Roleplay > Vignettes
The Final Frontier
Achkaerin:
Welcome to the Final Frontier (Yes shameless Star Trek ripoff for a name) Anyway this is where all the tales of the Achkaerin Space Agency can be found, so sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
Mission One: Science Star
Sights on a Metal World
Back in the Saddle
Virgil Departs
Preparations
First Impressions
Two For One
Mission Two: Atlantis Project
Back in Action
In Motion
First Step Complete
Achkaerin:
Sights on a Metal World
It was a routine day at mission control in Djana Ville, the sun was shining, the astronauts in training were on their daily exercise runs, some of the accredited astronauts were doing their exercise as well. In the main building on the floor above the control room the Director of Flight Operations Nicola Fernley was looking out of the large window of her office, it overlooked a large part of the compound she could see the spacecraft hangars from where she stood. It was a big day, Project Science Star - their big series of missions designed to build the most comprehensive map of the solar system, to explore the great unknown, to discover new things, to give a greater picture and understanding of the universe, her dream, was finally go. Mission number one on the list was Virgil, this was an unmanned mission centered around the study of the asteroid Keaclite, the asteroid was located between Nergal and Marduk in the middle of the asteroid belt, but this was no random choice this asteroid was special, this asteroid appeared to be a stripped down planetary core, made almost entirely of nickel-iron it was a great opportunity to study the collisions that created Mundus and other terrestrial planets. The plan was to launch two missions the first being Virgil this would be a satellite probe that would enter into orbit of the asteroid and do initial studies, the follow up which was subject to the results of the first was Homer this was designed to be a sample retrieval mission, in short drop some specially designed robots on the asteroid surface, have them conduct up close studies and retrieve some samples and then retrieve the sample gathering robots before bringing them back to Mundus.
"So how's Virgil coming?" Nicola asked looking around at her close friend and probably second in command Vicky Acheson, the mission strategist of the Achkaerin Space Agency.
"The satellite's ready to go, we're waiting on a launch window and a crew for the orbital delivery." Vicky said
"It's a straight up run around the block isn't it?" Nicola asked
"Essentially yes, it provides a decent routine experience gaining opportunity." Vicky said "Up into orbit, deploy payload, it goes on its way, do a simple re-entry."
"Ok I'll select a crew." Nicola said "Find me the launch window."
"Will do." Vicky said "What about Phoenix?"
"Not until it's ready I'm not about to let Kaitaine hurry our progress." Nicola said "Let's get back to doing what we do best."
Achkaerin:
Back in the Saddle
Sophia Stark and David Anderson were finishing one of their regular runs around the Space Agency Complex, which in truth was something like a large village itself as it embodied accommodation for the astronaut and staff, hangers and laboratories, mission control and a launch site, though naturally the Achkaerin Space Agency maintained launch sites across Mundus. The pair wore typical exercise clothes Sophia a red sleeveless top and black shorts, David wore a pair of white shorts and a dark blue t-shirt.
"Why do I never win?" David asked as the pair stopped by the Astronaut Memorial that commemorated all those astronauts who had died in space while on missions for the Achkaerin Space Agency, there had been mishaps especially in the early days back in the 1950's and 1960's but no disasters for a long long time.
"Because you over pace yourself before agony hill." Sophia said, referring to the hill to the south that they always ran up "You slow down going up and that lets me catch up but you've used up so much energy so I win a sprint finish."
"One of these days I'll remember that." David said
"I've said that to you at least fifty times." Sophia said smiling as she was bent over her hands on her knees getting her breath back
"Here." David said handing her a sports bottle of water that Sophia drank from.
"Thanks." Sophia said
"Not a bad day is it?" David asked
"You know it's just the calm before the storm." Sophia said "Back end of storm season and then we get spring." there was something of a routine the regular Nywaln storm in August that started storm season, last year compounded by the Morris Ice Shelf, then came the first series of storms over the autumn period finishing just before Christmas, then there was something of a break before a usually more severe series of storms over a shorter period hit in January and February. At that point their phones went off - a text message.
"Nicola's office?" David asked
"Let's go." Sophia said
Ten minutes later the two astronauts were in the office of Nicola Fernley, oh wait it was officially Dame Nicola Fernley now as she'd been knighted in the New Year honors list.
"Have a seat." Nicola said, the two astronauts sat down
"What is it boss?" Sophia asked
"What do you know about the Virgil probe?" Nicola asked
"About as much as anyone else." David said "It's a scout probe for the Keaclite asteroid."
"It's ready to be launched" Nicola said looking out of the window of her office "There's a routine Athena launch, a run around the block scheduled for a weeks time. It's nothing special just get up do a couple of orbits and then back down. However it's a two for one deal."
"Meaning you want us to take Virgil up and deploy it from orbit?" Sophia asked
"Yes." Nicola said "Do you want it?"
"Hell yes." Sophia said "Been getting a little frustrated with having to kick my heels down here."
"David?" Nicola asked
"I'm in." David said
"Ok then go see Samantha and get checked out." Nicola said
Sophia and David left the office smiling broadly it had been months since they'd been up in space
"So we get to launch Virgil." David said
"Looks like it." Sophia said "It's been so busy with SCION launches lately that I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever get a chance to get back up there."
"Well we're going back up now." David said
Achkaerin:
Virgil Departs
Launch day came, at mission control Nicola Fernley paced around watching the green lights come on one at a time on her console, they were getting closer and closer to take off time.
"Another launch another step towards dreams?" someone asked, Nicola glanced to her right and saw her boss Gary Hale standing there
"I hope so." Nicola said
"So a two for one." Gary said smiling
"Yep." Nicola said "We get them up there, we send Virgil on its way and then get them down."
"And then?" Gary asked
"Then we wait for Virgil's results and we prep Homer." Nicola said
"That's not what I meant." Gary said "This is science star and that project has more to it than this."
"Lance and Ellen are looking over the follow up missions." Nicola said she tapped her earpiece "Athena this is control do you read?"
Aboard the Athena, the final checks were just about finished Sophia in the commanders seat and David in the pilots seat.
"Control this is Athena" Sophia answered "Final checks are completed we're green across the board, waiting the word."
"Have that." Nicola answered "Standby."
"You heard the rumors about the next batch of spacecraft being developed?" David asked
"Yep, all things point to the unknown." Sophia said
"And we get to be part of it." David said
"T-minus two minutes to launch." Nicola's voice came over their coms
This was game time, the two astronauts kept quiet concentrating, then right on time Sophia ignited the engines and a few seconds later David threw the throttle forwards and they were away.
"Clock's running." Sophia said
"I see it." David said
"Handling?" Sophia asked
"We're right down the middle." David said "SRB separation on the horizon."
"Call it." Sophia said, flicking the guards on the buttons away as she did so, David narrowed his eyes as they approached
"Mark." he said, Sophia hit the buttons and the SRB's were dropped
"Control we have SRB separation." Sophia said
"Have that." Nicola answered
"MECO in two minutes." David said
"Right on the numbers." Sophia said, she flicked another button guard away "Say when." again David kept his eyes on things and then smiled
"Now." David said, Sophia pressed the button
"We have MECO Control." she said as David pushed the Athena out into orbit.
"Copy that, you're in the driving seat." Nicola said
"Everything looks good." David said
"Good." Sophia said "Establish orbit, I'm going to run the final checklist on Virgil."
"Copy that." David said he looked out of the cockpit window "I never get tired of seeing this."
"You know considering I was never planning to be an astronaut." Sophia said as she went about her work to the rear of the cabin "I don't know what I'd do now if I couldn't do this."
"I hear that." David said "Ok we're in orbit."
"Virgil checks out." Sophia said she tapped her com "Control we're standing by to deploy Virgil."
"Proceed." Nicola said
"Copy that." Sophia said "Open the cargo bay doors."
"Opening cargo bay doors." David said, Sophia waited a few moments
"Releasing Virgil." Sophia said, she hit the button and waited
"We have Virgil control." Nicola said "You've got thirty six hours up there have fun."
"Do you want to sleep first or second?" Sophia asked
"Well I could put her on autopilot and we could..." David said
"Just because Vince and Imogen got real intimate on the last project when they were up here doesn't mean we're going to." Sophia said
"You're not the least bit curious what doing that in zero-G's like?" David asked
"Not yet." Sophia said "Close the cargo bay doors."
"Closing them." David said, as he did that Sophia hit another button "That's the auto pilot"
"I know." Sophia said
On the ground Nicola and Gary were pleased, they had Virgil fully deployed and they had it heading off towards the asteroid belt
"So that's Virgil on the way." Gary said
"Yep" Nicola said "Virgil has left the planet."
"And now the forward planning begins" Gary said
"It does." Nicola said
Achkaerin:
Preparations
It had been a few weeks, almost three months, since Virgil had been launched so it was back to being just another day at the office, Nicola Fernley was sat in her secondary office, it overlooked the mission control room so if anything did go wrong or if anything required her attention she was close enough to not have to run across the ASA complex. Virgil was about halfway to Nergal now so it was simply a case of monitoring that and setting other things in motion, Homer was in the early stages of preparation, tests on their latest engines were ongoing but things were about to change a little as the office door opened and in walked the mission strategist of the ASA Vicky Acheson and head of engineering Lance Rosenberg.
"Got a minute Nicola? Vicky asked
"Yes what is it?" Nicola asked, as her two colleagues not to mention friends sat down opposite her
"The funding for Atlantis came through." Vicky said, Nicola looked up
"That was fast." Nicola said "Is the Science Ministry in a good mood or something?"
"I think we piqued the Emperor's interest more than anything." Lance said
"It's ambitious." Nicola said "That usually gets the Emperor's attention."
"So do we do it?" Vicky asked
"Yes." Nicola said "We'll have to do it in stages but let's do it. Lay it out."
"We do Atlantis in stages, build each section and launch it" Lance said
"We coincide those with Luna runs, test out new equipment, give astronauts experience." Vicky said "Run ground training and get everyone ready during an intense program."
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