Solar Express (47 page)

“I'll need those images for my report.”

The ship's AI did not respond.

“How are the other spy-eyes doing, the ones with the other ISV?”

THEY HAVE NOT RETURNED.

Tavoian decided against waiting until the end of the day before reporting to the colonel and began to compose a report detailing exactly what the Sinese had attempted to do and what the results had been. He thought about adding a line about how the Sinese attempt suggested that they were feeling thwarted, and that the universal reaction to being denied entry was to use a bigger battering ram or a larger hammer. He decided against it. The colonel could—and would—draw his own conclusions, and if he didn't come to one similar to Tavoian's, a junior major telling him that wasn't going to change a thing.

Once he dispatched the message, with several of the more graphic images, although the laser flashback had been so brief that the only image any of the feeds had was an instant of whiteness, he checked on the Sinese. They had apparently returned to the massive research dreadnought. “Was there any sign of injury to either Sinese pilot?”

THERE WAS NO SIGN OF PERSONNEL INJURY. ONE SLED HAD TO BE TOWED BY THE OTHER. ASYMMETRIC THRUST INDICATED THE THRUSTER UNIT CLOSEST TO THE LASER ASSEMBLY FAILED.

“Let me know if any sleds or large remotes leave the Sinese vessels.”

WILL NOTIFY YOU.

Tavoian went back to studying the AI's plot of unvisited areas of the artifact, at least until Alayna's message arrived, which he immediately began to read.

Dear Chris,

Something struck him … and it took him a moment to realize that she'd never used a salutation … or the word “dear” before. Not once. He read even more carefully, not racing through the words as he often did, and by the end of the first paragraph he had a good idea why she'd written as she had. The first words of the second paragraph, about Icarus, confirmed his feelings.

But why did the colonel let her message go through?
Tavoian smiled.
Because it was written in a way that allowed him to ignore what wasn't written in the words.
And who knew? It could be that the colonel might yet order him to depart … or leave the departure time to Tavoian's discretion.

Tavoian did smile at Alayna's last three words.

Less than an hour later, the ship's AI reported that the spy-eyes had completed their investigation of the first set of hexagonal chambers and were moving to the second set.

“Will either disabled spy-eye be within easy range of the ISV returning from the artifact when it finishes the next set of investigations?”

ONE CAN BE RECOVERED WITH A MINIMAL COURSE CHANGE. THE OTHER WAS PROPELLED AWAY FROM THE ARTIFACT BY THE MISDIRECTED THRUSTER FROM THE DAMAGED SINESE SPACE-SLED.

“Recover the one, then, on the way back.” Tavoian wasn't certain he'd learn anything from it, or even be able to repair it, but it was worth the effort. He still didn't want to send out the other ISV for just a recovery of a damaged spy-eye. Even with only three days left, he was wary about using thruster propellant.

Once he had made certain that the second round of investigation was in progress, he went back to watching the Sinese and keeping an eye on the artifact. He also needed to work on a reply to Alayna.

At that thought, he smiled again.

 

64

D
AEDALUS
B
ASE

26 N
OVEMBER
2114

By early Monday morning, Alayna was even more worried, both about Chris and about the images and data coming from the solar array. The photosphere was showing greater convective activity, as evidenced by the more rapid dispersal of magnetic force lines, and consequently, the more rapid dispersal of the comparatively few sunspots, but conversely there had been a drop in cosmic-ray diurnal anisotropic amplitude over the past days, when it should have been maintaining a higher level, since the sun was in a solar minimum. The solar radiation received at COFAR had increased to almost fourteen hundred watts per square meter, definitely above the average of 1368. While a two point three percent increase wouldn't sound like much to most people, it was definitely impressive and not normal. There were more multi-fractal mini-granulations, considerably more than there should have been under the ambient solar conditions, which had already been at a higher level. While that might help her observations and reveal something new, she couldn't discern anything that might suggest reasons for what she was observing. But then, the sun's activities had never been exactly totally predictable.

You've got better observations and a greater chance for discovering some interrelation … and that bothers you?

The question that nagged her most about the alien artifact was something that in some ways seemed minor, compared to the unexplained acceleration, and that was the hull of the artifact, in particular the precision of the difference in light reflection and absorption for the thirty-two circles manifested on the outer hull. Neither she nor Marcel had been able to come up with a scientifically plausible reason for the difference between the circles and the rest of the hull. Given the precision of the artifact's construction … there should be a reason. Except Alayna hadn't yet been able to come up with even an implausible reason, let alone a plausible one. That meant she was missing something.

She also kept worrying about Chris, especially how much faster the artifact was carrying him sunward. “Marcel, do you have better calculations on when 2114 FQ5 will reach a point of fifty-eight million kilometers from the sun and its probable speed at that time? Oh … and at what distance will it likely reach a speed of seventy kilometers per second?”

“2114 FQ5 has a calculated present velocity of sixty-two kilometers per second. Assuming the present rate of acceleration, it will reach the fifty-eight-million-kilometer distance at 2314 UTC on November twenty-eighth. It will reach a speed of seventy kilometers per second at 0931 UTC on November twenty-ninth.”

Frig! Frig! Frig! Now what?
All she could do was to send Chris a message and hope that he got it … or failing that, that he and his AI could calculate close enough to see the dangers. She could have Marcel calculate a course that would separate his ship from the artifact—

She shook her head. Chris's AI was doubtless far better at that and had more of the necessary data. “What about the artifact's course and perihelion distance?”

“2114 FQ5 will pass closer to the sun than previously calculated. Separation distance at perihelion is now calculated at one point seven million kilometers.”

“One point seven?”
That's a huge change!
Or a huge miscalculation, and Alayna doubted that Marcel was that inaccurate.

“That is under present conditions.”

“Can you calculate possible changes?”

“Not at the present time.”

As she sat down in the control center, she called up Chris's latest message, which had arrived shortly after 1900 the evening before, delayed only a few hours. She read through it quickly and then began her reply.

Dear Chris,

You're kind to ask about my work with the multi-fractals, and yes, it is frustrating at times, but at times there are also surprises. The sun has been experiencing a solar minimum over the past several years, and that has meant fewer sunspots and greater photosphere convection. Over the past few days, the convective forces appear stronger and hotter, and there are more of the multi-fractals than I've ever observed before—and I have no idea why. It may be that the greater number of the smaller mini-granulations may provide some insight, but it's too early to tell.

COFAR has been keeping track of the artifact's course and speed. The artifact continues to pick up speed, and our calculations show that it will pass much closer to the sun than originally calculated. This is probably because of the unknown factors that have resulted in the greater increase in speed than originally figured. This does mean that when it crosses the averaged orbit of Mercury (fifty-eight million kilometers), it will be traveling much faster than originally calculated, and possibly at a rate close to eighty kps.

We don't have the data for that, but it's going to be about that. And that means that to be safe, you need to get out of there.
But she couldn't say that, not without risking her message being delayed. No matter what the Space Service might say, with Chris investigating the only alien artifact they'd ever seen, they weren't likely to look favorably upon their one source of possible fantastic new technology departing a moment earlier than absolutely necessary.

Because I'm stealing time from my observations, I have to be short, but I did want to let you know how things are going. A brief quote before I return to the solar array and the mini-granulations …

She wasn't that pressed for time, not with Marcel handling the details. Her work would come later, trying to make sense out of the images and data. But she didn't know what else to say in a message that had to get through censoring.

 … Here is a quote that might apply to pilots as well as scientists and engineers, and I think you know where I feel you belong …

Are engineers really scientists? An engineer who's passionate about knowing what's behind what he or she does is a scientist. An engineer whose basic concern is getting something to work well is an engineer. Knowing who is which kind of engineer and the best place for each is where most engineering departments have the most trouble …

Please do take care.

She read it over, and then sent it. Just as she finished, another message arrived from her father. She read through it quickly. He was worried. But then, he was usually worried.

She smiled wryly, but fondly. She needed to answer him, but that could wait a few hours. She had another cup of coffee as she checked the rest of the message queue, before turning to her morning duties … and checking the cargo lock seals and the aeroponics.

Another day without a single word from the Foundation. Not exactly promising, but at times, no news can definitely be good news.

 

65

T
HE
T
IMES OF
I
SRAEL

27 N
OVEMBER
2114

(J
ERUSALEM
) “There will be no Sinese Empire dominating the solar system,” announced Prime Minister Merav Meir early this morning. “This is the unanimous position of all UAAS member nations. Any military action by Sinese forces outside Sinese borders, in particular against India, will be taken as a military action against all UAAS member states.” All Israeli forces are in a high state of readiness, and several nuclear missile submarines have remained at sea past their scheduled return dates.

Indian Prime Minister Ravindra made a similar announcement from New Delhi almost simultaneously, declaring, “India has done absolutely nothing of a military nature within Sinese lands. Nor has India threatened the Sinese Federation. Yet the Sinese persist in making false claims against India. These are nothing more than another facet of Sinese opposition to the Dyaus space elevator. The Federation is attempting to weaken India and the Unity of African and Allied States in undertaking yet another attempt to dominate the commerce of the world and the solar system. If there is any Sinese military incursion on any Indian territory or space installation, India will retaliate with all forces at its disposal.” No information is available about the deployment and disposition of Indian armed forces, but sources close to the military high command have confirmed that all Indra missiles, as well as other “defensive measures,” are ready to be launched on command, or if any indication of attack on Indian territory or installations is attempted.

The reaction from Sinese Head of State Jiang Qining was equally forceful. “The Sinese Federation has never sought war, but the so-called Dyaus space elevator is nothing more than a concealed military installation in space. We have not militarized space, but if the Dyaus project is completed, we will regard it as a violation of all treaties and agreements against the militarization of space, and we will act accordingly. We will not bow to threats to our way of life. Nor do we believe that other nations have the right to determine what actions we may take to protect our people.”

The EC government has made no comment.

Noram President Yates stated that Noram would not be party to “any instigation of hostilities.” Numerous sources have noted that the Noram Space Command has canceled all leaves of all its personnel and that all Noram military bases on Earth and all space installations have been placed at the highest level of security …

 

66

R
ECON
T
HREE

27 N
OVEMBER
2114

Tavoian woke later than usual on Tuesday morning. After he dispatched one of the ISVs with an AI rover, a large spy-eye and two smaller ones, and the fiber-optic line reel to look at and hopefully into other hexagonal chambers, he found himself massaging his forehead, trying to ease the slight aching in his skull, not quite a headache, or at least not one that was particularly painful. He tried drinking some water, but that didn't help. Then he asked, “What's the CO2 level?”

THE CO2 LEVEL IS NOW UP TO TWO POINT FOUR PERCENT. NOTIFICATION IS AUTOMATIC IF LEVEL REACHES TWO POINT FIVE PERCENT FOR MORE THAN TEN MINUTES.

Tavoian nodded. That made his headache a bit worse. “Are you certain there's no malfunction in the atmosphere system?”

THE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS ARE FUNCTIONING WITHIN ACCEPTABLE LEVELS. THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS OF MALFUNCTIONS.