Leaving Blue 5.1

By Thadd Evans

Captain Frim and the crew aboard Exp 1, a starship that is on an exploratory mission, headed for the planet D36, must take an alternate route and land on E4, a planet where a race of beings called the Reen live because the crew is running out of food.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: Dec 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781771117227

Book preview

A journey to the stars.

Captain Frim and the crew aboard Exp 1, a starship that is on an exploratory mission, headed for the planet D36, must take an alternate route and land on E4, a planet where a race of beings called the Reen live because the crew is running out of food.

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Leaving Blue 5.1

Copyright © 2013 Thadd Evans

ISBN: 978-1-77111-722-

Cover art by ARTIST

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Devine Destinies

An imprint of eXtasy Books

Look for us online at:

www.devinedestinies.com

Smashwords Edition

Leaving Blue 5.1

By

Thadd Evans

To Michael Crichton

This is the first scientific expedition to go beyond Alpha Centauri A, a main sequence star, the one our home planet, Blue 5.1, orbits.

Captain Greg Frim

Chapter One

Exp One

It was the year 1501. We had orders to take our star ship, Exp One, on a scientific expedition, bound for a planet named D36. EMPE, the Executive Management branch of Physicists and Engineers and the global government agency that had sent us on this mission, had instructed me alone to open a top secret manila envelope when our ship drew close to D36.

Although EMPE had given us an adequate food and water supplies, there wasn’t much left, because we had taken longer routes, safer ones.

Our navigator, an astrophysicist named Dr. Thomas Harn, and his assistant, Dr. Jen Emen, an astronomer, had been studying this planetary system, trying to find a main-sequence star, because in many cases habitable planets orbited this type of celestial body. Within the last four days, after decelerating, we were closer to a world named E4.

Before going into its orbit, Exp One would pass two moons, then inspect a four-hundred-foot-diameter indigo ship. Although that vessel hadn’t responded to our messages, if anyone was aboard, they might share food.

On my vtp—a a cell phone-like voice, texting, video portable communicator—Steve’s, Lisa’s, Bette’s, Wanda’s, Roger’s, Larry’s and Seth’s names enlarged. In the last three hours, none of them had responded to my emails. Something was wrong.

I spoke into my vtp, telling Thomas about the fact that they weren’t paying attention to my recent messages.

His face appeared on the device. He blinked. Understood. An hour ago, I sent emails to Susan, Rita and Marie. But they haven’t replied. Perhaps they’re too busy.

Meet me in Steve’s room in ten minutes. We need to get to the bottom of this.

Will do.

I thought about Susan, a Microbiologist. Because of my busy schedule, we rarely spoke.

About two weeks ago, for the first time in months, Rita, a Software Engineer, a woman who was well versed in using strange attractor formation in G forces to create star charts, spoke to me about several galactic maps. Although I wanted to talk to her more often, both of us had too much to do.

I entered Steve’s room. I picked up a piece of paper next to a monitor.

I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to jump out of the escape hatch.

Steve.

Thomas walked in. He was five feet eleven inches, muscular, with sharp features and deep-set blue eyes. Although he listened carefully, he always looked threatening because he always had a serious expression on his face. His specialty was using neutrino density around Alpha Centauri A and other stars to create galactic maps. According to his studies, using neutrinos, a ghostly particle, was only one way of getting results.

Look at this note. I handed it to him.

Trouble. He frowned.

Are there any records that show if Steve actually did this?

I’m not aware of any. According to Mary, he was depressed. As you know, Exp One may not make it to D thirty-six. As a result, everyone aboard is far more depressed than any of us anticipated. Despite the fact that the crew has been trained, everyone has their breaking point.

Understood. Did she tell you anything else about Steve crawling into the hatch?

"Yes. She never actually saw him climb inside it. However, she mentioned that he complained about being lonely.

According to these video records, there’s no sign of him crawling out of any escape hatches. I’ll keep looking, Thomas said, unperturbed.

A new email from Sam scrolled across my vtp.

Greg-

I want to see you immediately.

I responded, telling her that she should come to my office in a few minutes.

Thomas, assuming that everyone else is like Steve is a bad idea.

I agree. I’ll go back to room N fifteen, search the database. Perhaps I can find out what happened to the other missing crew.

Let’s have a meeting in twenty-five minutes. Except for Alan and UE, everyone will attend. It’s important that we get more information.

See you then. I’ll spread the word. He left.

Alan’s face scrolled across my vtp. He