Disclaimer: All characters, names and all else belong to their respective copyright holders, only much of the convoluted plot is mine.
Chapter 2 – EV…
Professor Paul Wynne, head of UNIT covert R&D command Night Wolf stood behind inside the control room of the Northern Highlands research facility as the technicians prepped the craft for it's maiden voyage.
EV1 or Experimental Vessel 1 sat on the run way and was the result of Night Wolf's first 8 months in operation, their first collected attempt to construct a ship that could transverse the outer reaches of the solar system with ease.
The British Space Authority was on standby as their 'safety net' for this flight…
"EV1 you are clear to begin launch procedures."
"Roger Night Wolf, all systems ready, showing full power across all systems, we are go for launch."
The craft had been 'constructed' from almost all alien materials, around that of a small Lear jet.
It was a long body most of which was taken up by the main engines which poked out the back like huge rockets. When there was no power, or directly before take off it sat on small stubby wheels however once power flowed through the whole thing the 'anti-gravitational discs' which had been cannibalised from a 'Dalek hoverbout' should enable it to leave the atmosphere without the huge rocket motors that were traditionally used.
Professor Wynne crossed his fingers as they got green lights across the board and the craft powered up.
"All systems are green, we're ready to launch." A technician sitting beside him stated.
"Launch EV1." Paul said calmly.
The power levels increased as the craft moved shakily down the runway, and left the ground, they always had success at this point, it was the movement between atmosphere and space which always caused problems in the past.
There was also the problem when the ship got to space proper should anything go wrong it would still take a few months for a space freighter to rescue them.
"Anti-gravitational discs engaging, gaining altitude…"
Professor Wynne looked down at the screen, EV1 had all the standard anti-radar equipment, however all air space around Night Wolf was clear and the British Space Authority knew of the test today.
There was a moment of static as the reports continued to come through.
"They're just about to break out of Earth's atmosphere Professor."
"Excellent pilot officer…"
"This is EV1 do you read me Night Wolf, have exited atmosphere and now in geostationary orbit, repeat…."
"This is Night Wolf, we read you…excellent work, are engines intact?"
"Power levels are looking good, engines indict, powering down anti-gravs and ready to start main engines…on your mark Night Wolf."
"Ready on your call EV1."
High above Earth the small craft, slightly longer than a US space shuttle powered up its vast and powerful engines, the mass of complex power systems channelled the energy into the engines and the craft threw itself forward as though flung from a vast sling shot, with about as much control.
"EV1 to Night happened?" Wynne queeried.
"Systems report mass failure of engines systems and control mechanisms…"
"Where are they?" He asked the officer by his side.
"We're just getting analysis in….they are just beyond Saturn and continuing on minimum power."
The engines at least worked, the problem was it would take a long time for a space freighter to get out that far and return.
"Can they…"
"Reports are coming in and proposals already searching and running sir."
That was what he Paul liked about working for UNIT, when ever there was a problem people were already working on it before he even needed to ask them.
2 hours later they received a communication through the adapted Dalek hyperchannel comm. network.
"Night
Wolf…power levels erratic…the engines worked at least. All
manoeuvring down, we are currently at minimum power, antigravs are
somewhere between non-operational and minimum power…"
"Can
we respond?" The pilot officer nodded, they had been working on
solutions ever since it had happened.
"EV1, we read you, Night Wolf can bring you back…you're going to perform a textbook slingshot manoeuvre around Saturn…"
The plan was to have them manoeuvre around Saturn as turning around EV1 was easier said than done, they would then engage the engines for a controlled amount of time and be able to negotiate their way back to Earth.
The only problem was without the antigravs they couldn't warp the fields around the ship to allow them to re-enter the atmosphere.
That was where Plan B came in; the British Space Authority was prepping Recovery 10 which would intercept them…probably.
Professor Wynne stayed in the control room for all the time that ship manoeuvred its way back towards Earth.
They never made it, their transmission cut out some distance before they would come into range of Recovery 10's equipment.
Then 6 hours after they should have entered into orbit a signal came through on an alternating frequency.
"Night Wolf can you read me, Night Wolf can you read me. Touched down…on moon…"
Recovery 10 which had stayed in orbit fixing a communications satellite easily orientated itself for the Moon.
Less than 24 hours after they had taken off the two man crew of EV1 returned to Earth, most of the alien based technology would be recovered by a space freighter in the following months.
It had been a failure for their craft but Professor Wynne and indeed those at UNIT Geneva considered it a success.
--
EV20 sat in the bay, the 20th experimental vessel, which worked, Professor Wynn had to keep telling himself, in fact all 14 through to 19 worked with varying levels of success.
EV20 was the hoped to be ship that would allow UNIT to go to the stars, well at least leave the confines of their solar system and the surrounding area.
EV20 had been built like the others with a combined mix of alien and human constructed materials.
Night Wolf had changed a lot since the first EV flight, now with EV20 it had all been moved under or inside the surrounding mountains, EV20 was simply too big to be kept anywhere else.
Which had been the problem with the first EV's particularly EV2 through to EV12, they were too small to contain the power involved.
EVs 1 through to 12 used variations on the ion powerdrive which was an experimental drive system that the British Space Authority had mucked around with, Night Wolf was able to perfect it for their drives with some application of other technology.
However it proved to be too powerful for the small crafts they were using.
UNIT had long since had a good relationship with several universities in the UK and set about a challenge for a group of architecture/physics & construction students, all of which were given small grants…and the standard Official Secrets Act and amended articles. They were asked to design a space craft using the specifications that the first 1 through to 12 had used.
13 proved to be a mild success, it performed but still had most of the flaws of the original.
It was when an explanation came from several of the groups working on the 'theoretical' project for the problem.
--/
"It's too small, it needs to be bigger and with more power."
It seemed that the larger the ship was the more power it would require, which was simple enough, but as the ship got larger it got more stable and thus the power requirement would plateau into something manageable, it was still a huge amount more power than that of the ion drives. When UNIT told them that the groups nodded.
UNIT did have another option, a more dangerous option, it wasn't any more dangerous than say…a nuclear submarine…
"Fusion Reactors Professor, one of the more useful things we were able to gather from the Cybermen's data core…all the tests, and the test reactor…"
"Test Reactor? I thought that experiment was put on the back burner until we sorted out the…"
The scientist nodded carefully. "But Professor remember when the storm cut us off from the power lines…"
Professor Wynn nodded slowly a worried look forming on his face.
"Well you told us to get some power up in the facility…"
"So you stoked up a fusion reactor? I…I'm lost for words…" He shook his head.
"It's meant that we've operated independent from the power supplies, it's clean running, and easy to shut down…plus there is the positive that as we aren't using such a large amount of power…"
Wynn nodded, he'd seen the amount of power Night Wolf used, it was…a large amount that was covered by the UN and the UK advisory committee.
Wynn had wondered why they suddenly had a huge amount more money to put into the EV development.
"So these fusion reactors you said?" He said conversationally.
"One or more of these could provide power for a ship the size the design teams are talking about. Theoretically."
"That's what they're told." Paul muttered to himself. "Fine if you get the details together, make sure they're rated for the design teams and we'll see what we get back."
"Sir." Everyone seemed to call him sir, be it the military or the scientific personnel, he was in charge but it wasn't like he had a rank, he was a professor in physics and biology and a doctor of chemistry.
But the soldiers, those with a rank seemed to want to address him via a rank and if not a rank then sir it was.
--/
The end result sat waiting for the command.
Professor Wynne turned as Air Marshall Steven Ballintyne walked into the control room.
Professor Wynne looked over the man's uniform trying to recall what all the various things mean…
"Ah…Air Marshall…"
The man smiled at him, he was in his late 50s but still had wild eyes, as many of the test pilots of the EV craft did.
Wynne had developed a good working relationship with the RAF, as more than once an EV had plummeted out of control before regaining altitude at the last moment, usually within view of the RAF.
"Professor Paul Wynne, Air Marshall Steven Ballintyne…so this is Experimental Vessel 20?"
"Yes that's her." The control room sat behind several layers of protective glass and plastic to the side of EV20, and was one of the control rooms that sat on ground level, built into the side of the mountain.
"So Professor what makes this one different from EV19 and the others?" The Air Marshall asked studying the schematics.
"EV20 is the first vessel that incorporates everything we've learnt from the previous…attempts. Based on a new design from our 'theoretical design team'."
"You still haven't told them?" He chuckled. It was a running joke with the RAF pilots who'd tested EV14 through to 19, and even the ones before that, that the people designing them had no idea that their designs were flying around (or not).
"As you know…I assume you know that with EVs 18 and 19 we were able to set up a small observation base on the Moon."
This had been a feat in itself, but EV18 in particular had more cargo space than the British Space freighters. But it was limited by range, while it could do a lap of the solar system at full power in a little under a day, it's gravity control system was wobbly at best, also the hyperspacial engine still wouldn't fit inside a ship that small, considering its power requirements.
EV19 was the attempt to improve on it.
"Yes…an interesting experience for the pilots who signed up for the UNIT exchange program being told in a briefing 'today is a standard run to the moon' it's amazing what's been accomplished here Professor."
Paul smiled to himself, it was, after a little over 2 and half years they UNIT had a base off planet….
"EV18 is currently still being used to do runs to the moon, its power system had more or less been worked out…EV19 is our backup ship."
"Backup? In case she…"
"Runs into difficulties." Wynne said carefully.
EV19 could just about use the hyperspacial engines it had installed.
EV19 was like EV18 about 100 meters long and 20 meters high, however unlike EV18 it couldn't take any cargo, most of its space was given over to two small fusion reactors which would power the hyperspacial engines.
On the numerous test flights it could leave the solar system and while in theory it could get to Proxima Centuri 4.22 light years from Earth no one wanted to try it, but it could rescue a ship, if need be.
"So is she ready to go?"
"Yes…the reactors are at minimum, but all of them are ready to be fired up, the main engines have been checked and re-checked, they even have their course computed."
"Course."
"Close relatively, Proxima Centuri, that's where EV19 aimed for…"
"So it's within reach should…"
"Yes, EV20's been stocked up in case of anything…"
"Well you should get going Professor." Air Marshall Ballintyne said slapping him on the back.
"Me? I thought, I mean I had word that…"
"That an RAF officer was coming to oversee the final stages, that's what I'll do…from the ground. This is your ship Professor, your command…"
"I...Thankyou Air Marshall…" Professor Wynne walked off dazed.
Professor Wynne, dubbed Captain for this maiden voyage sat on the bridge of the huge craft.
There wasn't much of a crew, much of the ship was empty, it had the capacity to have science labs, weapons, weapons analysis, linguistics, everything that UNIT and the UN could want for a ship.
Except right now most of the ship was empty, there were people on the bridge and in the engine room and reactor plant.
They had all worked on the previous EVs but EV20 was the biggest, with a huge piece of Dalek technology through the middle of the ship, it was in fact half of a Dalek saucer but it provided vital navigation and control systems to the ship.
And it kept the cost down because of the way it managed structural integrity and gravity.
The ship had no weapons but it did have shielding another perk of building the ship around half a Dalek saucer.
"Report from reactor control, 1 through 4 ready and powering up." Professor…Captain Wynne was startled out of his thinking.
"Signal to control room, tell them we're ready."
"Signal coming back, 'Good Luck Captain'."
"Channel power to antigravs and main engines, double check with RAF monitoring for clear skies."
"RAF monitoring stations report clear skies, however they warn of US maintenance on satellite on other side of Earth."
"Acknowledge RAF. Let's get this bird in the air." Wynne sat back into the chair.
"Power to antigravs and main engines…we're rising…" The 'pilot' who sat to one side of him stated.
Wynne at this point wished there was a window, however that was one of the things every engineer had stated 'windows make spaceships structurally unsound'.
"Forward view."
In the place of windows two large screens dominated the front of the bridge.
"Gaining altitude, breaking atmosphere in 2 minutes…"
Wynne sat back and hoped they wouldn't fall out of the sky, most of the early EVs had some sort of aerodynamics to fall back on EV20 didn't.
It was large and blocky with three large engines at the back.
There was a rumble through the ship as the view changed from clouds to black.
"Entering high Earth Orbit."
Paul allowed himself to smile.
"Good, move us over to the moon, make sure you keep an eye on the telescope patterns."
The other huge problem was it was quite hard to hide a ship the size of EV20.
"Getting communication from base, we are go to engage hyperspacial engines. Encrypted message from UNIT moon base. No hull breaches, no damage, they are standing by with EV19."
"Good, power up all main engines put us behind the moon out of sight of anyone, then prepare to engage the hyperspacial engines."
It was a tense few minutes as everything was checked and rechecked.
"Engine room reports they're ready…"
"Well…let's give it a go then…"
As the engines engaged all power on board the ship excluding life support and most of the navigation winked out as the powerful engines engaged and the ship shot into the hyperspace window, generated and maintained by its engines.
Professor Wynne would reflect after the journey that using the engines was like being on a sinking ship during a thunderstorm generated by a blender riding a horse.
They whole ship vibrated with the engines, everything was rattling, they lost gravity during some of the flight and a lot of the lights winked out, but navigation and the engines and more importantly life support stayed on, then they emerged and the engines disengaged allowing them to look around and cheer that they hadn't died.
"So where are we?" Wynne asked walked around the bridge.
"We over shot our target according to the sensors."
"By how much?" Wynne asked a little worried.
"No more than .3 of a light year. It puts us within range of Alpha Centuri…sir…we did it…"
"We did it…" Wynne leapt out of his chair hitting the ship wide communications.
"Congratulations ladies and gentlemen we just completed the longest space flight from Earth…" He started clapping and everyone was cheering.
EV20 hung in space for a while, while the sensors gathered as much data as they could, however without a science department to analyse it that was all they could do, gather it.
"So are we able to get back to Earth? Stars are all well and good, but I'd like to stand on the ground again before I shuffle off…"
"Well there are a few planets…"
Wynne stared at him.
"On Earth then."
"Engine room is just reporting they've done a complete check, no damage…despite all the shaking, they're saying that it's just teething problems."
"Some teething problems…but we got here, now get us back…"
"Hyperspacial engines ready to engage all power ready to divert."
"Make sure we don't come in too fast…" The last thing Wynne wanted to do was come in and go splat against the Earth. That warning was in the training manual relating to course coordinates.
The ride back was just as unpleasant, this time they came in short arriving in between Uranus and Neptune.
"Congratulations to you all…we have just completed a successful flight with UNIT's…in fact Earth's largest and most capable space ship…"
There were cheers ringing out throughout the ship's small crew, and also back on Earth through out its base, Night Wolf had its first long range space craft…
