Escaping the Cradle - Part 33

Escaping the Cradle

by Karen Page

Part 33

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Part 33
DATE:FC+126

"Stay seated," said James, seeing the red flashing lights.

He didn't have to say that. The other two knew what it meant and hadn't moved.

"We've not brought back an alien, have we?" Sam asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"If we have, I'm sure that would put paid to us being a private company," James responded. "Earth First would be on the streets with that."

Liam shuddered.

"Control. Any idea on the cause?" James asked over the radio.

Evan responded. "We're investigating. Detectors are flagging some type of contamination. We're looking into it."

Liam was on a spare console and was looking through the data. Doing was good. If he just sat there waiting for Evan, he was frightened he would panic. The detectors were quite helpful. They listed what it had found and why they were complaining.

"We were at a K type star system," Liam said to Evan. "Look at those values."

"You think its residual?" Evan asked.

"It might be. They aren't dangerous readings. Just not what we coded as expected."

"I see two solutions," said Evan after a few seconds thought. "We wait and they should diminish. Or you take Eos back out into high orbit. Get a good dose of Sol radiation on the ship."

"The second one sounds more fun," said Sam. "But if we are going to go to other star systems, I think we need to see how the readings dissipate. Learn from this."

"Agreed," Becky said, taking note. "Following the fourth pathway in our contamination protocol list."

"You've got that out?" asked Liam, surprised.

"It was the first thing she did when the alarm went off," said Evan. "We put in detectors, and we all agreed what would happen if they went off. I think it's only logical we follow the plans. She's had Laura and Ashleigh asking if we are calling in the fire brigade with hazmat units."

"No!" yelped Liam, making James and Sam look across in concern. Liam waved a hand signalling he was okay. "It doesn't need that. Well not yet. Let's see what the sensors say in ten minutes."

"Agreed. We can both monitor."

"Talk to us," James ordered Liam when he'd turned off his microphone. "What's going on?"

"Different stars emit different particles and radiation. The ship's outer hull picked some up, and Eos is now emitting low levels that confused the sensors. It should dissipate and we will see if those emissions are reducing in the next ten minutes. In theory, it should be gone in half an hour."

"So, we're not going to die?" asked James.

"Not because of this," said Liam. "Well not based on what the sensors are showing. They could be wrong, and there's a three-metre alien waiting to eat us when we step outside."

"I'd hope they'd see that on the camera," said Sam.

"Okay, a three-metre alien that's invisible that jumped through the interdimensional tunnel twice and survived in the vacuum of space."

"Oh, now you're getting picky," griped Sam.

"I'm sure I met a few of them over the years at Axiom Station," added James.

"You don't get them underwater," sighed Sam. "Looks like I missed out. Though the huge sea monster with twenty tentacles was such a beast to wrestle."

Liam looked at them in shock. He couldn't imagine why they were teasing each other at a time like this.

When he managed to assemble his thoughts, Liam asked, "How can you two sit there joking?"

"There's nothing else for us to do," James responded. "We're here at the factory. It's not like this issue occurred in a different star system. Here they can rescue us if they need to. We could even get them to send us a device so we could create an interdimensional tunnel to transport us out."

"I wasn't sure we'd get there and back," Sam agreed. "Heck, I even gave Becky my 'last letter'."

"I did too. Though I'm not sure she understood what it was."

Liam wasn't slow on the uptake. "Is that what it says on the tin? A goodbye letter just in case you die or don't come back?"

"Yes," Sam said simply. "It was something my CO mentioned before my first tour. It wasn't compulsory, but it was good to know there was something Jessica would be given in case I didn't return. I stopped doing them after a while but started again when I got involved with test ships."

"But isn't it like admitting you might not return?"

"That's the point," said James. "We might not have. We went somewhere totally unknown. Anything could have happened, and nobody could have come to rescue us. We knew and accepted the situation. We were clear in our minds that we might not have returned."

"You don't trust the ship?"

"We trust the ship," said James. "I wouldn't be in her if I didn't. It was the situation that was the big unknown."

"For you it's different," Sam said. "You never thought we might not come back."

Liam considered and said, "It's not that I didn't know I might not come back, it's just that the urge to experience the science is bigger. I wanted to see a different star. I wanted to see the theories I'd spent my life studying in front of my eyes."

"So how did you feel about going?"

"Terrified. But in some respects, I didn't want not to go. You two had said you would, and I knew I would be safe with you. Well, as safe as we could be. I didn't want my fear to guide me. Jenny managed to overcome her fear of returning to school after being kidnapped."

"Don't be reckless though," said Sam. "You don't want to put yourself and others in danger. Some people think they're invincible. They do things for the wrong reason."

Liam looked at the console to see what the data said. "Evan. Readings are normalising."

Evan responded. "We see. It'll be about another twenty minutes at current rates of decay."

"If it's not dangerous, why are we hanging around?" asked Sam.

"Because it is a good test of the system. One we've not been able to do before. When the values normalise, the lockdown should end. There's no confusion then. Nobody can say we were taking shortcuts."

As they waited, Liam said thoughtfully, "Do you think I should write a last letter?"

James and Sam shared a look. James sighed and answered. "That's up to you. Even when I was on the frontline with the RAF not everybody did. People do it for various reasons. A way of coming to terms that they might die. A way to leave something for a loved one so they know that even though they were risking everything, they were always in their thoughts."

"Ask yourself this," said Sam. "Are you a scientist or an explorer? You might be a bit of both or more one than another. Are you going to step into the unknown again? Then what would writing a letter do for you or who you left it for? What is the purpose for you?"

Liam fell silent again. This would be something to think about. Preferably with a nice beer. "Sam. Please tell me if I'm being too nosy, but why did you join the services? I thought that might have been difficult when you live without a defined gender."

Sam leaned back and considered how to answer. It seemed a simple question, but it didn't feel like a simple answer. "School gave me the freedom to discover more about myself. When I joined the UK school I was already living androgynously. The only time a gender was required was when we played foreign concerts and that was basically for the passport. I had other needs which the US school had more experience with, so we did a school exchange. When we finished and went to university, I found I missed the regiment that school gave."

Liam was shocked. "The music school was run like a military academy?"

"No," laughed Sam. "It was remarkably free, but there was a structure. Mealtimes set. Nighttime curfew. Things like that. I missed that structure. I also wanted to see if I could live as a gender. I finished university and the US Navy snapped me up.

"The first few months were hard. I didn't fit in, but I had the confidence in myself to push through. Over the years I became good at my job and became respected. I found I enjoyed making a difference and that sustained me."

"When I eventually left, I found I was lost. I found adopting a gender was tied to my role in the military. It was no different than a rank, or a job that I had to do. I'm glad I've been welcome here as me."

Liam got up and gave Sam a hug. "Thank you. I'm sorry if I caused you discomfort."

"It's fine," said Sam with a dazzling smile. "I think it helps you, understanding where I've been. I've already had this chat with James. He told me some of his story in the RAF and ESA. We work closely together, and it reduced misconceptions and misunderstanding."

They lapsed into silence, continuing to wait. The red flashing lights stopped and a few seconds later, Evan said, "Conditions are normal. No contamination being read. When you exit the ship, I'd suggest not touching the hull, just in case there's still residue."

"Do you want a reading from the hull?" Liam asked. "I could do a swab sample."

"Not without protective gear," Becky ordered.

"Of course not. We have some in the storeroom on the ground floor."

"When you exit, go to what we used as the makeshift med bay. Dr Watterson is waiting for you."

They were sticking to the plan, and all three in the ship knew it.

"It looks like I won't be teaching Jenny after school today," said Liam, knowing the medical checks would take several hours.

"Don't worry about it," responded Evan. "It'll be good for them to have me for the day."

* * *

Reception at Bright House in Waterwells Business Park had been warned about Jenny and Kelly. When they turned up, they were given special passes with yellow lanyards. After their biometrics had been confirmed, they followed Ashleigh through to a small meeting room on the ground floor. Evan was waiting.

"How's The Anchor?" asked Evan as the two schoolgirls went to look at the drinks at the back of the room.

Ashleigh looked relieved. "They've finished. It's all cleared and locked. I'll be here from tomorrow."

"Great."

"So hopefully you won't do anything else hair-brained and cause me and others palpitations. Alerts like that go to key people, including Laura."

"What did they do?" Jenny asked, grinning. She knew Evan was in trouble. She liked the scientists and knew it must have been something significant for her Mum to be upset like that.

"They'd decided on a quick trip to a star system. The idea excited them more than using their brains," Ashleigh explained.

"So, today we're going to cover Star Stuff," said Evan, as they all sat at the table. "I think it's rather relevant."

"Really?" Ashleigh queried, raising her eyebrows and sitting down to hear what he had to say.

"Really. I think it has good scientific information and a cautionary tale."

"As a teaser, the Star Stuff we're going to discuss are particles and radiation emanating from the Sun. It is often called solar wind. They reach out right around the solar system and create a protective barrier stopping stronger cosmic rays from impacting us. Finally, we will talk about Earth's magnetic field and how it shields life on Earth from the solar wind."

"But before we dive into the science, I want to share the cautionary tale. Jenny knows some of this already, but I forgot it. Again. So, I think it is worth repeating, and Kelly can get some of that knowledge too. Just under a year ago, Dr Mann and I were trying to puzzle out an issue with opening the interdimensional tunnel. We worked all through the weekend."

"My Dad sometimes works weekends," said Kelly. "It's sad to not see much of him, but sometimes he says it's needed."

"They didn't stop work over the weekend," explained Jenny solemnly, gripping the chair arms to steady herself. "They didn't sleep. They didn't eat. And they didn't drink much."

"They must have been really tired," said Kelly, not understanding the implications.

Ashleigh filled her in when she saw Jenny couldn't. "They weren't just tired. They were really ill. When I found them, they were so ill they couldn't stand. They were no longer thinking straight. If they'd not been found, they could have ended up in hospital, or could have died."

Kelly looked shocked, and Jenny looked like she was going to burst into tears. Kelly noticed and put her arm around Jenny.

"We've been really careful not to do that again," said Evan. "When work finishes, we go home and come back the next day. We rarely work all night, and if we do it is for a very good reason. Then Miss Thompson makes sure we have rest to recover."

"So how does that relate to today?" asked Jenny.

"That spark of curiosity is good. It drives a scientist. However, you have to think just because you can do something, if you should do it. Today we got excited about a trip to a different star system. We'd worked out the coordinates, and we discussed working out what it would be like. Someone suggested we went, and someone else agreed. Next thing I remember was us driving to the factory."

"Is Dr Mann okay?" Jenny asked in anguish.

"Yes," reassured Evan. "They went to a star system about eleven light years away. They stayed a few minutes and came back. However, there were consequences, which I will explain in a minute. I need to finish the cautionary part first and then we'll do science."

Kelly and Jenny looked at each other, unsure so far about what Evan had been talking about.

"Anyway, we got to the factory. Even though Mrs Head suggested we didn't have to go, the three crew members decided they were up for it. They'd travelled all the way to the factory. Why wouldn't we do it? They went, and when they got back, the sensors in the ship room went off saying the ship was contaminated. The room automatically sealed. The building locked down. Heck, even the gates locked."

"In our rush to explore, we forgot to think. We didn't think what might happen. We didn't think about Star Stuff. Excitement, and the peer pressure made us act silly. Just because Captain Partridge wanted to go. Just because Commander Hood wanted to go. Then everybody else agreed because they didn't want to seem the one that said no. Excitement made us want to do it. Peer pressure then made us not want to stop."

"Just say no?" suggested Kelly.

"It sounds simple, doesn't it. But when you're saying no to your friends when you feel the pressure of the group, it is really hard to say no. It's so much easier to go with the flow."

Kelly looked thoughtful. Jenny was about to say something, but Ashleigh put a hand on her arm to stop her.

When Kelly eventually talked, she was nervous and hesitant. "Dr Lancaster, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"I don't want to seem silly, but I'm lost. When you got to the factory, if you'd said no, why would that have stopped the others going? If they were so excited, wouldn't they have still gone, and they wouldn't have had you helping when they came back? Would you have left Mrs Head on her own?"

"I would never have abandoned them," said Evan fiercely.

"My mum is always talking about personal responsibility. When I do something that I shouldn't, I use to blame others. She told me I had to accept what I did or didn't do. This peer pressure you've talked about, does it override that personal responsibility?"

Evan rubbed his fingers across his lips as he thought about what Kelly had said. It wasn't something he'd expected. She was normally so quiet. She took things in and asked questions, but she'd never come out with anything like this before. "No, you are always responsible for your own actions. Peer pressure though can make you forget you have a choice."

"Why did the alarm go off?" Jenny asked, moving them away from what made her uncomfortable.

"Star Stuff," Evan responded. "Different stars emit different things. Think of it like a signature or a fingerprint. Just like oxygen is everywhere in this room. Star Stuff is everywhere near the star. Eos was sat inside it."

"Like she was having a bath in it," said Jenny simply.

"Exactly. And when Eos returned, it gave off the radiation from the other star. The sensors were setup for Sol radiation not 61 Cygni and set off the alarms. We were in so much of a rush to go, we didn't think about that."

"Was it dangerous?" asked Kelly.

"Not this time. Since Eos was no longer bathed in 61 Cygni winds, the unexpected items gradually dissipated. The contamination condition ended and the building unlocked. We have documented steps to follow depending on the issue."

Evan got a large folder from the side and put it in front of the two children.

"But this is paper," gasped Kelly in horror. "I thought this would have been on your computer systems?"

"There are many emergencies. What if the power was off? What if someone had hacked our computers and we couldn't get to the emergency procedures? Having a copy of paper as well as online is the safest solution. In an emergency you don't want to be fumbling for something; you want it straight away. We have paper copies at the control room, in the ship, and here. We have them on our systems and our tablets."

Kelly had been flicking through the folder. "There are so many procedures in here."

"Going into space is science and engineering. Going into space safely takes much more."