Unum Chapter Seven
E Pluribus Unum
Author: J Carrell Jones
Table of Content
Year 6 Month 10 Week 2 Day 12 Hour 1 Minute 22 Second 54 - Earth Date: 06-10-02-12-01-22-54 - Chapter Seven
Year Six
Year 6 Month 10 Week 2 Day 12 Hour 1 Minute 22 Second 54
Earth Date: 06-10-02-12-01-22-54
Chapter Seven
The building orbit was littered with heavy cargo and mining vessels. The US, Russia, and China had two heavy cargo ships and one mining vessel each. The unofficial bet was the nation that brought in the most raw material over the first twelve months would have first choice to a Habitat ring. India, South America, Mexico, and China supplied the bulk of heavy labor workers. Most of the smaller countries that couldn’t supply miners contributed people to manufacturing, textile and administration. The UK, New Zealand, Singapore, and Israel contributed mostly to electronics. Canada, the US, and Russia made most of the Cargo and mining Vessels. Canada, France, Japan and Holland made half the inter-orbit transports. The rest of the European Union, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Greece, and Italy made the rest. The US and Russia made the launch vehicles, and the list went on and on of things to do and things to make, down to the making of much needed bolts, wires, and electronic components. Nearly every nation contributed.
The International Space Station had acquired ten more modules during the first active year of construction. One would be the Command Center until Segment one’s CommCent was completed with housing. Projected completion was set at another 6 months. Linda took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She had gone through an accelerated Astronaut training course. It was brutal but she made it.
“T minus 9 minutes and holding,” she heard over the helmet speakers. This was it she thought. Finally. Linda turned her head to the right. Estelle, one of her classmates, seemed to be sleeping. On her left sat Jesus. He was softly humming to himself. She looked forward and started thinking about Gale and wondered if she’d look the same. Gale had sent her a selfie with the Earth in the background. Besides her hair looking kind of wild she seemed the same. Maybe a little bit bloated in the face, but otherwise the same.
“T minus 9 minutes and counting.”
Gale listened to the countdown from the Command Module. Ted gave her the time off to greet Linda when the Crew Dragon V2 module docked. “T minus 16 seconds.” She held her breath.
Linda swallowed and let out a good deep breath. “. . . 5 . . . 4 . . .” She inhaled softly and held it in.
The Mission Controller said, “. . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . lift-off. The Falcon Heavy with Crew Dragon V2 launch 136 is on its way to the International Space Station. Its mission is to deliver the new Command Module crew. E Pluribus Unum.” Gale remembered to breathe. Linda, her wife, was coming. Life would be good, and the bed would be warm again.