Defrost

By "Laura" "Peters"

Those who planned humanity’s escape from a doomed Earth didn’t wait for crowdfunding or positive public opinion polls. Construction on the UESS Volery was well underway when stories about Apophis colliding with Earth began to move from pseudo-science blogs to the front pages of the Associated Press. That was lucky. There wouldn’t have been time, otherwise.

The ship was assembled in space, secretly, on the far side of the moon, and they finished her ahead of schedule. That was lucky, too. The world was running out of time.

On the very day video imagery of the Remote Manipulator System's robotic arm breaking a bottle of Mumm Grand Cordon Stellar Champagne against the nanocarbite steel of her saucer section flashed across the Net on Earth, Apophis was sighted in the night sky.

Soon afterward people could see Apophis with their naked eyes, but the Volery remained hidden. Even though the moon shrouded her in secrecy, she was talked about all over the Earth.

People knew she was huge. Photographs of her sections, under construction, were leaked to the Net. People knew she was assembled in space. There were witnesses when one section or another launched past the Earth's atmosphere. Finally, people knew she was the most expensive craft humanity ever built. She took a multinational effort, funded by various governments and a few prominent billionaires.

George A.C. Voler spent his entire fortune on her. At first, his family and friends mocked him, but he figured he got the last laugh. His money bought him a first-class berth and the honor of having the ship named for him. Her name was officially recorded as Volery, but George had Voler’s Folly emblazoned on her side in 24-carat gold leaf. The lettering was big enough, he ensured it, to see it clearly from observatories on earth.

When the world gathered to watch his ship swing out from behind the moon and shoot toward space, George made sure a few people he knew were invited to sit in front row seats at Atacama.

Anna Louise Smith was aboard that day. She escaped from Earth in cabin 347 on Deck 5. That was lucky, too.

Somehow Anna had been accepted as a deckhand second class in the Volery’s Civilian Conservation Corps even though she hadn’t officially qualified. (Her test scores were a single point too low.) Anna suspected her boyfriend engineered a clerical error or pulled in a favor to get her name on the roster, and she knew better than to ask too many questions.

When it was time to leave Earth, Anna rode the shuttle transport to the Volery, and then she sank obediently into the deep freeze.

It was going to be a long trip, and luck had run out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scribl
• Release date: Jan 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781633484269

"Laura" "Peters"

Laura Peters is a mother and grandmother. She's been dreaming up stories since before she could walk, and she compiled her stories into little books before her scribbles formed words in readable English. When Laura was very small, her mother often gathered up the loose pages of her "books" and bound them on a sewing machine. This is a tradition that Laura continued into adult life, and her own books, as well as many creations of her children, have been stitched together in this basic at home publishing house. Laura holds a BA in English from the University of Maryland. She is certified in TEFL/TESOL. She taught English as a second language for many years. Now, Laura is a full-time caregiver for her aging mother, a part-time farmer, and a writer any time she has an extra second.

Book preview

Voyage of the Volery

DEFROST

星

By Laura Peters

Being the Transcribed audio of Commander

Anna Louise Smith-Nowell

documenting the Reawakening.

From an original radio play available at scribl.com.

http://www.arlynia.com/volery

https://www.facebook.com/volersfolly/

What Rises

From the Depths

Cannot Help

But Break the Surface

- From Shipwreck Study Notes, by Silvia Maglioni & Graeme Thomson

Copyright ©2020 by Laura Peters

All rights reserved. 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 written permission from the author.

Cover image N90 star-forming region ©2007 Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). Used by permission.

UDC

82-311.9=111

ISBN

978-1-67814-737-2 Trade Paperback

978-1-63348-426-9 Ebook

978-1-63348-427-6 Audiobook

♁ HISTORICAL NOTES ♁

Those who planned humanity’s escape from a doomed Earth didn’t wait for crowdfunding or positive public opinion polls. Construction on the UESS Volery was well underway when stories about Apophis colliding with Earth began to move from pseudo-science blogs to the front pages of the Associated Press. That was lucky. There wouldn’t have been time, otherwise.

The ship was assembled in space, secretly, on the far side of the moon, and they finished her ahead of schedule. That was lucky, too. The world was running out of time.

On the very day video imagery of the Remote Manipulator System’s robotic arm breaking a bottle of Mumm Grand Cordon Stellar Champagne against the nanocarbite steel of her saucer section flashed across the Net on Earth, Apophis was sighted in the night sky.

Soon afterward people could see Apophis with their naked eyes, but the Volery remained hidden. Even though the moon shrouded her in secrecy, she was talked about all over the Earth.

People knew she was huge. Photographs of her sections, under construction, were leaked to the Net. People knew she was assembled in space. There were witnesses when one section or another launched past the Earth’s atmosphere. Finally, people knew she was the most expensive craft humanity ever built. She took a multinational effort, funded by various governments and a few prominent billionaires.

George A. C. Voler spent his entire fortune on her. At first, his family and friends mocked him, but he figured he got the last laugh. His money bought him a first-class berth and the honor of having the ship named for him. Her name was officially recorded as Volery, but George had VOLER'S FOLLY emblazoned on her side in 24-carat gold leaf. The lettering was large enough — he ensured it — to see it clearly from observatories on earth.

When the world gathered to watch his ship swing out from behind the moon and shoot toward space, George made sure a few people he knew were invited to sit in front row seats at Atacama.

Anna Louise Smith was aboard that day. She escaped from Earth in cabin 347 on Deck 5. That was lucky, too.

Somehow Anna had been accepted as a Deckhand Second Class in the Volery’s Civilian Conservation Corps even though she hadn’t officially qualified. (Her test scores were a single point too low.) Anna suspected her boyfriend engineered a clerical error or pulled in a favor to get her name on the roster, and she knew better than to ask too many questions.

When it was time to leave Earth, Anna rode the shuttle transport to the Volery, and then she sank obediently into the deep freeze.

It was going to be a long trip, and luck had run out.

♆ SOS ♆

FILE: ANNA LOUISE SMITH ARCHIVAL 01

DURATION: 00:00:03.197

[Garbled audio]

FILE: ANNA LOUISE SMITH ARCHIVAL 02

DURATION: Unknown

[Message lost or redacted]

FILE: ANNA LOUISE SMITH ARCHIVAL 03

DURATION: 00:00:27.391

[Garbled audio]

FILE: ANNA LOUISE SMITH ARCHIVAL 04

DURATION: 00:00:45.503

BEGIN AUDIO

Hello. I’ve hit record. I hope this is working.

This is Anna Smith,

I’ve melted out, and I’m trapped in here.

Something’s wrong with my legs. I … I can’t stand up.

I … I can’t reach the keypad to open the door or the com handset.

I managed to pull the console onto the floor. I … I don’t think I broke it.

It … uh … booted up.

It took a long time, but it did boot up, and …

uh …

I keep tapping on MT and nothing happens, but the VM Send program has loaded. I’m hoping it will actually send this voice mail.

Okay.

I hope someone gets this.

I need help in here.

Please hurry.

I’m going to click send now.

END AUDIO

FILE: ANNA LOUISE SMITH ARCHIVAL 05

DURATION: 00:00:08.537

BEGIN AUDIO

I … I sent the VM.

Why aren’t you here?

I don’t [know what] to do …

I can …

END AUDIO

FILE: ANNA LOUISE SMITH ARCHIVAL 06

DURATION: 00:00:07.192

[Garbled audio]

FILE: ANNA LOUISE SMITH ARCHIVAL 07

DURATION: 00:00:46.583

BEGIN AUDIO

Hello? Is anybody out there?

I thought that when the melt started we were supposed to be tended by droids.

Where … Where are they?

And … um …

My legs don’t work. I can’t stand up. I can’t reach the commset or the keypad by the door.

My feet are tingling, and there’s shooting pain all up and down my legs when I try to move.

I sent a message before.

Didn’t you get it?

I need help in here.

Please help me.

Send somebody right away!

Send them to …

I don’t remember where I am, but my name is Anna Smith, and I’ve melted out, and I’m awake, and I’m all alone in here.

END AUDIO

FILE: ANNA LOUISE SMITH ARCHIVAL 08

DURATION: Unknown

[Message lost or redacted]

FILE: ANNA LOUISE SMITH ARCHIVAL 09

DURATION: 00:00:41.571

BEGIN AUDIO

This is Anna Smith.

Please, is anybody out there? Ah … It says I’ve sent out voicemails. Where are you?

I tried to stand up so I could use the bathroom, and I fell. There’s blood all over the place. There’s a lot of blood.

I put pressure on it, but it’s still bleeding. I … I wrapped a towel around it.

I haven’t got any hair.

Where did my hair go?

I’m scared.

Please, come as soon as you get this.

[Pause]

But … where’s the …

I need somebody to get here right away.

I don’t know … Please.

Please, come help me.

END AUDIO

FILE: ANNA LOUISE SMITH ARCHIVAL 10

DURATION: 00:02:47:041

BEGIN AUDIO

Hello. I’m trying again, but I don’t think my messages are sending.

I’ve rebooted the console.

MT still doesn’t work.

I knocked the console on the floor before so I could … um … reach it. I couldn’t pull myself up to the desktop, so I pulled the console down to me. I wonder if I broke something?

I wonder if there is some interface that only connects to the network if the unit’s positioned up there?

I don’t know how I can get it back up there.

My name is Anna Smith, and I’ve melted out down here.

My legs aren’t working, and my hands and arms are uncoordinated.

I think I remember something about possible temporary paralysis? From the briefings?

My legs are numb if I lay still.

Whenever I move, there is a shooting pain that is strong enough to knock my teeth together.

My fingertips are numb, too, but there isn’t any pain in my hands.

[Pause]

[Recorder noise]

I’ve got a pretty serious head wound.

I think I fell in the bathroom, there’s blood in there.

Everything is very muddled in my memory.

I do think I fell in the bathroom, but I’m not sure.

One thing I’m sure about …

I’m positive there was something about amnesia in