Flipspace: When It Rains

By John Steiner

Only 42 light-years away, the exo-solar planet, Henry Draper 40307G, has yet to be visited by humanity. That changes, when the Mockingbird arrives with an astronomical survey team. Deploying probes and deep space telescopes, the science team stumbles upon intelligent aliens on sixth planet. Colonel Rama orders the crew onto alert. Captain O’Connell and his Seti team, clash with ISO scientists while studying the surface life. The crew is shocked again, when a derelict spacecraft is found in a Lagrangian Point beyond the planet’s moon. How many S.E.T.I. encounters they face is uncertain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melange Books, LLC
• Release date: Jun 19, 2014
• ISBN: 9781612359281

John Steiner

John Steiner earned his Associate of Biology at Salt Lake Community College, where he is currently working as a tutor in math and chemistry. He exercises an avid interest in history, science, philosophy, mythology, martial arts as well as military tactics and technology.

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Flipspace:

When It Rains

by John Steiner

Published by

Melange Books, LLC

White Bear Lake, MN 55110

www.melange-books.com

When It Rains, Copyright 2014 John Steiner

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ISBN: 978-1-61235-928-1

Names, characters, and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States of America.

Cover Design by Becca Barnes

Table of Contents

When It Rains

Chapter 1: A Fine First

Chapter 2: Life Boat

Chapter 3: What If

Chapter 4: Trivium

Chapter 5: Unusual Freakish Oddity

Chapter 6: Bridgework

Chapter 7: Never the Same

S.E.T.I. Protocols

Spectres

About the Author

Previews

WHEN IT RAINS

by John Steiner

Only 42 light-years away, the exo-solar planet, Henry Draper 40307G, has yet to be visited by humanity. That changes, when the Mockingbird arrives with an astronomical survey team. Deploying probes and deep space telescopes, the science team stumbles upon intelligent aliens on sixth planet. Colonel Rama orders the crew onto alert. Captain O’Connell and his Seti team, clash with ISO scientists while studying the surface life. The crew is shocked again, when a derelict spacecraft is found in a Lagrangian Point beyond the planet’s moon. How many S.E.T.I. encounters they face is uncertain.

Chapter 1

A Fine First

Out of empty space grew a blue and white speck that blossomed into a Flipspace-capable Raven class Intra-System Vessel. The ship flipped from Sol forty-two light years away. For the first time, the ISS Mockingbird wasn’t following up on mission targets of the ISS Astraeus.

Colonel Ramachandra struggled to leash her excitement when briefing her crew. The mission was to a star never before visited, Henry Draper 40307. Around it, six super Earths closely circled, the outermost holding an eccentric orbit within the K-type star’s habitable zone.

That would be just the start of breathtaking discoveries.

* * * *

Ops to OCS, geo-stat orbital insertion now, the Operations officer announced.

Copy, Rama answered, and then addressed the chocolate-toned woman at Station Four. Dr. Perry, when we’re in orbit, coordinate with Weapons for satellite launches, but hold off deploying surface rovers. We need a preliminary read of what’s down there first.

Prior to leaving Earth, the Mockingbird had undergone re-modulation again, and taken on a five-member survey team from the International Space Organization. The left of two major spaces in the front half of the diamond shaped main hull concealed an array of instrumentation and sensors along with an observatory station. The Raven’s liquiplastic nano-scaffolding armor receded in a patch to reveal the array of high power instruments and sensors. The space to the right, similar in size to that of the left, housed labs for the survey team’s analysis on samples and other work without crowding regular crew.

Understood, Janice Perry responded. Weapons, open Launch Bays Three and Four and run diagnostics. Then plot solutions for polar orbiter, GPS deployment vehicle, and telescope sats.

Roger that, Station Four.

Altogether four launches took place. Two satellites burned for Lagrangian orbits outside the two larger moons, and the set of rings maintained by the gravity of those moons’ orbits. Albedo from Planet G wouldn’t interfere with their observations. The telescopes also would avoid collisions with ring debris. A new generation GPS system, deployed from a single launch, established itself in half the time of previous designs. In three hours, they had established a remote orbital presence. Over the following day, the polar orbiter mapped the entire planet. It also took XD video of the surface and plotted cursory weather projections. The findings caused shouts of jubilation from the labs.

When Colonel Rama entered main lab, which branched off to two others, she saw Perry’s team gathered around a central display table. The projection showed mostly dry terrain and, as Sumitra reminded herself of how sharp her augmented eyes were, complex flora and fauna.

Atmospheric pressure’s over twice that of Earth at sea level, one of them said. The composition’s so close people could go down there without suits if necessary.

I wouldn’t have expected to see life forms with that size on a super Earth, spoke another.

It could be that the high O two content allows for stronger collagen, the first speculated.

Congratulations, Dr. Perry, Rama said, as she maneuvered to the table.

This isn’t just any find, Kenji Kimura said through a broad grin. Look here.

The Japanese topographer and geologist worked projected control icons to zoom into a particular spot. He looked to Rama as she stared at the scene of several similar appearing animals clustered together. However, the smoldering campfire site froze her in place.

Maggie, take us to Threatcon Alpha and have CIC log any and all signals detected, Rama ordered. Captain O’Connell, Mr. Goddard, and Mr. Ash, come to the lab module please.

Kenji’s face soured at hearing the fight surgeon’s name. In contrast, Perry brightened.

"Excuse me,