Commander Nireem woke early. The first landing would take half of the New Dawn's passengers and crew to the surface tomorrow. But, once down, there was no way back. The descent vehicles could not return to orbit. There wouldn’t be enough fuel.
Weeks ago, he had decided to go down with the first group. He would take the same risk as the others on this first attempt. Nireem believed in leading from the front.
The immediate task was to speak to everyone one final time. The Commander directed the senior medical specialists to message him when they had everyone assembled for their noon meal. This time, his message would be brief.
Nireem spent the rest of the morning in final discussions with his officers. Eteppon had selected more tools and materials he thought would be helpful on the ground. Retepin tasked crew members to find places for everything. They also had to stow the bodies of the passengers killed in the collision. Until now, they had been in an unheated compartment and were frozen. Fortunately, the reentry simulations had run variations for different weights to enable adjusting for last-minute changes.
The Commander was in his private compartment when each lounge notified him its passengers were ready. He straightened his posture, cleared his throat, and looked straight into the camera. One tap on a console button sent his image to the screens at the front of each passenger lounge.
“Thank you for your attention. This message will be my last delivered to you on board the New Dawn. The first descent vehicle will leave our ship tomorrow afternoon with half our passengers and crew. I will be with those making the first landing.
If something should happen to me, Gergin, our Senior Navigator, will take charge of the first colony until the two groups join up, and Ecurben can take command.
You have practiced the boarding procedure. Everyone going on the first lander should be in your lounge, ready to commence boarding by 1:30 tomorrow. Be ready precisely as you were for the last practice. Your efficient execution of the boarding process is vital to reaching our desired landing site.
Many of you suggested names for our new home, and the vote strongly favored one. You have chosen Wenobek, the word for Promised Land. It is a good choice reflecting our mission.
By tomorrow night, half of you will be on Wenobek, and I expect many will be looking up into a star-filled sky. We have crossed our galaxy for this moment. Tomorrow, the real challenge of our mission begins. Working together, I have confidence we will succeed.
The second lander will depart seven to ten days later. Our Senior Pilot, Ecurben, will command that group, and Senior Navigator Drachcirn will be second in command. Ecurben will lead the second colony until the two groups join.
Before the second lander departs, we will be in radio contact with the New Dawn, sharing our experiences and what we find. New information may require Ecurben to alter the landing site.
We plan to land both vehicles in the same general area, close enough to enable easy travel between them. But there is a great deal of uncertainty and risk. That might not happen. So those of you with friends on the second lander will want to wish each other well.
I am hopeful we will soon come together on the ground. We are at a new beginning for our species and our culture. Each and every one of you is an essential part of our future.”
The screens went dark, and animated conversation broke out in each module. Enaida, standing in the back, saw the excitement in those near her. For the first time, leaving the confines of the spaceship was not something in the future. Many would be on the ground on Wenobek tomorrow.
Two women Enaida had helped came up to her. “We wanted to wish you a safe trip. We’re in the second group. We appreciate your help,” said the first.
“This is so exciting. I can’t wait to be able to walk around without floating away. I can’t wait to see green plants and trees,” bubbled the second.
Enaida smiled and thanked them. She hoped everything would be as wonderful as they imagined. But then, maybe her past experiences had made her too cautious.
For Enaida, this was a bitter-sweet time. Tomorrow would be her last day as an astronaut. Back on Tridon, being an astronaut earned her the respect of someone who traveled the galaxy and did what others could only imagine. She wondered if Gergin was having similar thoughts.
Aterga glided into the lounge and worked her way over to her friend. She said, “Looks like our work is done.”
“For today! Tomorrow, we have to get our group boarded. They think this will be like the trip up from Tridon to the New Dawn. It will be a rude disappointment.”
“What happens to the passengers who cannot disembark when we land?”
“Aterga, when we land, they will have several hours to adjust. Then, if they can’t leave on their own, some of the crew or Advance Team will have to help them.”
“But we can’t just dump them on the ground.”
“The Advance Team will unload the temporary surface habitat. We will stay there.”
The rest of the afternoon was uneventful, and the passengers were in a celebratory mood. Unlike the astronauts, getting off the ship was all they had wanted since leaving Tridon. Being on firm ground was synonymous with the comfortable life they had once enjoyed.
Mission Day 468
Gergin and Retepin were in the Command Center studying the cloud cover on the front screen. They had spent hours since first orbiting Wenobek, watching the view passing below and the cloud patterns. They knew these patterns resulted from changes in the weather. They had seen similar images observing Tridon from orbit.
“It would be best if the sky over the approach to our landing zone is clear of clouds. I would hate to land in a rainstorm,” Retepin said.
“Earlier this morning, it was moderately cloudy. I didn’t see any frontal lines on the back side.”
“So far, it looks good. Let's check again in a couple of hours.”
“What flexibility do we have?” Gergin asked.
“Not much. If it looks bad, we delay a day.”
“That will not be welcome news.”
Commander Nireem moved with authority into the Command Center. Gergin recognized his determined expression.
“How's it look?” Nireem asked.
“Some weather, but not a problem,” Retepin answered.
“Is the cargo all loaded?”
“Yes, sir. The crew finished it last night.”
“One last thing. I want the crew going with us armed with stun lasers. It will discourage anyone with ambitions,” the Commander added, smiling. Stun lasers were sidearms that could disable a person within about 40 feet. They were ideal for shipboard use.
“Two of the crew not leaving will be armed and standing by in case someone tries switching places again,” Retepin confirmed.
“Good. I doubt the Mamlaka will try that stunt. What about the ship's armory?” Nireem continued.
“The crew loaded half of the scoped-range weapons, sir.”
“OK. Anything else we are forgetting?”
“Retepin and I have checked the list twice, sir.”
“Keep those clouds away,” Nireem said, smiling as he left.
He returned to his compartment to load his flight bag. He took his Zimkom-14 from the safe and the two boxes of cartridges, his final possession, to pack. Slipping it into his bag, he thought: Never would have guessed it would end up here.
Retepin quietly gave the ship's crew chief the order to issue stun lasers to all members assigned to the first descent vehicle.
Gergin finally realized he would be leaving the New Dawn to land on this planet with no possibility of returning. He and Retepin had focused on the details without grasping the big truth.
The Commander's words, “Anything else we are forgetting,” took on new meaning. Was there anything he was forgetting? Then he knew there was.
“Retepin, We aren’t coming back once we land. So make sure you don’t leave anything you might want later.”
“Ah…, OK, thanks,” the pilot replied, puzzled by what he had heard.
Later that morning, Gergin left to go down to his compartment. He had an over-the-shoulder, cross-body bag that he had used for years to bring personal items. The crew had a larger version of the passenger's flight bag for clothing, toiletries, and mission-related equipment. However, he kept more personal things in his shoulder bag.
Gergin looked through its compartments. There was a small case with pictures of his parents, brother, and Enaida with him at a party. There were some drawing instruments he used to make navigation charts. And there were some instruments he had brought on his first flights and still had out of habit. There was a multi-tool knife, a magnifying glass for examining faint details in pictures, a light on an elastic head strap, and a sextant he had used in his first class on navigation. The sextant was more like an old friend than anything he would use in space.
The bag would be helpful on the ground. It had three compartments, one for holding a bottle and two large ones.
Gergin put on the regulation boots he wore when not in space, slung his bag across his body, and picked up his flight duffel bag. Then, after one last look around his small compartment, he returned to the Crew Galley.
He put two fruit drink bottles and several energy bars in with his collection of personal items. While there, one of the crew brought him a stun laser. It was in a holster and belt. He checked to see if it was charged and strapped it on.
Moments later, Retepin glided into the galley with his gear. He had a small backpack and a grin on his face.
“I almost forgot my portable battery. Got it when we were last home. I would let my virtual eyepiece run down. The battery holds two charges.”
“Retepin. Where do you plan to charge it when we land?”
“There are chargers in the descent vehicle. They will provide plenty of power.”
“Did the crew load extra food?” Gergin asked.
“Already hungry? It was on the list. We have enough for 60 days if we ration it carefully. We have to make finding local food a top priority.
“What's in the backpack?”
“You are nosy. I have a special pillow and socks. My feet get cold at night. Looks like we are close to boarding time.”
“Whose in the Command Center?”
“Ecurben and Drachcirn are up there now. They will monitor our descent,” Retepin answered.