In Exchange

By Steven M. Caddy

Michael Morgan is no ordinary boy. His life is an experiment, the first boy to be raised in space. Two hundred and fifty miles above the planet’s surface, on the space station Daedalus, Michael dreams about visiting earth for the first time. On the earth below, Peter Davies dreams about going into space.

When the two meet, adventure is not far behind, as well as plenty of danger. Experiencing earth and space for the first time, the two boys discover something that will change both of their lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C.S. Woolley
• Release date: Apr 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310722967

Steven M. Caddy

Steven M. Caddy was born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, but spent most of his childhood in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Steve has always been creative, showing early talent for music and drama, before discovering the art of computer programming. Steve attended the King’s School in Grantham, where he spent most of his lunch times in the school’s library, or playing the school’s pipe organ. Steve continued his passion for the arts while studying software engineering at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. He contributed to the refurbishment of a set of local church bells, sang with the Elizabethan Madrigal Singers, and was a committed member of the team at Aberystwyth’s hospital radio station, where Steve was able to develop a taste for sports journalism. After graduating in 2001, Steve moved to Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire, where he found work as a software engineer, and still found time to play the church organ. It was while playing the church organ that Steve started to develop ideas for stories, keeping a notebook at the console to record his thoughts. In November 2011, Steve participated in National Novel Writing Month, and finally committed his random notes to the page in the form of a short novel. It was during that month he met his wife, Lorna, through their common interest in creative writing. They were married in 2014. Hobbies: playing the church organ, bell ringing, hospital radio, and square dancing. Favourite movies: Stand By Me, The Martian, Gravity. Favourite books: Harry Potter, The Fault in Our Stars, The Hunger Games. Favourite bands: The Beautiful South, Jake Bugg, Casting Crowns.

Book preview

IN

EXCHANGE

by

Steven M Caddy

Published by

Mightier Than the Sword UK

©2016

In Exchange

The Michael Morgan Books

By Steven M. Caddy

A Mightier Than the Sword UK Publication

Smashwords Edition

Copyright ©2016 Steven M. Caddy

Front cover design copyright ©2016 Amos Cassidy

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publishers.

In memory of

Professor David P. Barnes

The Michael Morgan Books

In Exchange

CONTENTS

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Acknowledgements

PROLOGUE

Control to SV9. Good de-orbit burn. You are go for service module separation, Trish.

SV9, roger separation.

Trish lifted the cover over a red button, and pressed it. The craft shuddered as the release bolts holding the service module in place detonated, ejecting the spent hardware to be burned up in the atmosphere.

SV9 to control, confirm separation, Trish radioed.

Control to SV9, confirming separation. We’re looking forward to having you back for a while.

I’m looking forward to being back, it’s been an exhausting twelve months. But I’m going to miss my baby so much.

I’m sure Andy will look after Michael just fine for a couple of weeks.

Yeah, Trish said with a sigh, I guess this is all new to everyone.

It’s an exciting new adventure in the exploration of our capabilities in space. Having a family in orbit is a great achievement.

And it’s an honour to be part of it.

Trish watched as plasma licked at the window of the return module.

Control to SV9, Trish, we don’t read your A-channel telemetry. Is the computer still functioning?

Trish looked at the instrument panel.

Everything looks normal. But I can smell something. Something like hot metal and electrics.

To Trish’s horror, the control panel erupted in a wall of flames, consuming the precious oxygen in the return module. The heat made her recoil back into the seat. She struggled with the restraint. The air in the return module became a mixture of toxic fumes. The air pressure vanished. The fire weakened hull of the tiny spacecraft was torn apart.

Mission control to SV9, UHF comm check?

Commander Richard Marcsom always looked stern, but this time Andy Morgan recognised that this was serious.

Andy, Marcsom started.

Andy knew straight away that something was wrong. Marcsom never addressed astronauts by their first name.

There has been a terrible accident.

Andy gasped.

It’s still early in the investigation, but we think that when the service module was ejected, the heat shield on the return module was damaged. There would have been nothing that could have been done.

No! Andy covered his face, tears already streaming down his cheeks.

Andy, I want you to remain calm. You need to think of your son. Everything is going to be fine-

But Trisha! I don’t want to be part of this stupid experiment anymore. Andy sobbed.

Andy-

Yeah, stay calm, Andy retorted, his sadness turning to anger, It’s alright for you. Your wife isn’t dead! I quit. Get me out of here.

CHAPTER ONE

In Orbit

A flash of light tore through a scene of ecstasy. Michael pictured himself standing on a stage with a nameless band, plucking the strings of a bass guitar as a throng of screaming, sweating teenage girls surged towards forwards. He grimaced as he fought to hold on to the image in his mind, but it was no good. He was awake. He opened his eyes to reveal his darkened surroundings.

Damned cosmic radiation, Michael thought. He often saw little dashes of light skipping across his vision, caused by high energy particles that raced through outer space. Unfortunately, this usually happened when he was having his best dreams.

Michael's life was something of an experiment because he was the first person born in space. He often fantasised about what he called Earth life. Daedalus, the space station that he called home, was very unlike Earth. Everything floated about to start with, and obtaining supplies was time consuming and expensive. Michael pushed himself over towards a control panel, and adjusted the lighting. He turned and reached out to open a window blind. The window revealed the Earth's continents speeding by at a furious pace. He pressed his nose to the window and looked at the planet, Southern Australia, with the sun setting, he said out loud, his breath fogging the window.

I thought I could hear you moving about.

Max! Michael exclaimed with a start, I didn't hear you open the hatch.

You're awake early, Max said in a casual voice, Much more awake now that you've tried to jump out of your skin like that.

Yeah, very funny. A cosmic ray got me.

Lucky you. We don't get many of those in low Earth orbit.

They always wake me up when I get to a good bit.

You remember your dream?

Yeah, I was playing bass in a band. We were on stage, in front of lots of good-looking girls.

Wow. I don't dream at all when I'm in orbit.

Really?

Max nodded.

Michael thought he knew Max well. The astronauts lived together in extremely close quarters, and didn't usually keep many secrets from each other. However, Max hadn't talked about his sleep problems in this much detail before.

I know you've been issued with sleeping tablets. Maybe they make you sleep extra deep or something, Michael said.

Maybe. Anyway, the sleep problems are why mission control won't let me do the normal six month tours up here. Not without taking a break for a couple of weeks in the middle.

But isn't that better? Michael asked, You get to bring more fresh food with you. You can also see your friends and family more often.

Max didn't say anything. Michael's words apparently hit a nerve.

Max pulled himself next to Michael, and recovered from his reverie, So what have you got scheduled for today?

I haven't checked the schedule yet, but I guess it'll be more physical exercises as usual.

Uh huh.

And it's Friday, so there'll be a conference call with the nerds at mission control.

You don't like the mission scientists, do you?

Not while they treat me like some sort of orbiting lab rat, Michael furrowed his brow, and turned to look at Max, At least you seem to understand me a bit.

Chocolate nut bar for breakfast?

Michael's sour expression melted into a wide smile, I keep telling you that you're the best. Mind if I remove the taste of last night's curry first?

Max nodded, and grabbed a hand rail to pull himself back into the core of the space station.

Michael rushed to brush his teeth, and threw his tooth-brush into a locker. With elegance learnt from years of living in micro-gravity, he pushed himself away into a forward roll, and headed over to the hatch to follow Max.

I'd close the hatch after you, Max called down the space station.

Following all the safety rules today?

No, it's just a mess in there, and I'd rather Commander Yvetts didn't see it first thing this morning.

Her lab is just as bad.

Not really. She keeps her lab tidy.

But all those rabbit posters?

Okay. Yeah. I prefer to see rabbits in a stew, not on posters.

Michael considered Max's comment about rabbit stew for a moment.

I don't think we've ever had rabbit on the station menu, Michael said.

Maybe I should suggest having it added?

Michael shrugged. Max reached into a locker, pulled out a silver wrapped package, and sent it tumbling down the space station towards Michael who gave Max a quizzical look.

Chocolate nut bar, Max confirmed.

Any of those bananas left, that Jameson smuggled aboard?

Nope. He could only hide four in his baggage.

Pity. It was one of your better ideas, asking him to bring them with him.

If Dr Kleets found out that you'd been taking on extra calories, he'd be mincing me for lunch.

Boring British bumbling-

He's still your mission doctor. He's not someone you should ignore.

Michael ripped open the package, and shoved the nut bar into his mouth.

When is everyone else due to wake up? Michael asked, still chewing.

Another hour. You woke up very early this morning.

Michael looked at his watch. 06:07.

I guess I can get started on my exercises, before everyone else gets up, Michael said.

I would. Get them in before your conference call.

Max pulled himself over to a window to admire the view while nothing else was going on.

Max, do you think it matters that I've been pushing myself a bit harder with my exercise schedule? Michael asked after a few minutes.

That sounds a bit unlike you, Max raised one of his bushy eyebrows.

Maybe, but I can't see what harm it would do to build myself up a bit.

It'd help burn off the extra calories.

Michael nodded, and pulled the exercise rack into place. He located the securing bolts, and strapped himself down for a quick thirty minute march.

Hey, could you fetch my mp3 player from my lab? It's hanging next to the sleeping rack, Michael asked Max.

I suppose. And then I could try to get a bit more sleep, since you're on top of things.

Yeah, I've done this a few thousand times now. You don't need to watch me.

Watching you exercise is like watching paint dry. Although sometimes the paint moves quicker.

Cheeky!

Max pulled himself along the space station's core towards lab four to recover Michael's small, battered mp3 player.

What are you listening to at the moment? Max enquired as he clambered his way back to Michael.

Dented Armour - the best bass lines I can find.

Max had never heard of 'Dented Armour' and decided now wasn't the time to find out. He left Michael to his exercises, and dragged himself off to his laboratory to try to get some sleep.

As Michael exercised, he listened to his music, which wasn't quite loud enough to block out the snores emanating from laboratory four. From this, Michael could deduce that Commander Alexandra Yvetts was still asleep. He gazed along the familiar layout of the space station's central core. From the galley area at the rear of Daedalus, he could see the hatches to all the laboratories, airlocks, and return or resupply modules docked to ports on the four faces of the core.

Two loud tones from the station's intercom startled Michael. He flinched, and ripped his earphones out of his ears. Alarms always made Michael rather nervous.

CHAPTER TWO

Daedalus

It took Michael a moment to realise that it was seven o'clock. The tones were nothing more than the station wake up alarm. He stuffed his earphones, which were now drifting away from him, into his back pocket. He released himself from the exercise rack, and began putting it away before the rest of the crew emerged from their quarters to go about their morning tasks. There would be an inevitable rush for breakfast that Michael was keen to avoid. He pulled himself in front of a computer screen to read his email just as the hatch to laboratory four opened.

Oh, not again! Who left the light-ah, Commander Yvetts spotted Michael, You're up early?

Flash from a cosmic ray. Michael rolled his eyes, and performed a sort of reverse nod as if to show outer space.

Yes, I've had a few of those - nothing to worry about - I don't think there's anything wrong with the station's shielding, and the Earth's magnetic field keeps the worst of it at bay.

Commander Yvetts gave her long black hair a twist, and with a large plastic clasp, gained some sort of control over it by placing it into a sort of folded pony tail.

Have you eaten yet, Michael?

Yes, I've already seen Max, but he's gone to get some more sleep.

Ha! He'll be lucky.

Michael grinned, knowing that the alarm tone would have woken Max. He turned back to read his email again, while the other crew emerged from their quarters. Eldridge and Harlow were playing a game of what looked like zero gravity sub-miniature golf with a Krispy Puff and a couple of sporks. Jameson, who was still in his first week as an astronaut, was acting as caddy.

Commander? Michael called out, The agenda for my conference call looks rather brief today.

Oh, yes. I'd forgotten about that.

Commander Yvetts nodded, but didn't say anything more.

Are you going to take part this week? Michael asked.

Oh, no, that shouldn't be necessary.

Right.

Commander Yvetts didn't always make a lot of sense. Michael was under the impression that she knew more than she let on. He decided to let it pass, and scanned down the list of email messages.

Next in Michael's inbox was what looked like a maths assignment, which seemed to have too many squiggles in it to make sense. He'd have to look at that later. There was also an electronic book that Michael had requested from the library on the history of pop music.

Michael turned his attention to an email from a class of ninth grade students who wanted to know what puking in space was like. He tried to think of a more interesting answer than 'messy'. That one was going to have to wait until he felt more inspired to write about vomit.

Michael spotted a message from a Welsh boy called Peter, who asked which man-made objects could be seen from orbit, and if it would be possible for Michael to photograph them. This sounded like a reasonable way to kill some time. Michael hadn't used the station's cameras very much, and he thought it would be a good opportunity to improve his photography skills.

Anything interesting?

Once again, Michael jumped, and then scowled, Max. Stop doing that.

Second time today-

And it's getting annoying.

Heh, sorry, it's just so easy to make you jump like that. Anyway, what have you got in your inbox?

Email.

Obviously.

Usual sort of stuff. A scanned book to read, a maths assignment, and a very short agenda for this week's teleconference, Michael dropped his voice to a whisper, And I think she knows something about it.

Michael nodded towards Commander Yvetts, who was sucking on a carton of fruit juice, while looking at