The Salt of Tranquility

By Gery Sidney Cottam

Tyler West is a mineral salts miner who was enclosed in a capsule deep beneath the moon's surface. He was awakened from sub-lunar hibernation to find he may have slept for as long as 9,000 years. Upon his return to the unoccupied Moon Station Armstrong, he found himself alone, and void of communications with earth. Tyler views an account prepared by Lemuel Peterson, the last known man alive. He recounts the amazing Antaeus suit, space piracy, wars, and global nuclear devastation of his home planet. The recorded message takes Tyler and the reader on a journey filled with conflict between good and evil, scientific miracles, personal relationships, nature's balance, and the fate of mankind. Tyler desperately tries to retrieve the other hibernating miners, still trapped beneath the moon's surface. Fates of the miners, the world, and of mankind remain uncertain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 30, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477287071

Gery Sidney Cottam

Sid and Beth Cottam shared life, four wonderful children, and family adventures in Southern Utah. Sid graduated from Dixie College and worked in steel fabrication for over two decades. He was an excellent orator, loved reading, and was a life-long learner. During the last year of his life, he created thirty- three original steel art pieces. He was a remarkable teacher and story teller. As the primary author, Sid combined his love for science, history, space exploration, and science fiction. He used his experiences from Special Forces in the Army National Guard to influence the story's war themes and subject content. His knowledge of steel fabrication design and art work helped him to conceptualize structural aspects of the moon station featured in this book. Beth graduated from Southern Utah State College experiencing thirty-four years in social work, gerontology, and community planning. However, her favorite roles have been wife and mother. She enjoys creating stories, object lessons, and poems for training activities. Sid began the collaboration of this work with his wife, one year before his sudden death. Together they shared hundreds of hours, enjoying creative thinking and brainstorming. Many years later, after her retirement, Beth was able to fulfill the commitment she made to develop and complete, “The Salt of Tranquility.” Beth drew upon aspects of the couple’s close relationship with family and with the Lord, establishing those associations as underlying values in the story. Readers may gain an appreciation for special bonds that exist, connecting life in this world to those in a parallel universe. It is Beth’s desire for this book to showcase Sid’s amazing intellect and his creative imagination. It is also written as a legacy for Sid’s children, grand children, family and friends to remember him.

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© 2012 by Beth A. Cottam. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/10/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4772-8709-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-8708-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-8707-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012920717

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Dedications to Dad

SPECIAL THANKS

CHAPTER 1       Awakening

CHAPTER 2       Rising from the Depths

CHAPTER 3       Moonsalts

CHAPTER 4       Moon Station Armstrong

CHAPTER 5       The Account

CHAPTER 6       Justice of Allah

CHAPTER 7       Piracy and Unrest

CHAPTER 8       Global Nuclear Attack

CHAPTER 9       William Harmony

CHAPTER 10       Lemuel’s Story

CHAPTER 11       Dr. Abraham’s Book & Spiritual Awakening

CHAPTER 12       Fallout from the Attack

CHAPTER 13       The Antaeus Suit

CHAPTER 14       Shopping

CHAPTER 15       Harmony Green

CHAPTER 16       Divided Nations

CHAPTER 17       Reunions

CHAPTER 18       Departures

CHAPTER 19       The Journey Begins

CHAPTER 20       The Compound

CHAPTER 21       The Journey Continues

CHAPTER 22       Peterson Airbase

CHAPTER 23       Kelton

CHAPTER 24       Return to the Armstrong

CHAPTER 25       Trouble Aboard the Armstrong

CHAPTER 26       Stalking Jensen

CHAPTER 27       Cleaning Up

CHAPTER 28       More Betrayal

CHAPTER 29       The Inquisition

CHAPTER 30       Harmony’s Vision of the New World

CHAPTER 31       Ex-President Barber

CHAPTER 32       Final Battles

CHAPTER 33       Harmful Harmonics

CHAPTER 34       Lemuel’s Legacy

CHAPTER 35       Recalling the Miners

CHAPTER 36       Company at Last

CHAPTER 37       Summarizing Lemuel’s Account

CHAPTER 38       Regrouping

CHAPTER 39       The Re-Awakening

About the Authors

"I just finished The Salt of Tranquility . . . It was AMAZING! . . . I just got so entwined, I couldn’t put it down!"

Hillary C.—Book Lover

A captivating novel! I loved the author’s writing style, knowledge, creativity, and ability to grab and keep my attention and leave me begging for more!

Marilyn N.—Teacher, Washington

Kirkus Review called this a, gripping tale… full of intriguing twists. They said the wild plot is compelling enough to hook readers until the last page.

Kirkus Reviews

A story full of suspense and twists. The Antaeus suit is a good metaphor for how some people handle power!

Kathryn A.—Indiana

An amazing account of how the end of the world could possibly come about, with a believable plot and characters you relate to and come to root for throughout the story. A few well placed plot twists keep the reader guessing all the way until the end! Excellent work for this debut author!

J. Haeseley—(Goodreads review)

"I can’t tell you enough how much I enjoyed reading, The Salt of Tranquility. I enjoyed the quality of imagination developed in the story. It was a marvelous read."

Kent C.—New York

This is a great book and story. I couldn’t put it down. This is the first fiction book I’ve read in 10 years. Loved it! My recommendation is to get it and enjoy!

Dave S. (Amazon product review)

I loved it!  At the end of it I found myself wishing there was more!

David Miff—Utah

Dedications to Dad

Gery Sidney (Sid) Cottam

To Dad, the best storyteller, whose stories kept us excited and wanting to hear more. I love hearing your voice in my mind as I read this book. I will share it with my children when they grow up. Love, Dooster (Kelli)

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For my dad who involved us all in his creative projects. I treasure the memories I have of typing for him, helping paint sculptures, and listening to the symbolism and stories behind each art project. Most of all I appreciate the time, love, and laughter we shared! Love, Honey-Q (Karla)

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This book stands as a testament of Dad’s love of munchies, music, and long-conversations with family. All these elements were present when I would wake up to the sound of furious typing at 5:00 AM. Although I was only 12, I enjoyed our discussions about how the story was developing. I loved Dad’s passion for the book and his willingness to let me be part of his creative process. Love, Bud (Clint)

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To my dad, whose bedtime stories never succeeded in putting me to sleep. Not only was he a great storyteller, he was a great Dad. I’m grateful for the ways he influenced my life. Love, Chum (Chad).

SPECIAL THANKS

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I extend special thanks for the love and support offered from friends and family while completing this book.

I am very grateful for the many hours invested by those who reviewed and edited this work.

It has been a rewarding experience to witness the uplifting comments and positive responses from readers who knew us while Sid was alive. I love hearing their stories as they reminiscence of him.

Our children are all grown up now with families of their own. However, it has been especially gratifying to share in their joy and enthusiasm for seeing the completion of the book their father started and was so passionate about prior to his sudden passing.

Most of all, I express my endless love and admiration for my husband, Gery Sidney (Sid) Cottam for being the catalyst and primary author of this work. Without him there would never have been my wonderful children, my blessed life, or this book, The Salt of Tranquility.

Beth A. Cottam

CHAPTER 1

Awakening

The atmosphere was cold and humid as moisture drained through his cocoon shaped casing. Tyler’s lungs ached and he found himself challenged to employ restraint. He must be patient, taking in only small shallow breaths as displaced chilly water drained away and oxygenized air entered the capsule.

Below him was the blackness from unknown fathoms of lunar depth. He and his cocoon rose ever so slowly up towards the moon’s surface. With a sharp painful gasp, air continued to fill his lungs and his heart beat wildly in his chest. Independent of Tyler’s own will his muscles started to contract, following a crescendo of powerful electric rhythmic pulses.

Tyler struggled to move his arms and legs. Slowly and stiffly they transitioned from being numb and unresponsive to full functionality. His senses continued to awaken, hearing a hissing sound, as strong aromatic scents assaulted his sinuses shooting pain throughout his head. It was the kind of a dull headache he associated with drinking icy lemon slush too fast.

A pulsating blur slowly came into focus identifying a red light flashing brightly above his face. Tyler managed to peer through heavy eye lids opened just enough to perceive the pulsating red light; then, his eyes started to blink and his visual clarity improved until he could see clearly.

The voice command instructed him to push the red flashing button. It was an understandable voice, soothing and feminine. His awareness increased and Tyler realized the voice originated from a speaker at the top of a clear covered capsule in which he was laying. Gradually he willed his fingers to rise toward the red flashing knob. With an audible click, he depressed the button. Red changed to green and Tyler could tell a series of events had been set into motion. Lights outside the capsule brightened and he could feel the vibration of machinery.

The calm feminine voice returned, reassuring Tyler that all was well and it was time to awaken. The sign above the control console read, Lunar Mining Inc.

Tyler’s position adjusted automatically and he was now seated before a computer screen staring at a menu of operations listed in bright multi-colored columns. The flashing column indicated the nuclear reactor was 15%, then 59%, and then offered a final reading of 95% depletion. A look of confusion crossed his face. Tyler knew that reading was not likely because the reactor had a useful life of over ten thousand years. He began a series of cross checks to determine where the malfunction had occurred. The mission clock seemed to be on the blink as well because the date indicated it was July 11, 1076; 1303 Greenwich time.

Another date on the mission clock recorded his capsule had achieved a maximum lunar depth of 3,760 feet on February 2, 2032, about twenty months into his mission. That was his correct target depth and he remembered the anticipated date was the same day Punxsutawney Phil offered his weather prediction.

The wake up procedure called for administration of a post-hibernation drink formula to relieve dehydration and jump start the digestive system. Tyler selected a plastic packet set that said, Chicken Soup. By squeezing both liquid filled packet ends he broke the seals and introduced the liquids into the central mixing compartment containing a dry powder. The result was a bland substance resembling neither food nor medicine. It would be thirty-six to forty-eight hours until his system would be ready for solid food.

While consuming the mixture his mind wandered into day dream mode… In two weeks he’d be back on Earth eating barbecued ribs and drinking cola in an all you can eat feeding frenzy at the Western Family Steak Pit. It would be wonderful, and the ice-cream, don’t forget the ice-cream! Let’s see, he uttered with a strained dry sounding voice, chocolate banana pecan would be deluxe. And as long as I’m dreaming and have money in my pocket, I could ask Jill Sorensen to join me, he thought enthusiastically.

Jill was a member of Tyler’s mining class. It had been a large group of one hundred. The fact that she had graduated a few steps higher at number thirty-two did not bother Tyler because she was pretty, intelligent, and very quick. Jill was easy to be around. She had a warm friendly manner and beautiful eyes. Yes, he sighed, and then contemplated again; they were wide set beautiful blue eyes. Her shoulder length hair was light brown. Jill stood 5’ 5" and looked to weigh no more than 130 pounds.

At the company training school in Antarctica, she had been very friendly and helpful to Tyler. Jill even tutored him in his weakest subject, Theory and Mathematics of Moonsalt Mineralogy. As they talked and studied together, Tyler developed caring feelings toward her. He was surprised at how much she entered his thoughts and he looked forward to simply being around her. The trouble was that she was just as nice and friendly to a host of other classmates. As a consequence, Tyler was reluctant to try and take the next step in his association with her for fear of rejection. Unless he risked asking her out or having a more personal conversation, she wouldn’t realize his aspirations for a closer relationship.

Tyler realized he had become distracted and regained full awareness of his surroundings, refocusing his attention on the problems at hand. Day dreaming could be dangerous located 100 meters below the lunar surface in a semi-autonomous mining machine. They referred to the hibernation apparatus he signed on to spend two years in as, a worm.

Mining worms had three individual module units. The first worm section was a drilling machine whose diamond impregnated ceramic blades could burrow through solid rock. It possessed sophisticated sensors to detect and collect the valued moonsalts. Some of these sensors used magnetic anomaly and chemical analyzers to track the crystal mineral veins. Each module was cylindrical, 10 meters long and 4 meters in diameter. Each cylinder had four caterpillar tracks that were 8 meters in length, set ninety degrees apart around the cylinder’s circumference.

The second worm section housed the nuclear power reactor and the adjoined electrical production unit. That module initially collected the mineral salts, and then through a large flexible joint conveyor tube, transported the salts to the Command Module.

The third worm unit, the Command Module, was functionally divided into three compartments within the same capsulated unit. A small section of the Command Module unit was home to the control consoles and life support for its human operator. The middle 80% of the unit was devoted to the storage and transportation of mineral salts. The end section contained a rocket engine for transportation off the lunar surface.

The Command Module unit of the mining worm commuted between the moon and Moon Station Armstrong. The first and second units of the mining worm remained lunar based. Once detached, they stayed behind for future mining missions. All three modules were linked together by flexible joints, circumspectly shielding power cables, control cables, and mineral transfer tubes.

Tyler likened himself to a sailor on a submarine, isolated, enclosed and self-contained. He was submerged under the lunar landscape instead of water, and his voyage lasted two years instead of six months.

His job was to set up and monitor the first few days of the mining dive, fine tune the mining sensors, and check out the communications system linking mining worm # 34 to Central Lunar Module Signaling, located in the orbiting Moon Station Armstrong.

Each caterpillar drive had its own individual powerful electric motor and each one had to be skillfully tested. After the first salts were mined, Tyler was required to assay their composition manually to assure the tracking and processing sensors were working with 100% proficiency. The company required him to make certain their two year investment yielded authentic moonsalts, not worthless lunar dust.

After all systems were checked and tuned, Tyler could turn on the auto-pilot. That fully automated system had to be carefully monitored through a complete twenty-four hour cycle before he returned to his hibernation capsule for his next deep death-like sleep. His hibernation periods would consume most of the two-year mission.

This cut down on the amount of life support his mining worm would have to provide, and the amount of storage space needed for extra oxygen, food, water and living supplies. Valuable module space had been expertly engineered to maximize storage of the precious moonsalts. The hibernation process was not only economical, but essential in preventing the mind-killing boredom of each human operator.

Tyler knew he would be napping for at least the next year and a half during the mining expedition. At his journey’s end he’d have plenty of money for school and a nest egg to start his adult life. He was only scheduled to be awakened if a malfunction occurred that the computers could not correct. The worm had backup systems for most anticipated problems, but the company had learned from NASA’s unmanned spacecraft programs that the lack of human hands could cost billions of dollars due to seemingly simple malfunctions. Examples of events necessitating human hands included dish antennas failing to deploy, thrusters that didn’t fire and parachutes not opening.

During hibernation, as Tyler slept, the worm had worked tirelessly and continuously. When the storage holds were filled to capacity, the mining worm was designed to either travel up toward the surface of the moon until it was recalled by Central Control, or was signaled from Moon Station Armstrong and told to surface at the end of the two year mission cycle.

The recall signal which had been received at mining worm # 34 was like a series of coded seismic waves. The waves were produced on the orbiting moon station by an electromagnetic rail system which accelerated small plastic projectiles to a high speed collision with the surface of the moon near the mining area.

As Tyler performed the cross checks on the nuclear reactor, he discovered the reason he had been awakened. The fuel depletion gauge was problematic. He wasn’t certain whether the fuel was actually as depleted as the gauge registered, or whether there were computer malfunctions with the gauge itself.

He knew it was time to resurface while he was confident the worm still had sufficient power to reach the lunar surface. Besides, his worm had collected all the salts it could hold and was just waiting for the end of the two year cycle signal to be sent down from Central Control in the Armstrong. If the mission clock had been working at nineteen months, then he was in the last five months of the cycle any way.

The incorrect time on the clock was probably due to some burned out micro-chip, but the experts back on Armstrong could fix that and any other gauge or reactor problems before the next mining class took over.

CHAPTER 2

Rising from the Depths

Tyler checked the startup menu for resurfacing and found that all systems were green. So with the flip of a switch the mining worm began its slow assent toward the bleak lunar surface. Rising at an angle of thirty degrees, it would be a little under five hours before breaking through to the surface. In his mind, he could visualize the rotating cutting blades eating a circular pathway up through the rock. The vibration of the four locomotion tracks gave him confidence that they were all functioning well.

After an hour, the sonar readout showed his mining machine was still 83 meters underground. It was encouraging that he had only four more hours to go. Tyler’s mind reflected back… four hours was the amount of time it had taken him to finish the company qualification endurance race back at the training school on the Antarctic ice pack. That race had determined his # 34 ranking in his class of one hundred members.

Jill Sorensen beat his time by ten minutes, coming in at # 32, the top female finisher in the class. Jill was in good shape. It was also her swift ability to solve the test problems at each of the ten check points that gave her such a high ranking.

Tyler remembered the crisp fresh air and rhythmic efforts as his cross country skis found their stride traversing course sections between each of the ten testing stations.

The best time in the race had been turned in by Nigel Fox, a tall, arrogant, overall champion type from New Zealand. Nigel had also been squad leader during occasions when Tyler felt at odds with him. Tyler was usually even tempered and normally avoided conflicts, but there was a point where Nigel’s gigantic ego and the stresses of the course had driven Tyler to the edge of violence.

Not that his 5’ 8" height,165 pound body would have fared very well against an athlete like Nigel Fox, but it would have been worthwhile just to get in a few good licks. However, thoughts of getting kicked out of school for fighting kept Tyler in check.

Maybe he harbored just a little hint of jealousy regarding Nigel. After all, he had to admit that his former squad leader was in fact nearly as good as Nigel thought himself to be. Nigel had a background in electrical engineering, was a computer whiz, and was also the only one in their class to successfully problem-solve every crisis radio dispatch and communications situation scrambled up for their squad to resolve.

Tyler felt very lucky to have been selected as one of the one hundred in his class. Many thousands of young people had applied and had met the basic requirements of age, height, weight, GPA, health, vision, intelligence, and lack of a criminal record. Only a very few had passed the rigorous physical and mental tests, and had stood out in the interviews. Tyler had overcome some slight math challenges with Jill’s help, ending up with a competitive score. He had been assigned to the 34th richest area to mine and it was like a dream had come true.

By now, Tyler developed new hopes and dreams afforded him by the promise of two to three hundred thousand dollars in the bank. His goals and imaginings included a wide selection of colleges and universities to attend, a new car, and most important of all, the love of Jill Sorensen or someone with qualities likes hers to win. Not bad prospects for a brown haired, middle class, twenty-one year old from the Midwest.

After the five months of training on the southern ice pack, Tyler and his classmates were taken aboard the Moon Station Armstrong for an additional month of training before being sent down to the surface of the moon to begin their mining voyage. Oh how he longed to run unleashing his muscles and feel the pulse of a rhythmic stride once again. He was grateful to be nearing the time he would leave the worm capsule and board Moon Station Armstrong.

At last the three connected module units broke through the powdery gray surface. Like a grotesque metal worm, they crawled out onto the barren airless wasteland of the moon. Tyler switched the drive tracks and mining heads to the off position. The forward motion of the mining worm stopped and corkscrew shaped anchors burrowed down, securing the two lunar stationed units. They would remain anchored to the moon until their next mission with a fresh Command Module.

These activities prompted the main computer in the worm to signal Central Command and Control in the orbiting Moon Station Armstrong and begin unit three disconnect, then pre-launch sequences. When the control panel indicated the procedure was complete, Tyler went to the equipment cabinet and began to suit up.

After donning the bulky space outfit, he reviewed the suit’s safety check list. He checked both heating and cooling climate controls, pressure suit integrity, air supply, reserve air, water for drinking, body waste disposal system, radiation monitor, radio, tool pouch, sun-visor, and video-camera. When he was satisfied that all space suit systems checked out, he opened the hatch and stepped into the confined space of the air-lock.

With the turn of a wheel, he closed the air-lock hatch behind him then immediately turned on the air evacuation pump. Once the green light came on, Tyler knew it was OK to open the outside hatch. He slid the ladder out, snapped it into the ladder holds, and began the short descent to the bottom rung.

The bottom rung was about 18 inches from the lunar surface so with great ceremony he said, One large step for Elijah Tyler West, and one small step for mankind.

He stepped off, his right foot sinking 2 inches into the powdery gray dust. Lunar gravity made Tyler only one sixth of his earthly bodyweight and even with the addition of the space suit mass, he could have played for any NBA team with his vertical leap.

It was daytime on the edge of the Sea of Tranquility where worm # 34 had broken through to the surface. The sky was still a velvet black background for a myriad of bright shining stars.

Tyler was glad to have his gold plated sun visor down because without the protection of an atmosphere, the rays of direct sunlight were too harsh on his eyes and skin. The temperature on the moon could range from over 200 degrees Fahrenheit during day time sun light, to under 200 degrees below zero in shadows and during the long lunar night.

Earth appeared as a beautiful blue and white swirling globe suspended in the low lunar sky. Tyler anticipated Moon Station Armstrong to be coming into view any time now on its semi-equatorial orbit. It was tempting to stay and savor the stunning lunar perspective. He could understand what it must have felt like back in 1969 for those first astronauts.

His month of training aboard the moon station had given him hours to gaze at the earth, moon and stars, but now he would have to force himself to stay on task. He still had to confirm that module unit three had been disconnected and the launch stabilizers were deployed on the Command Module. He made a visual inspection of mining module one and recorded the condition of the ceramic mining head.

Next, he inspected the power module, taking great care when the access hatch was opened to monitor the radiation level. He also went through the checklist securing the first two worm units that would be left behind. He knew the procedures were required, but also thought them funny, since he doubted anyone would hijack them or give them a parking ticket while there on the moon.

Forty-five minutes later, he was pulling in the ladder and closing the outer hatch. Tyler re-pressured the airlock and waited until the green light came on before reentering the Command Module. He conducted the final security check on the payload and readied himself for transport.

Still wearing the bulky space suit, he belted himself in the large padded semi-reclining control chair. The miners were required to remain suited during fuel mixing, blast-off and ascent to the moon station which was orbiting 50 odd miles overhead. This was another in a long list of redundant safety procedures.

With his gloved right hand Tyler engaged the launch lever, rotating it a full one-hundred-eighty degrees. Once this was completed the onboard computers, in concert with the computers on the orbiting Moon Station Armstrong, would begin the three minute countdown to lunar liftoff.

Tyler cued the radio, Armstrong, Armstrong, this is Tyler West aboard module # 34, over. He tried three more times to establish a verbal go ahead on the launch but no human voice answered.

Might as well add the radio to the growing list of malfunctions, Tyler said to himself. It isn’t something to sweat about. The computers on # 34 and the computers on the Armstrong are in communication and will fly my module back to dock at the orbiting moon station. He knew either set of computers could bring him safely to the Armstrong. Tyler released a little chuckle as he thought, Maybe I am grateful for redundant safety systems after all.

Five-four-three-two-one-ignition and liftoff, Tyler was pushed deeper into the cushioned recliner. He could see the two abandoned module units growing smaller by the second as the powerful rocket engines accelerated # 34 Command Module upwards away from the surface of the moon. At this point, Tyler realized if the rocket engines failed to attain orbital velocity, he would arc gracefully and plunge back into the moon on an ever accelerating course.

With no atmosphere to slowdown the descent, nor parachute, there would be no escape and no second chance for survival. The tremendous kinetic energy released on impact would make an incredible explosion that would probably be visible to a night time viewer on Earth. Maybe they would name the new impact crater after him. West’s crater has a nice ring to it, he said with a shudder.

The monitor screen split into three separate pictures, a receding moonscape, the Armstrong moon station, and from Armstrong a visual image of module unit #34 which first appeared as a bright dot and gradually enlarged into its recognized form.

Tyler was reassured to see both his and Armstrong’s computers were guiding the docking procedures. Soon he was opening the airlock to enter one of the many docking ports along the huge cylindrical hub of the Armstrong. A red emergency light was flashing indicating a cold, airless, pressure-less environment. But of more concern was the absence of any suit-clad personnel to greet him. There was absolutely no one to greet him but blinking lights and cold empty space.

Tyler was familiar with the gigantic moon station. The last time he had been in the docking bay was before his deployment beneath the lunar surface. He maneuvered himself toward the nearest security booth. Tyler was impressed with the two large ornamental murals which had been added as décor; one showcasing Mineral Salts, and