Tonight we begin Part Four: Heroes and Scapegoats. We've already heard how the Santa Maria is preparing for its return to Earth. However there's an important first step before they can begin their journey home. In orbit around Kapteyn B is a message pod which they must retrieve. Within lies their orders, as well as some exciting news from Space Programme.
A massive supply ship called the Nautilus is now racing toward them. Equipped with "Alcubierre Warp Drive" technology it is capable of traveling at ten times the speed of light; meaning it will reach Kapteyn B, resupply the colony, then turn back toward Earth, intercepting them mid-flight. It is so large that Santa Maria can fit inside the ship's cargo bay. Once accomplished, the two ships can return home in a matter of months instead of years.
That's the plan, anyway.
Tonight we begin Part Four: Heroes and Scapegoats. We've already heard how the Santa Maria is preparing for its return to Earth. However there's an important first step before they can begin their journey home. In orbit around Kapteyn B is a message pod which they must retrieve. Within lies their orders, as well as some exciting news from Space Programme.
A massive supply ship called the Nautilus is now racing toward them. Equipped with "Alcubierre Warp Drive" technology it is capable of traveling at ten times the speed of light; meaning it will reach Kapteyn B, resupply the colony, then turn back toward Earth, intercepting them mid-flight. It is so large that Santa Maria can fit inside the ship's cargo bay. Once accomplished, the two ships can return home in a matter of months instead of years.
That's the plan, anyway.
Hello, and welcome back to Twin Paradox. I'm King Everett Medlin and what you're hearing is a SciFi trilogy I wrote four years ago under the pseudonym Purple Hazel. Twin Paradox follows my first podcast series entitled Deathwalker Colony, which is now a full length novel available for purchase on Amazon. Go online and check it out! It's on sale today in E-book format, as well as the first two books in the Rijel 12 Series, The Rise of New Australia and Return of Anarchy.
Tonight we begin Part Four, Heroes and Scapegoats. We've heard how the Santa Maria is preparing for its return to Earth. However there's an important first step before they can begin their journey home. In orbit around Kapteyn B is a message pod which they must retrieve. Therein lies their orders, as well as some exciting news from Space Programme.
Twin Paradox is a SciFi series encompassing three full length novels; all of which will be read in their entirety during the coming weeks. You can go online and download the E-books ... or if you prefer, tune in and listen to me read them to you.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Twin Paradox, Part Four: Heroes and Scapegoats. Chapter Sixteen, Year Fifteen ....
Prior to the Santa Maria departing for Earth, the ship spent a day circling the planet searching for something very important. There was still one remaining order of business and acting Captain Stehter knew he must remain in orbit until it was resolved. One more thing to do before they left; and it was vital to the fate of both his own ship as well as the colonists down on the surface.
Something was supposed to be out there, floating in Kapteyn B’s orbit. He and his staff on the command bridge scoured the area. It most certainly had to be there - that had been the original plan - and even though what they were searching for was no bigger than a riding lawn mower, it simply had to be found before they departed.
It took quite a while; but after many hours they succeeded. A message pod containing important information from Earth was detected; and by then the crew were speculating that what it contained was just what they’d been waiting to hear ever since landing on Kapteyn B. The Santa Maria sent out astronauts wearing pressure suits and jet packs, including Ozzie Guerrero and a team of his colleagues, to retrieve it. They then brought it into the cargo bay before unsealing and removing its contents. It was actually a computer filled with data, including messages from family members for the crew and further orders for the captain and his staff. Captain Stehter was on scene within moments of the retrieval. Came down from the command bridge the minute he’d heard the device had been secured. By the time he arrived, it had already been opened. The crew were merely waiting for him to give the order to activate the mechanism; and when he walked into the area, the crew backed away. Realizing the hard part had already been accomplished, he gave a swirling motion with his right index finger to indicate they may proceed.
“Volle pulle!” he began in German, “Let her rip.”
They happily obliged. Upon loading the first of the computer files, Santa Maria’s captain - along with the small crowd forming around him - were able to learn of Earth’s progress over the past 15 years.
“Congratulations to the crew and captain of Earth ship Santa Maria,” began the communiqué. It was a young female’s voice with a charming French accent. “We at Space Programme hope this message is reaching you in favorable circumstances.” After that it detailed what the crew had missed out on since embarking on their historic mission to Kapteyn B.
“The remainder of this broadcast is organized into several key sections,” continued the pretty voice, “some of which are classified ... for the exclusive viewing of the acting captain and his or her first officer. A security code for accessing this information may be found in your ship’s computer.”
Steinhart knew of this code and how to find it, but allowed the broadcast to continue as crewmen like Ozzie Guerrero stood around, wide-eyed with excitement over the significance of the moment. They circled about, listening to the recording, straining their necks to get a look at the tiny screen which activated when flipped open by the captain.
“But first … please share with everyone onboard a quick review of major world events since you’ve been gone,” the voice went on to say. By then an even bigger crowd had gathered as several more crew members made their way down to the cargo bay. Young-Min Jo arrived, joining the throng, and stood with Ozzie as the recording progressed. Now great friends with his fellow Junior Grade Lieutenant, Ozzie put his arm around his buddy’s shoulder like they were two old teammates.
“You will find that a lot has been going on in your absence. Please enjoy the latest international news recorded for you as of the date of this transmission. Then, when you are ready, you may proceed to Section One to learn about plans for our newest ship currently in production on Lunar Base Alpha ….”
There was a lot to catch up on! History had been made in applied sciences, leading to the development of newer, more advanced industrial technologies. There’d been advancements in pharmaceuticals, including “wonder drugs” coming out of North America from cutting edge biotech firms like “Min-Pharma”, as well as in the groundbreaking field of marine agriculture. Many among the crew were fascinated with this part especially, wondering if any of their old pals from college may have been involved with any of these breakthroughs. And yet, much of Earth history during the past decade and a half seemed pretty much the same old boring news. Conflicts had arisen in several African nations due to ongoing problems with drought and famine. This had led to the forced migration of millions of people. The GU had recently threatened economic sanctions against a number of Arab nations for repeated human rights violations against women. Much the same as always, really. The usual problems one could expect from the usual places.
And there was more ... much more.
In popular music, the year 2100 (the year the pod had been launched) had seen the latest chart-busting sensation from England, Rudo Love, dominate the macronet with her smash hit "Kiss Kiss Love”. In sports, the Premier League had crowned Leicester City champions of English football for the first time since 2016; and in Megaball, the Dallas “Wranglers”, led by star Center Back Ranger Guerrero, had won its third world championship in the past five years, defeating the Yokohama “Bay Stars” 24-7.
But what it detailed next was truly what they’d been hoping for – ever since arriving in orbit a year earlier. Back on Earth, developments in aerospace engineering had been progressing at a feverish pace since the Santa Maria had departed. What it led to was the creation of a space exploration vessel roughly four times the size of Santa Maria and capable of technological feats people could once only dream of ten years prior. It was to be called Nautilus and according to the charming spokesperson, it was already nearing completion by the time the message pod had been sent from Earth.
"The Nautilus," said the spokesperson, "is to be the crowning achievement of Space Programme design teams and engineers. Fitted with Alcubierre Drive technology, this will enable Nautilus to travel at roughly ten times the speed of light. Also known as “Warp Drive”, it will essentially stretch space time into a wave, causing the fabric of space ahead of the craft to contract and the space behind it to expand. Accomplishing this, the ship will simply “ride the wave” in order to accelerate to incredibly high speeds."
The message pod even contained plans for Nautilus, detailed its crew complement, described its capacity for storage as well as housing for passengers, and its expansive cargo bay which was large enough to fit the entire Santa Maria within its confines. It was so tremendously large in fact, the entire project had to be completed outside Earth's orbit. The Earth’s moon had to be utilized as a base with materials ferried back and forth. Similar to Santa Maria, the crew had already been selected far in advance and was stationed on the moon during the final phase of assembly. Space Programme had been working on it for over ten years, the recording went on to say. This was precisely what they'd been hoping to hear.
During its journey to Planet B, Santa Maria had been sending its own messages back to Earth of course. These contained regular updates on the progress the crew was making setting up the long line of non-baryonic matter pods all the way out to Kapteyn B … across 12.8 light years … across trillions of kilometers. Back in Darmstadt, based on calculations of Santa Maria’s progress, Space Programme had determined that launching this particular message pod six months prior to the mother ship’s anticipated arrival date would mean it would get there in time for them to receive it before attempting a return to Earth. This required firing the message pod and timing it to arrive in orbit right before Santa Maria took off from the surface. It would thus avoid any collision since the message pod would travel to Planet B’s orbit in 1.28 Earth years - roughly fifteen months and ten days. Santa Maria would have already landed on the surface by then. The message pod would remain in orbit until Santa Maria blasted off from the surface, shortly after completing the founding of the colony.
It worked. Just like Santa Maria’s crew and captains had been told to expect fourteen years prior (fourteen years and eighty-one days to be exact), they could expect a special message from home floating in orbit. After they’d completed their experiments and fitted out an irrigation system as well as building an agricultural complex for the colonists to create their own food supply, they could anticipate finding this tiny unmanned vessel containing their next set of orders. That’s precisely what they were viewing today.
"And that's precisely what is coming your way, right as you are listening to this transmission," assured the spokesperson.
Then came the really good part: interception and retrieval! That’s what everyone was dying to find out because for many years they'd been hoping against hope that Space Programme would create an ADM-capable ship that might be able to scoop them up on the way back to Earth, saving them having to endure the full fourteen plus years trying to get home. That’s what came next. According to information provided in the communiqué, the entire crew – the entire ship in fact - could expect retrieval on the 1st of September, 2106. The Santa Maria would travel 3.9 light years toward Earth and find the Nautilus appearing on or about that date, floating in space and anticipating their arrival. Beyond that the rest was simple. Parts of the Santa Maria would be cut away or jettisoned, then the Nautilus’s cargo bay; having been emptied months before of its supplies and material intended for the colony on Kapteyn B, would “swallow them up” and carry them all the way home ... in a little over ten and a half months (10 months and 16 days).
"You will be landing on Earth in July 2107, according to our calculations," concluded the woman. If so, that was nine years ahead of schedule.
Captain Stehter quickly called a meeting with the rest of the crew; those who could attend that is. By now the frozen bodies of 98 crewmen, including both Lt. Kelvin and Captain Berwick, were in suspended animation inside cryogenic containers on the other side of the ship. Stored in their stasis machines, hung upside down so that their brains would be best preserved, they were left hanging there gazing out through bluish colored fluid while the rest of the staff received the great news. The rest of the ship’s complement, all fifty or so crewmembers (plus of course the three twins Ozzie, Shamiso, and Young-Min Jo) were brought together for the hastily-called assembly.
All but one, that is.
One crewmember was left behind to watch over the “cryo-lab” and that was B.J. She’d already deduced what the ruckus was about, and shooed the other girls out after putting on her bio suit to enter the area. Cheerful as always, she let them know it was alright to leave their post.
“Alright, ladies. You heard the announcement. It’s okay … you gals go ahead ‘n go. I’ll handle things. Go hear what the captain has to say,” she urged them, and as the girls rushed out the door into the hallway; stripping out of booties and headgear, she sat back on one of the therapy beds which had been left over from a year earlier. Finding herself alone, she looked up at all the bodies hanging upside down in their stasis machines. It was creepy being there all by herself. She addressed them as though they were alive ... which technically they were not.
“Well folks, I guess that’s the news we’ve all been waiting for. Just like we've been hopin'. Most of y’all are gonna be in your early thirties when we wake you up – while all yer ex-girlfriends and boyfriends from college ‘ll be in their mid-forties. How do ya’ like that? Kinda fucked up, huh?” She paused a moment, then joked, “Stunned silence I see … oh well … I guess I can’t please everybody, can I now? Anyway, the point is you'll still be young and beautiful.”
And that was just about correct - assuming things went according to plan that is. Any of those on the Away Team who’d been 25 or 28 when they’d left Earth, would have aged only about 8 years – while their friends and former lovers back home would be much older. On paper they'd be 42 / 45 years of age, yet they'd look and feel like they were thirty-two. It was as simple as linking up with the relief ship on its way back from Kapteyn B and hitching a ride home. Only there was a little more to it than that.
A successful rendezvous with the Nautilus would be tricky at best because the Santa Maria, using Star Shot technology, traveled at 90% the speed of light. For it to move that fast, it had to be “shot” into space and could not slow itself or regulate its speed until it reached its destination. It could steer, but could not stop and then restart itself without the aid of a laser fired into its solar mirrors. By way of comparison, the more advanced Nautilus could both start and stop. It merely had to program into its computer a destination point, then activate its “warp drive” for the journey. That’s why everyone was so excited during Captain Stehter’s speech over in the cargo bay – even though he, as the man ultimately responsible for getting them home alive, tried not to get their hopes up.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am both pleased as well as proud to announce that we can expect a speedy return to Earth – especially when compared to our comrades over in the stasis chamber who bravely journeyed to this planet for over fourteen long years in space. It would appear that our friends back on Earth have come through for us by constructing a new vessel which will link up with our ship in only about four light years during our trip home. After that rendezvous, which we’ve all been anticipating I’m sure, we could – and I hasten to emphasize this is merely a projection mind you – but we very well could be arriving home within a mere ten and a half months following interception.”
To this he received whoops and hollers from the mostly female Return Team. He was not surprised. In the absence of this proposed “retrieval” it would take another 10 years to get home. Thus, he fully anticipated a positive reaction – even if he felt compelled to give them a stern warning. Discipline on board would continue to be enforced. Expectations of their conduct during this comparatively short four-year flight and projected rendezvous date would be exactly the same as standards imposed and enforced by his predecessor Tommy Berwick.
“Please understand however, I will demand the highest state of readiness and professionalism onboard at all times. Let us not let our guard down. Never diminish our commitment to our duties. Keep in mind that this is only an educated guess and a working theory proposed by very capable individuals using the most advanced technology our species has developed.”
He then looked around and made eye contact with a few of the excited faces in the crowd.
“In our absence, science has progressed to the point that the propulsion system on this great ship is obsolete. However, and once again I must point this out, the chances of a successful rendezvous are not one hundred percent. We must prepare for setbacks. That’s why Space Programme chose you all in the first place, because you were the best our planet had to offer.”
He smiled for a moment to let them appreciate the compliment he’d just paid them.
“We will continue doing our duty each and every day, as long as it takes, so to return, alive and well, to our friends, families, and loved ones ... back to our homelands. Having said that, you must all be reminded that space is still and always will be a very vast and dangerous place. Never underestimate it. Just like our ancestors thousands of years ago conquering the sea, we must prepare ourselves for the unplanned - and plan for the unexpected. No plan is perfect I can assure you - not with all the variables we have to face as explorers of the galaxy. Please keep this in mind. That is all.”
Of course the crew did little to try and “keep this in mind” after such a stirring speech. They only heard "FOUR YEARS". Four years killing time onboard the Santa Maria, plus 10 months to get back home after interception; after that they blocked out the rest. No one would even consider the alternatives. That joyful day was not to be derailed by any other way of seeing things. Steinhart’s warnings to temper their expectations were largely ignored, even by B.J., whom the captain was quick to lecture to later when she expressed excitement over the fabulous news.
"Four years on this crate; then we're headin' home in the express lane ... woo-hoo!" she exclaimed.
“Now don’t get too excited my darling,” he warned her, “There is no guarantee they’ll find us … no assurances they can keep these timetables they’re projecting.”
He then sighed, adding “Of course I had to tell them it was a possibility, yes. But I personally foresee many difficulties.” B.J. couldn’t possibly grasp what he was so worried about. Wondered why he was trying to downplay the great news.
“But it’s simple ain’t it Schnucki? We just travel at near-light speed until we reach the rendezvous point, and they’ll be there waitin’ for us, won’t they?” Steinhart could only shake his head.
“No Darling, nothing is simple when it comes to space,” he replied patiently. “Everything is theoretical until it’s been done successfully; and even if it works, the most you can ever claim, with any degree of confidence, is that it was merely good fortune. That’s why sailors on the sea were always so superstitious in ancient times.”
B.J. wouldn’t hear of it. In her mind, humans had developed technologies that resolved guesswork and had long abandoned foolish beliefs in things such as angry gods, sea monsters, or for that matter, dumb luck. As far as she was concerned, all theories and projections had been confirmed, reconfirmed, and sewed up "tight as a tick" by now. Folks back at Space Programme would have taken into consideration every possible setback or challenge. Anything and everything must have been contemplated before projecting that rendezvous date:
"Granted! But ancient sea mariners sailing the oceans of Earth never had computers, did they?"
In her mind that date mentioned in the communiqué from Space Programme was all but guaranteed. She and Steinhart would return to Earth still young, virile, and healthy – with many long years to spend together as husband and wife. There was no convincing her otherwise.
This concludes tonight's podcast of Twin Paradox, Chapter Sixteen: Year Fifteen. I hope you enjoyed it. Watch for episode seventeen; which I'll be posting very soon.
Also, and don't forget, my latest full-length novel ... Deathwalker Colony ... is available right now in E-book format and can be downloaded today on Amazon.com ... along with the first two books in the Rijel 12 Series, The Rise of New Australia and Return of Anarchy. A link to these can be found in the transcript for this episode. Go online and check 'em out!
I'm King Everett Medlin. Thanks for tuning in.
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