The Quest for Light Speed

By Bob Winter and Penny Winter

Mankind will eventually travel around the universe at speeds exceeding the speed of light. When will that happen? Who will build the first ship? How will it operate? And what will we find once we are able to travel beyond our solar system?

L.S. 1, The Quest for Light Speed, is a lighthearted fictional look into the future often filled with edge of your seat situations and heart-warming emotions. The story centers around a loose knit family most of whom are connected in some way to the International Navy that is charged with regulating space travel. L.S. 1 follows the family members as they work through their personal life problems and tracks their fates as they each contribute to the development and piloting of the first functional light speed vehicle.

What they find beyond our solar system is pure fiction and speculation. L.S. 1 introduces what we may find, the dangers we might encounter, and how the family members work through their many surprises and challenges.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pens Ink
• Release date: Mar 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370695881

Bob Winter

Bob was employed as a Field Service Engineer, Design Engineer, and Training Manager for a number of material handling manufacturing and service corporations for many years. From those positions Bob, along with his wife, forged careers for themselves developing training programs as consultants. With hundreds of training programs, service manuals, vehicle system designs to their credit they are now retired. Still yearning to write they continue their team work writing for fun in their first fiction series, L.S. 1.

Book preview

L.S. 1

Book 1

The Quest for Light Speed

By

Bob and Penny Winter

Copyright 2017 Bob and Penny Winter

Published by Pens Ink

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is fiction

Other than references to historic persons, locations, and events any resemblance to any person or persons is accidental and unintended.

Table of Contents

Titles

Stories, Myths, and Legends

Forward

Chapter 1 - Mining Operations

Chapter 2 - Altered Reality

Chapter 3 - Making A Case For The DMD

Chapter 4 - Unusual Things

Chapter 5 - Resupply

Chapter 6 - DMD Testing

Chapter 7 - Finding Funding

Chapter 8 – Moving The Station

Chapter 9 - Arrival

Chapter 10 - Building And Rebuilding

Chapter 11 - Three Voyages

Chapter 12 - An Admiral’s Nightmare

Chapter 13 - The End of Jupiter 1

Chapter 14 - The Voyage Of The L.S. 1.

Epilogue

About the Authors

Coming Soon

Stories, Myths, and Legends

Since the dawn of mankind stories have served to preserve and pass knowledge from generation to generation. Each new telling helps preserve the culture and knowledge passed down by our ancestors and adds newly discovered knowledge to enhance the telling. Children the world over learn of their past, remember lessons sometimes painfully learned by their ancestors, and develop a knowledge base they can use to both inspire and mold their own futures and the evolution of mankind in the universe. Each of us owes our present knowledge and our very survival to the knowledge gained by our ancestors who dedicated their lives to the pursuit of knowledge that we may survive and have a more enjoyable, rewarding, and productive life than they. Our ancestors worked hard to entwine their knowledge into stories so their children and children’s children may benefit from their experience.

So gather around children young and old while we tell you a story.

Forward

The time

Once upon a time, in the not too distant future!

The situation

The International Navy Command is in charge of Space Operations for the I.S.A. the International Space Agency

The place

The Asteroid Belt beyond Mars, also known as the Hammered Bracelet, is a ring of space debris circling our Sun between Mars and Jupiter. It consists of planetary residue from either the birth of the solar system or a destroyed planet. It is rich in minerals and rare metals valuable and needed for mankind to bring back for construction uses on Earth and to efficiently expand space operations for continued exploration.

Chapter 1

Mining Operations

MS 25 is a typical half-mile long and quarter-mile high and wide sprawling and aging mining complex. It floats in space somewhat exposed within the asteroid belt in easy range of thousands of small and large asteroids, simply called rocks by the crew, over three hundred million miles from the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. While 25 is the largest complex, it is similar to all the other forty-nine mining sites. It is composed of multiple modules developed over decades not originally designed to fit together. The complex reminds one of a bunch of mismatched boxes tossed together in random order. Each box houses a rotating gravity simulating habitat to enable humans to exist in this most inhospitable and obviously dangerous environment for extended two year tours. Though noticeably mismatched, somehow the five hundred or so men and women crew of the station composed of Navy personnel and civilians make it all work, and the machinery hammers, clunks, grinds, and hums along in a sort of mechanical ever-changing song. Ore to process is supplied by a relentless stream of remote piloted mining drones operated, in Earth time measure, twenty four hours a day seven days a week. The openings to the processing mills remind the observer of active beehives. Such is the activity to produce the metals and minerals needed back at Earth. Twice a year cargo ships arrive with fresh supplies, new personnel, and plenty of space to haul the valuable cargo back to Earth. Each trip takes nearly a year to complete. And back on Earth a few engineers are busy designing ever-faster ships to make the voyages faster and safer. Their ultimate goal is to produce light speed transports to increase the economic benefit of the mining operations and potentially allow mankind to travel to far off star systems.

Some of the mining station habitats contain entertainment and recreation centers to assist in maintaining morale and promote physical and mental health of the crew. Sleeping habitats are equipped with individual areas giving each crewmember some private space and time. He or she can select view screens on all walls to display real time streaming video and audio from specific locations on Earth. Selections are numerous like mountain scenes, ocean beaches, or cityscapes to surround them with real time images of home. Married members of course can visit in real time with their family back on Earth as well.

Most movement between modules is through voice programmable spherical pods inside air powered transfer tubes that would remind one of clear hamster playground tubes back on Earth. Emergency exits allow movement via exterior roof mounted mono rail cars after personnel don their environment suits and climb to the roof to access the cars.

Master control and Command Center 1 sits atop the entire complex. The roof is a bristling mess of antennas and cameras pointing in all directions. A second Command Center 2 is located under the facility and equipped with its’ own array of antennas and cameras to provide a full spherical view of space above and below the complex.

Which is top and bottom of the complex depends upon one’s perspective at the time. Generally, the top is considered to be the side closest to the North Star. Three-dimensional space can truly mix up one’s mind. Very few candidates who apply for duty are able to pass the mental and physical required tests. Thus the crew of each station represents the best of humanity from most every country on Earth. Even so, a crewmember may develop space sickness and become unable to perform their duties efficiently and sometimes not al all. This is often due to depression or spatial disorientation that results in an individual’s inability to respond rationally either interpersonally or to responsibilities of the position held. Though rare, it is the most serious illness encountered at all the sites and occasionally during the long transport trips out and back.

A sailor with three stripes twenty six year old brown haired brown eyed Tod Tillerman, a maintenance tech, had his five foot 11 inch lean muscular body jammed between two rows of machines installing updates to some flight consoles in Command Center 1. Fifty plus mining drone pilots and several staff officers were busy at work. Tod looked up suddenly as an alarm sounded. He quickly scanned the many screens in front of the circle of drone pilots looking for what was wrong. He saw the problem on screen 20. A big rock had moved quickly into the area dangerously close to the station. It was being moved and for some reason it had split into several large and smaller chunks. The drone pilot, Sean Jorgenson, known to all as Jorgi, attempting to move the rock sat looking at the screen and failed to move. Jorgi was not far away and Tod started moving toward him quickly while other pilots too busy to move yelled at him to respond. In seconds several available auto drones responded and grabbed onto some of the pieces steering them away. But one large bulky chunk appeared to be coming right at the facility. Again, Tod asked Jorgi to grab the big rock. He sat motionless just starring at the screen. Tod pushed Jorgi’s chair back and looked directly at him. He sat as if frozen in place unresponsive. His face resembled the void of deep space. Tears filled his terrified eyes and ran in rivers down his cheeks. Tod pushed him chair and all aside, squatted down with his feet on the control pedals, and grabbed the twin control yokes. Instantly the drone responded to his commands and attached itself to the front of the big rock. It was closer now and Tod could tell it was the size of a small shuttle. It dwarfed the drone, but he had to try. Someone from behind Tod slammed a chair under his butt. Without looking back he said. Thanks. He gave the drone full braking thrust commands over and over. The rock began to turn and slow a bit, but was still on track to hit the station.

He heard a command from behind him boldly ordering someone. LOWER THE STATION – NOW! Instantly the entire complex began to shake and heave as the thrusters fired above all the modules at once. It felt like the 5.5 Earthquake he had felt while visiting his Aunt and Uncle back on Earth years ago. But, the rock was too close. It hit a glancing blow to one of the outer most modules, and began slowly tumbling steady on toward the command module. It damaged two more modules as it approached. Tod watched intently. The drone was now on top of the rock if he fired the drone would pull away. He had to wait. Seconds later the drone was in front of the rock and Tod fired the drone’s vertical down thrusters at once at full power. He kept the thrusters at full power as the rock slowed, but continued to roll putting the drone under the rock, and then Tod fired the reverse thrusters to attempt to slow the rolling of the rock and keep the drone and its’ thrusters under the rock hoping the rock would rise up. It was slowly rising as the station continued to shake, pop, groan, twist and slowly move downward. The rock was coming right at the top mounted cameras obscuring all the pilot’s views on that side. Most drone pilots were now watching the huge rock come right at them. Their monitors blurred with the image as it quickly approached. It would be close and the drone’s thruster exhaust, combined with the station thrusters, was fogging the view as the monster rock reached the command center. It was moving slower and more quickly upward in view, but would it be enough?

The last views from the cameras showed only the surface of a large rock coming right at them. A collision warning sounded a deafening scream. All the air locks slammed shut with resounding metallic thuds! Environment suits automatically dropped down beside each of the pilots’ stations. Several more dropped down for the administrative and support personnel. Not a person moved. All sat glued to their monitors, or motionless where they stood. The effort was not enough and the rock hit with a glancing blow.

The command center shook, and heaved with the impact. All cameras went dead and the roof panels caved downward in several places. The rotation of the habitat hesitated, and shook several pilots from their chairs. But the atmospheric membrane held, and no penetrations appeared. The habitat did not fully stop rotation and quickly returned to normal speed, which surprised everyone. Seconds later back up cameras from lower elevations came on line. Tod switched to the rear view camera and followed the rock now moving quickly away. Surprisingly, the drone was still attached and appeared undamaged. He quickly gained control of the drone, and gently slowed the big rock. Finally, he guided the rock a short safe distance away and parked it where it could later be mined and its’ minerals salvaged.

The emergency was over! Alarms were silenced! Moments later the air locks once again opened and were operational.

Tod stood up expecting to just walk away as if nothing had ever happened. As he turned, he found himself face to face with the station Commander a formidable man matching Tod in height in his fifties. He was fit and trim with stern looks, crew cut light brown hair and penetrating dark blue eyes that made one feel like they were being pierced by lasers.

Tod felt his heart skip a beat or two. He instantly assumed attention posture as best he could.

Who gave you permission to pilot that drone?

No one Sir, it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

Where did you learn to pilot a mining drone?

Well Sir, I am one of the men who maintain the drone simulators and they need to be tested after maintenance to insure they are fully operational.

I see, great job, Tod isn’t it?

Yes Sir.

The Commander looked around the room. Carry on gentlemen and get me a damage report ASAP.

The Commander walked over to an elevator pod and sat down, voiced his destination, closed the door, and was whisked away into the center vertical egress tube. He was gone in seconds.

After the Commander left all stood up and gave Tod heart felt applause. As he attempted to return to his maintenance duties the com center C.O. looked at him. Take your seat sailor we need you more on that drone right now.

Tod took Jorgi’s spot, quickly noted the order for the shift and looked on briefly as two Marine medics came to escort Jorgi to medical. The blank stare seemed frozen on his face. They rolled him still in his chair to the pod and gently moved him to the pod chair and strapped him in. Seconds later they were gone.

Hours later Tod was awakened from a well-deserved sound sleep. The com in his sleeping quarters was blasting a command. Sailor Tillerman report to the Commander’s office NOW! Tod rolled over, gazed longingly at the streaming Hawaii beach display, and sat up. A small corner inset video showed red-hot lava pouring into the Pacific Ocean in the distance. Damn! He groaned. Now what? He said I did good, but I broke regulations to do it. Time to pay the piper I guess.

He looked at the streaming red-hot magma inset. Right, ya do good and still get burned.

Unshaven, covered in sweat, groggy and still in his wrinkled uniform Tod entered the office. He braced himself emotionally for whatever punishment the Commander might find fitting for his breach of regulations.

He told himself. Well Tod, ya have really done it this time!

Tillerman reporting as ordered Sir.

The Commander stood and approached Tod then began strongly voicing his concerns and displeasure.

You, sailor, are truly a sorry sight. You are a disgrace to look at. You make decisions on your own that affect the safety of the entire facility. And impulsively you operate equipment and vehicles for which you are not certified. The Commander paused to take a breath.

Well Sir, I - -.

Do not interrupt me when I am taking.

Yes Sir.

I said do not interrupt me!

Tod made a gesture of zipping his lip.

For the record the report will in fact show you were qualified to operate the drone, and we in command are in error for not issuing you that certification. That is being taken care of as we speak. You will report to the drone training area tomorrow at 08:00 hours in a clean uniform I might add. That is unless you do not wish to do so? We are in need of talented drone pilots. As you know, we lost a sleeping habitat. Two of our pilots were killed, and four more are in medical with severe injuries. In short Tod we need you. And in face of that monster coming right at you, you remained focused, steady and deflected it enough to save many lives. You did good and when you return to Earth a medal will be waiting. Now what were you going to say?

Well, eh, thank you Sir. I will do my best

I have every confidence. Any questions?

Sir what about the pilot, Jorgi, who froze?

Jorgensen, he has been here for the past twenty two months and is due to cycle out on the next transport. We never know who or when a good man will be reduced to tears here in space. It can happen to any of us. And not one of us, myself included, will even feel it coming. So take care of yourself Tod. Jorgenson will be just fine in time. Our review of the event shows that even if he had responded immediately the rock still would have hit us. We will let him know that when he comes out of his trauma.

I see you are cross qualified in three areas; Electrical Technician, Sim Maintenance, and Cook. Cook! Why Cook?

I love to cook Sir. I find it relaxing and rewarding. But I would warn you about the beans from our kitchen.

Why is that?

It is a large but not too large a facility we live in out here Sir. Most everyone will know you are coming, or at least where you have been!

The Commander began to smile. Dismissed sailor, now get your butt out of here. Get cleaned up and take some personal time. Visit the theme park or take a plunge in a mountain pond or wave pool.

Pausing for a moment the Commander continued. Perhaps you would like access to the kitchen? I’ll see what I can do about that as well. But don’t let the time in the kitchen detract from your required gym time. Remember, stay in shape - stay alert – stay alive. Those posters are not all over the complex just to stop air leaks!

Tod paused for a second to respond as he was entering the exit pod. That would be great Sir. Right now I would find it much more relaxing than being tossed around in the wave pool. And, yes, I do hit the gym regularly!

Tod programmed the tube pod for Laundry. He decided to get fresh uniforms on the way back to his quarters. The attendant gave him his bundle. Tod noticed four stripes on the shirts.

You gave me the wrong uniforms.

No I didn’t, four stripes right?

No, mine are three.

Not any more, see here!

The attendant showed Tod a paper signed by the Commander for the promotion.

The old man works in surprising ways sometimes doesn’t he?

Tod smiled at the attendant as he headed back to the pod to continue to his quarters. He stopped the pod half way. Hmm, he wondered. Kitchen! He selected kitchen address and was surprised to hear. Kitchen access granted do you wish to proceed?

No.

Tod returned to his quarters, cleaned up and put on a fresh uniform. Now, he thought. I think I’ll go check out the kitchen.

Stepping out of the pod into the kitchen, the aroma of freshly baked bread met him. Instantly he remembered back in time to his Aunt Nellie’s kitchen where he learned to bake and cook. He thought about that morning when he brought her some dandelion blooms from the as yet unplowed grain field so she would have plenty of flour to make some bread that day. My, my thank you, she said. But we will put these in water and use some other flour to make the bread you will see.

He grinned to himself as he remembered standing on her kitchen stool punching the