready to hop a plane to New Washington. I need all of you to get to work. I hate to keep jerking around the mission plans like this. I understand it makes your job real hard, but we seem to have been pre-empted by the great space faring nation of Bolivia. Go figure. I want to hold another planning meeting in three days. You have your work cut out for you. Now go earn your pay.”
…
Two days later Peter was ushered into a briefing room. The President, his Chief of Staff, and Senators Calez and Jacobs from the Senate oversight committee on NASA and Space Operations were already there. The President indicated a seat for Peter to take. “Doctor Rockwell, please have a seat. It seems that your manned mission plans for Elpis have been thrown a wrench. We need a briefing and we have some questions for you to answer.”
“Thank you Mr. President. With your permission, I’ll get started.”
“As all of you are already aware, NASA and Space Force are in the preparation stages for a manned expedition to Elpis. Our last expedition to the planet stayed in orbit and used a tele-controlled robot and airship to do some exploration. This next expedition was originally planned to put a seven person crew on the surface of the planet for a period of about four weeks. After that time period, the crew was to launch back into space, rendezvous with the orbiting ship mother ship and return to Earth. All our preparations were being done under strict controls with the intent not to contaminate Elpis with bacteria of Earth origin. The biologists wanted to study any indigent life forms that we now expect to exist there without the possibility of cross contamination. Those precautions are now worthless.”