Solar Express (57 page)

A century or so ago, the physicist Stephen Hawking theorized that one could open a wormhole between points and travel directly from one point to another. He also theorized that the energy required would be equivalent to that of a small black hole. Such travel would also require some means of focusing the wormhole and keeping it open for the time of transit.

The limitations on using a wormhole drive all are based on conventional quantum mechanics. What if our ancient aliens channeled into the underside of space-time, using a wormhole to bridge the gulf between stars.

How did they get and trap all that energy? From the stars they visited. In just the artifact examined by both Noram and Sinese expeditions, there were over ten thousand identical sealed chambers, only a few of which were open. Based on the size of the artifact, and the projected size of the original sphere, the artifact comprised less than four percent of the original craft. Who needs a quarter of a million identical chambers … and for what?

For energy storage. Even using a wormhole-graviton drive, it has to require an incredible amount of power to enter the underside of space-time. Almost all of those chambers were likely energy storage chambers, and the passages around them were for the equivalent of insulation. Possibly some even contained quantized gravitons. Why else would the material be so non-conductive?

There was another misconception. The artifact wasn't the drive section. By necessity, it had to have been the forward section and the gray hexagonal columns projected gravitons to keep the Hawking wormhole from collapsing on them during their transit. How the aliens who built the artifact actually quantized gravitons in order to store and/or focus them is another yet undetermined process.

Alayna paused.
Now what?
She smiled.
Finish the equations and see where they take you.

She'd been working on the conceptual framework of how to integrate space-time and relativity for well over an hour when a set of messages arrived.

The first was from Chris. She didn't even look at the other senders and began to read his message.

Dear Alayna,

I hope this finds you well, but as I recall from your messages and descriptions, COFAR was designed from the beginning to withstand radiation on all levels as well as particle bombardments. In my case, thankfully, they did put extra shielding around the control area of Recon three. I had to stay in a somewhat small space for several hours, and I did get a slight dosage of radiation even so, probably enough to disqualify me for any more long off-Earth flights, but certainly not enough for any immediate or acute health effects.

Some of the tightness in her entire frame eased, and she could feel herself taking a long slow breath before she continued reading.

I said this before, but if it hadn't have been for you, I probably wouldn't have made it this far. As it is, the return trip is going to take several days longer than planned. That's because … well, there were more uses of Hel3 than either I or the mission planners anticipated. I'm also having some difficulties with the atmosphere system. Let's just say that I'm very glad the mission didn't last as long as originally planned.

Difficulties with the air system?
Alayna didn't like the sound of that at all.

With very little to do except watch monitors, listen to music, and cringe at what's stored as flat-screen entertainment, and vidloids so bad I just deleted them without looking, I've had more time to think. About a number of things … and to think over some quotes, but that comes later.

I didn't mention this before. At least I don't think I did, but just after I left on this mission, Kit let me know that our mother had contracted tuberculosis three—T3. From the tone of Kit's messages and what she wasn't saying, I knew things were bad, and I pressed her in my messages. I just learned a little while ago that Mom died. Even if I'd been at my regular station, with the Earthside crises I wouldn't have been able to get to her. I can say that, but it doesn't help much. I guess there are prices for everything. Sometimes, they're high. I've been privileged to see some of the greatest sights anyone could see. Certainly, the alien artifact, for all its inscrutability, has to be one of those wonders. But I couldn't be with my mother when she so desperately wanted me there. I saw the alien artifact, but I'll never see my mother alive again. I've been closer to the sun and farther from Earth than most people, but my sister was there to support my parents. I wasn't.

The thing is … I wanted to be a pilot. I got my dreams, and if I'm going to be honest, I don't know that I would have turned down the chances to do what I've done even if I'd known what I know now. Does that make me incredibly selfish and self-centered?

Alayna looked at the lines again. They almost seemed to blur in front of her.
Were you selfish to take the Farside postdoc post? So comparatively soon after Mother's death? When it was clear that your father missed you terribly?

We've never talked—or messaged—about things like this before, but I don't know anyone else who would understand, anyone else who looks in wonder at the night sky—or in your case, both the night sky and the blazing sun.

Alayna had to stop reading for several minutes.

While nothing ever goes exactly as planned, maybe after all this dies down, if it does, Space Command will let me take leave on Luna. If not, and if you're willing, we ought to be able to work something out.

Willing?
Then again, he was asking. Somehow, she couldn't imagine his not asking, rather than just assuming.

When she got close to the end, she had to smile at what he had written.

I quibble somewhat over the word “pedestrian” in the following quote, but otherwise I agree. I'd never want to assume blindly what you think, but I have the feeling you might agree.

The greatest of all faults in a politician, and in any leader, is the failure to recognize that charisma has nothing to do with ability, excellence, or goodness. In fact, charisma enables far more the evils of the universe than great and worthy accomplishments. Give me pedestrian accomplishment over charisma any day.

Alayna nodded, her eyes lingering over the last words.

Give me an astrophysicist who can not only explain the stars, but wonder at them.

After a time, she opened the next message, discovering it was from Dr. Wrae. The first lines read: “I would appreciate further explanation for the rescheduling required in the early hours of December second, well before the CME struck Earth…”

Reading those lines convinced Alayna that she could reply to Chris first, and she did.

Dear Chris,

I just got your message. It was delayed, but the communications nets are anything but in the best shape right now as a result of the CME. I'm so glad that you're on the way back. I can't tell you how glad.

I'm been doing a lot of thinking, about a lot of things. I think I understand how you feel about dreams. My mother died in the flooding caused by Hurricane Ernesto just after I'd defended my thesis at Princeton. My father was devastated, but postdoc positions weren't easy to find, and I jumped at the chance to take the one here. Now, the CME has hit Earth, and I've heard nothing from him. If anything happens … But I didn't want to give up the dream of, I'd guess you'd say, making a difference, doing something with meaning beyond money, beyond power. It's not him. He understands and supports what I'm doing. It's me. I suppose one of the prices of wanting to make a difference is guilt. Guilt about all the things people would like you to do, and some that no one asks you to do, but you think you should do if you're a really good person. But you can't do all of those things if you want to make that difference. Does that make sense?

I'm not sending a quote, but I
really
appreciated the one you sent, as if you couldn't tell from what I just wrote. Before long I'll have something else for you to read, something dealing with the Solar Express, but it needs some more work before I do.

Looking forward to seeing you, and yes, I'm willing, and thank you for asking.

Alayna didn't even hesitate in sending it.

She did sigh when she returned to reading the message from Director Wrae, knowing she'd have to be most careful in the wording of her reply. After that, she could answer Emma.

 

83

URGENT!!!

C
LASSIFICATION
: E
YES
O
NLY

Background:

The Sinese Space Command has undertaken a program to build large spacecraft suitable as weapons platforms [Jade Archers]. Contrary to media reports, only ten spacecraft were planned. Of the ten under construction, only four, including a prototype, are advanced enough to be operable. The prototype dreadnought [code name: Onyx Hammer] was hastily converted to a research vessel and exploded, as earlier reported, after departing the alien artifact, i.e., the Solar Express. It is unclear whether the explosion was remotely triggered by Space Command because the crew had disobeyed orders to remain with the artifact or whether the circumstances of the artifact's explosion in some fashion affected the ship's drives. Of the remaining three Jade Archers, all have received some degree of militarization. Yesterday, at some undetermined time subsequent to the ending of immediate electromagnetic effects on the Earth's magnetosphere caused by the coronal mass ejection (CME), two of the militarized spacecraft were detected moving toward Earth, presumably from the Sinese asteroid manufacturing facility and Sinese off-Earth Space Command headquarters [see asteroid 2031 SJ4].

Current Situation:

The two Sinese spacecraft resembling the prototype dreadnought took a position at 0413 UTC this morning, 4 December 2114, controlling access to L-1 Lunar facilities. Sinese Space Command authorities on 2031 SJ4 have declared that the CME that impacted Earth was caused by actions of the Noram research craft observing the alien artifact, and that such actions were an act of war against the Sinese Federation. The off-Earth Sinese Space Command is demanding a negotiated turnover of all near-Earth space installations to the Sinese Federation. It has also indicated that any spacecraft leaving any L1 facility will be considered as initiating a hostile act of war, and all L1 facilities will be immediately destroyed. Earthside Sinese Defense Force command does not respond to any communications. All indications are that the two craft report to Sinese Space Command located on asteroid 2031 SJ4. Any direct action by Donovan Base, regardless of success, will likely result in the loss of all L1 civilian facilities and damage to or loss of Donovan Base, with concomitant loss of life.

Noram Earthside defense assets cannot be committed at this time. ONeill Station only possesses three fusionjets with limited military assets. Donovan Base has four moderately adapted fusionjets, but it is likely any movement will trigger Sinese action against L1 installations.

Indian authorities have the capability to take out the Sinese Federation geostationary military installation, but have advised that they do not have any spacecraft with military capability currently able to reach L1 area in the “immediate future.”

Recommended Actions:

•
Immediately prepare all L1 personnel for possible attack.

•
Determine if any defensive capabilities possessed by Donovan Base can be adapted to determinative offensive action.

•
Attempt to open talks with Sinese Space Command authorities, both on and off Earth.

•
Investigate all possible alternatives.

NOTE TO FILE:

Acting Deputy Secretary and acting Secretary verbally briefed, commencing at 0445 UTC, 2 December 2114. President and Chief of Staff briefed at 0625 UTC.

 

84

R
ECON
T
HREE

4 D
ECEMBER
2114

Tavoian was sweating and breathing hard when he woke. A few swallows of water helped some with the feeling of being overheated, but didn't do anything for his headache.

“Present level of CO2?”

THE CURRENT LEVEL IS SIX POINT FIVE PERCENT.

Too high too soon.
After almost six days after leaving the alien artifact, Tavoian had to admit he wasn't feeling as well as he'd like. In fact, not anywhere near. He hadn't dared exercise, not and put even more CO2 into an environmental system that had ended up unable to scrub much if any of it out. The emergency CO2 removal system had brought the levels down to five point seven percent before shutting down, and while the regular system had resumed, Tavoian couldn't see that it was doing anything at all, since the CO2 levels had increased by eight-tenths of a percent from the time the emergency removal system had shut down.

After a while, he felt well enough to eat and tried something called a Mexican omelet. He almost wished he hadn't, but his stomach settled after a while. The monitors and screens showed nothing near Recon three, at least not within the roughly five-million-kay range of the radar—five million kays for comparatively large objects like the artifact, and less for smaller ones.