9-27-2008
17:54 hours, EST
Main Conference Room
Jesse is sitting at the head of the table, reading some reports as to the ship's readiness. He seems concentrated over one particular report when several people walk in.
Jesse smiles a bit as Aaron and Amelia are among the first to walk in.
"Please, everyone, sit, while I put together my agenda for the meeting."
The indicated people take a seat, with Aaron on Jesse's right, Amelia on Aaron's right, and the other people who had come in with him scattered along the length of the table itself.
A group of about 30 people trickle in during the next few minutes as Jesse finishes up. The people who had already arrived are talking to each other. A couple are standing looking at the nearly room-length portal to space, which shows Earth to the right, and in the distance Luna, which seems to be coming up over the horizon. Most of the rest of the people are settling in, and are anxiously awaiting for the meeting to start.
A chime indicating that it is 18:00 hours is heard, and Jesse stands up, pressing a button on the portable system that was previously hidden by a pile of papers, speaking in a calm, clear voice: "May I have everyone's attention, please?"
The people talking suddenly stop and turn their heads in Jesse's direction and the people admiring the view then quickly slide into their seats, and do the same.
Jesse nods. "Thank you." He touches another button on the portable system and his voice, while reduced in general volume, is still able to be heard throughout the room. "Now I have gathered everyone here, command crew and main family heads alike, to brief you on the ship's capabilities. This public record will be made available for review in Audio/Visual mode and text alike later."
Jesse proceeds to brief them on the ship they are all on. "To put it simply, this is a colony ship, and if it needs be, a generational ship. Which means that if the journey takes too long, we will have to show our own descendants how to maintain and run this ship. Now, I am aware that you know that FTL systems exist with communications and with space-probe's drives. What you may not know is this"
Jesse taps a display on the portable system, and a widescreen digital screen appears from a wall panel. It lights up showing a length-wise diagram of the ship, with several points indicated in bright yellow.
Several of the command crew stands up, as do some of the family heads.
The chief engineer of the Charm City then speaks by saying, "I never knew we had this system on board, and I've been up here since the ship became air-tight. Are you saying that we have a"
Jesse nods. "Yes, a prototype for our own faster-than-light drive onboard.
A much larger version of the ones onboard the probes. Estimated speed when active will be approximately 60 light-years an hour. And the reason that no-one until today save me, my exec, and a lot of creative scientists on Earth know is that we did not want the ship to be sabotaged by terrorists. Remember when they tried to sabotage the first FTL probe from our solar system"
Most of the civilians sit down, while the chief engineer nods along with everyone else while he is standing. -Of course we know,- said chief engineer thinks. -Such a course of action prompted us to raise security, and urge us to find the rapid-construction shipyards in the Bermuda triange and bring back construction kits found there. That and the discoveries in Atlantis itself when it was found produced a unity almost unheard of.- The engineer sighs. -A pity several thousand people paid for it with their lives though. Maybe we can do something about that-
Jesse continues. "I must note that this FTL system onboard the ship is rather experimental, and as such we will only activate it when we exit the system, for an enormous time savings on our journey. The rest will be done on sublight engines. Other than for the inital use, the FTL bend-wave drive will only be used in emergencies"
Jesse's voice tone changes slowly. "We will also be joined shortly by some of the scientists who understand the FTL drive on our ship. They will be arriving shortly. Also, we will launch in four days time, so anything you wish to bring up from Earth, had better be done before then, because we will not likely come back." He taps something, and the digital screen changes to what appears to be a local' starmap, with green indicating the Sol system, and a bright blue indicating their destination. "Our destination is here." At his words, the bright blue destination flashes. "A K6 star system approximately 619.8 light-years from Earth. FTL probes reaching out this far have detected that there are 12 planets in the system. The fourth is an Earth-like planet,
with 4 moons, three of which are habitable. The planet itself has an estimated gravity of 1.01 G's, average temperature is a bit warmer, at 59 degrees Farenheit, or about 15 Centigrade. From visual pictures, the planet itself has 40 percent land, 50 percent water, 10 percent ice, and has a visual tilt of approximately 20.4 degrees from center. A quick density scan shows it to be a excellent source of materials to start a new civilization"
Jesse breathes in a moment before continuing. "The planet's measurable day is 26 hours, and it's orbital period is 372 local days, which makes it's year if measured by Earth's standard about 38 days longer. It's diameter is 12000 miles"
A family head raises his hand. "How come we didn't see this star earlier"
Jesse looks at the person in question and says, "I believe I was told that another star was in front' of it, effectively eclipsing it from view. That and the star's relative dimness kept it from being seen from Earth"
Another clan head raises his hand. "Have they named the star system"
This time, Aaron responds. "I believe they have. Since it was an American stellar probe that found it, it was named after the first astronaut on the moon, Neil Armstrong. So, the Armstrong system, with Armstrong IV being named Eagle Prime, appropriately, after the command module of Apollo 11. The habitable moons are the first or last names of the astronauts of said mission.
Neil, Collins, and Aldrin. The remaining moon has been named Eaglet, strangely enough"
A round of chuckles is heard. Jesse then makes a motion, and the chuckling slowly stops. "Thank you. Now to other matters. We need to draw up a consitution and have it sent down to Earth sometime in the next few weeks.
I know that most of the families here are from countries that have or had monarchs, however I will leave it up to you if you wish either a full democracy, or a consituional monarch. And if I may offer a suggestion? Don't put micromanagement in the consitution. Our governments eventually did that by passing so many laws that one couldn't breathe without breaking some law or another. We have a chance here to begin anew here, ladies and gentlemen.
Let's make sure history doesn't repeat itself. And let's take some lessons from Star Trek and boldly go where no one has gone before"
One of the family heads start clapping, then several more, eventually the whole conference room is clapping.
After the crew and family heads arrange another meeting to establish a colonial consitution, they break up the meeting and head back to their respective quarters.
10-1-2008
11:57 hours Eastern Standard Time
Main Bridge
Everyone is in their jumpsuits bustling around, checking things at the last minute. Aaron is checking over his console which is to the right and just behind Jesse's command chair. Cecilia is sitting on Jesse's left and has a chair in similar position to Aaron's.
Jesse himself is busy looking over last minute reports when one of the bend-wave drive specialists come in front of him.
"Sir," he interrupts, "all FTL systems check out. We are ready to engage whenever you are ready." A shout from the chief engineer says that everyone and everything is accounted for and ready.
Jesse looks up from the report and nods. "Thank you, James," he says as said specialist disappears. He hits a button on the arm of his chair, which activates the inter-ship PA system. "All hands, this is the captain. Stand by for launch in 2 minutes." He turns his head towards communications. "Get me Houston launch control."
Amelia, the person manning the comm nods as the connection is made. "You're on"
"Houston, this is the Charm City, requesting launch clearance from Earth orbit," Jesse says in a calm, but steady voice.
The overhead speakers then open up. "Charm City, this is Houston. You are cleared to break orbit in T minus 90 seconds."
Jesse smiles a bit and replies back with, "Thank you Houston. Now let's see what's out there." He hits the comm cut-off button. "All hands: may the wind be at our backs. Stations, please."
Everybody rushes to a chair on the bridge or elsewhere as the case may well be. Jesse then says in Amelia's direction, "Make sure to receive the time tick from Houston"
Amelia nods. "T minus 60 seconds... mark."
As the countdown is announced, Jesse says, "Engineer, power engines for launch"
The chief engineer nods as he types in a couple of commands. A moment later, a slight hum can be heard indicating various components powering up for the flight. "Engines and force fields powered up and ready. Standing by on sublight"
T minus 15... 14... 13
Jesse clinches his hands on the arms of his command chair. -This is it.
After this, there is no turning back. I've awaited this sort of moment for almost twenty years.- He smiles quickly as a memory comes back to him. -And it doesn't hurt if I have seen the possibility of that hope... the space shuttle-
T minus 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5...
Jesse says out loud, "Set course for the Armstrong star system, best sublight speed until we are clear of the system, then engage bend-wave drive"
3... 2... 1... launch!
Music Theme: Star Trek: The Motion Picture -- Leaving Drydock
Outside in orbit, just as it counts down to zero, the enormous engines on the Charm City engage, and the ship moves under it's own power for the first time, albeit at a slow pace to avoid the space station and satellites in orbit around the planet.
On the bridge, the navigator calls out, "We have cleared orbit, will pass the moon in thirty seconds"
Jesse smiles. "Get a good look now everyone, it's the last time you will see it, quite possibly for the rest of our lives."
As the ship passes by the moon, the Earth appears just above the passing ship, followed quietly by the sun. A few of the crewmembers and quite a bit of the families take pictures of the majestic sight that befalls them.
The chief engineer says, "We will reach our maximum velocity of 25 percent of light speed in 20 minutes"
Jesse then says into the announcer, "A beautiful launch, ladies and gentlemen. We are now underway. I have never been more happy than to have a launch quite like that. Check over systems and prepare to engage bend-wave in one day's time.1" The chief engineer then looks at Jesse and nods. "Captain out." He hits the off switch for the PA system.
Cecilia smiles a bit as several pictures come up on her screen. "Well, I think I would have to agree on the launch being beautiful. Several people sent digital picture shots of our departure."
Jesse smiles and looks to his left. "That is nice. Send me copies, along with anyone else who is interested." Cecilia nods as she does so.
Jesse looks up front. "Alright everyone, that was a beautiful launch. Now I wish to inspect and tour the ship for myself. Aaron, you have the conn." He then gets up from his command chair and walks to the bridge exit and leaves.
1 At .25c (25 percent light speed), this is to pass beyond Pluto's orbit from the sun, which is about 5 and a half hours from the sun at light speed.
My apologies for taking this long just to update, but given my real life schedule of late, I have not been able to until more recently to update this.
Please let me know what you think!