Dark as Daylight Ch. 02

"Only if it will keep you safe. I could not live with myself knowing there was something I could have done to save you, but didn't because I was frightened."

"I am not made of glass my love. You know I can take care of myself. If we are ever separate don't do anything stupid. We will be together sooner rather than later."

"I'm hungry, I think I will eat you. He is green across the board. Bed woman, now."

"Yes master."

"Yes master, I like that. Always answer me that way."

"Fat Chance Cowboy."

**************

"Grandma, according to the star charts, Neptune is in 2/3 Aphelion, which adds 230 million miles until we pass it."

"What did he forget to tell me Monty?"

"The same thing I forget every time captain; our speed."

"What is our speed Newton?"

"I don't know. I've done the calculations 4 times, and they come out to the same number, but they can't be right. It's not possible to go this fast. Einstein said so."

Jennifer picked up her communicator and called me.

"Hi, what's up?"

"I think you better come up to the bridge now, no questions asked."

I didn't and was there is a moment. I kissed Jens' head, from behind the captains' chair, and repeated my query.

"Hi, what's up."

"Newton, without fear of being wrong, or ridiculed by others, what speed did you come up with?"

"I have used four star settings, our approach, and departure speeds from Uranus, and now our approach speed to Neptune. I still have to be wrong but here is the number I came up with + or -3% every time: 702,402,150 mph. Grandpa that is faster than light speed, it just can't be right."

"Have you asked Callie?"

"I don't have the authority to do that grandpa."

"Who has the authority to do that Newton?"

"The Captain or his or her personal representative."

"Did you asked the captain for permission to research your problem?"

"No sir I didn't, I knew my numbers were right, I just didn't believe them. Einstein said it's not possible to travel faster than light, and everyone has agreed with him since he said it in 1936. Who the heck am I to disagree with him?"

"Who are you named after?"

"Sir Isaac Newton."

"Why did you parents named you after him?"

"Oh fuck."

"Don't let your sister hear you say that; you'll wind up with your nose in the corner. Now answer my question why did your parents named you after Sir Isaac Newton?"

"Sir Isaac Newton presented the world with the theory of gravity, among many other things including the rotation and order of the known planets. Then my mother blew apart the theory of gravity, and named me after one of the greatest names in science."

"I want you to write a message with all your calculations on it and our current speed. Have it ready for me on a disk in the next 20 minutes. We are going to prepare a rocket to send back to Earth. Newton Thyme of the Good Luck 1 has just verified we are moving at [blank blank blank] speed which is faster than the Speed of light. Make it much better than that, and get your ass in gear now. Monty the helmsman position is yours, don't run us into anything please."

"I will try to miss that big planet straight ahead of us sir."

"That's an excellent thought Monty, Gordon would be proud of you."

I took out my communicator, poked in a number and waited. A gruffly voice answered, "WHAT."

"Get your ass out of bed. We're launching a rocket 30 minutes, not 31. We just broke the speed of light, and we are sending that message home."

"If you just broke the speed of light, could you wait until morning to send the message?"

"Jack, the sun won't be up for six years. Get out of bed now."

"I thought I was going on a vacation. I should never have listened to Lucius. He always gets me into deep shit."

"Do you want me to strap you onto the rocket to send you home?"

"First class or coach?"

"Coach of course, it is a hell of a long trip."

"No thanks, I'll be downstairs in a minute. I don't like you Even."

"You should hear what Dycke Schneider had to say about me."

"I did, and I thought he was lying. I didn't think anyone could be that mean. As usual I was wrong."

He turned off his communicator called his entire staff, and they were downstairs before he was. By the time I got down, the entire shell of the rocket was on the ground, and the test kits were checking every nook and cranny of the rocket. This time they found a cracked circuit board, which had to be replaced.

Jack walked over to me. He said I may be a lousy person, but I am good administrator. I had spare parts all over the place, and if I wanted, he could build me two more rockets out of the spare parts.

I stood there scratching my chin and said, "We have nothing defensive. You are a great engineer. Why don't you put a guidance system in those? Control them from down here in engineering. No enemy would ever expect a captain to give up command of his weapons. However, you will have complete control over them. You know these rockets will never run out of fuel so you can chase the bad guys all over the sky. It will scare them to death. You can even bring them back here to have them refueled, if we ever find a source."

"That's not a half bad idea Even, it may take me a few months to figure out how to make the guidance system, but all we have is time."

"I knew you could do it Jack. We have time and the best engineer in space. If there was anybody onboard I knew it would be you to do it."

"Thank you Even, I take back every nasty thing I said about you.

"I knew you didn't mean them Jack, it's just the stress of command."

"You got that right Captain."

After we were about 20 feet apart, I turned and said, "Jack make sure they are nuclear tipped."

Then I ran like hell for the elevator, which was 10 feet away, and the door was open. I heard him pounding on the elevator, using words only a sailor uses after returning from a long time at sea.

"Jack is fun." I got off on the fourth floor instead of the third, and looked down, just in case he took the stairs and beat me. 'Jack could be angry also.'

*********************

5. IT Can't Be Right

"Captain, may I ask a question?"

"You just did Monty, go ahead."

"I know Newton just gave his report on speed, but there's something I don't understand. Every time we talked about breaking the speed of light, we also talked about pushing the engines to their absolute limits. Am I correct?"

"Yes Monty that is correct."

"Captain, the nuclear engine is running at 68% power, either that or my controls are wrong."

"Monty check with engineering now."

"Yes Captain."

"Engineering this is the bridge."

"Engineering go ahead."

"Engineering verify the power output of the nuclear engine."

"Roger one moment."

"Bridge, nuclear engine output 67.8%."

"Engineering, verify at the containment area."

"Bridge nuclear engine output 67.8%."

"Thank you engineering."

"Monty get your star charts up on the screen. Find the one that Holden has marked for the 'White Hole,' and give me a course to it."

"My, my miss Captain, have we grown a pair of balls today?"

"Shut up Even, you are supposed to be sleeping."

"It's your ship madam, if you wish to take us to a place, which our youngest child discovered, have at it."

"Did you have your ears to the floor again husband? Is that why you're prowling around, and not sleeping?"

"Why did something of import happen while I was not SLEEPING?"

"Monty does anything pass this man, ever?"

"I can't say what happened the day before he hired me. Since the day he did, I can't think of the thing that passed him by. He is a pain in the ass that way."

"You can't talk to your Captain that way."

"You're not my Captain, Jennifer is."

"You tell him Monty. Now get off my bridge and get some sleep. Oh by the way we broke the speed of light using only 68% of the nuclear engines power. Now get off my bridge."

"What did you just say?"

"When did you become hard of hearing Even? I said get off my bridge."

"No before that part."

"Nothing of importance, I'm certain of it."

"It had something to do with speed and the percentage of usage of the nuclear engine."

"Oh, that's old news already. You didn't hear about that at dinner?"

"I love you dearly Jennifer, and you are pregnant with two of my children. However, I am getting close to committing a triple homicide if I don't get the information I want."

"Monty, for a man that never forgets anything, how could he possibly not know this?"

"Is it possible that Gordon was right? Should we have Doctor Finch test him for senility? Could it be early onset Alzheimer's? Never in my life did I see anything happen this quickly, nor did I think it would happen to such a man like Doctor Even Luck."

"Ladies stay right here. I'll be right back; with something to kill you with."

Jennifer picked up her communicator and said, "Security to the bridge, security to the bridge."

I looked at her and said, "You wouldn't dare."

She replied, "Watch me."

Security arrived at the bridge, and didn't know which one of us to approach. I pointed to Jennifer, who was sitting in the captain's chair.

"Captain Even Luck is temporarily removed from duty, due to extreme exhaustion. You will take him to his room, and post two agents outside his door. If he attempts to leave his room, even once, you will handcuff him to his bed. Is that clear?"

Halfheartedly, the senior agent said, "Yes Captain."

I gave Jennifer a tip of the hat, turned and walked away with the security team.

Monty turned to Jennifer and said, "You do realize you just started a war."

"Yes I know, but I'm like France, I surrender before my uniform gets dirty."

"Have you found the star chart?"

"Yes I have Captain."

"Holden put the word "IN' at one end of the White Hole. How do we get there?"

"According to the 3-D hologram, after we pass Neptune, the entrance to the 'White Hole' is bearing 265° relative, at a declination of 35°, and is 15.4 Light Years away."

"What is our current speed Monty?"

"I knew you were going to ask me that, so I've been tracking Neptune as we approached it, and Uranus as a fixed point behind us. I don't know how or why it's happening, but our speed has increased to 709,902,461 miles per hour, plus or minus 3%."

"What is that in Light Years per Hour?"

"1.38 Light Years per hour captain.

"Could it be the gravitational effect of Neptune?"

"Neptune has a nearly zero gravity ratio effect on us. It would not account for a 5 ½ million miles per hour increase in speed in the last 100 million miles."

"Are you forgetting something Monty?"

"I don't think so Captain. I have factored in the Ion/H2 engines, and I don't believe the rear magnetic engines could be pushing us away from Uranus at this distance."

"Is there anything else in this area of space that the magnetic engines could be pushing us away from, or towards?"

"Do you mean a minor planet, like Pluto? There are none mapped in this area of space."

"How about the hundreds of thousands of asteroids circling the area between these two planets? Would they give the front or rear magnetic engines something to pull us towards or to push against?"

"Yes Captain, they certainly would. I never thought of that possibility."

"You started training less than three weeks ago; I would be amazed if you did know Monty. You also have to check the positions Eris, Haumea, Makemake, and Ceres. Just because we are not going towards any of them, doesn't mean the engines are not using them as a source of power.

Ask Callie how you did on the accuracy of your direction, and speed of the spacecraft."

"Callie this is Helmsman in Training Monty requesting to know how accurate my directions to the White Hole was and my speed estimate."

"Helmsman when you announced your findings our actual position relative to the White Hole was 260.167° relative at 31.314° angle of declination. Our current speed is 710,011,300.5 mph. Our estimated time of arrival at the entrance to the White Hole 13.946."

"Callie why the difference in the ETA. The hologram shows 15.4 LY."

"The hologram is not taking into consideration our increasing speed. We are approaching 1.5 light speed at this time."

"Are we still using 68% power on the Nuclear Engine."

"Yes."

"Captain, I believe it is time to turn that little horse loose."

"I believe you are correct Monty. Increase power on the Nuclear Engine to 93%."

"Power to 93% Captain."

There was no surge felt in the ship. No one was thrown against the walls or thrown to the floor. It was a smooth transition, like an aircraft at cruising altitude increasing speed by 20 knots.

"Bridge to Engineering, how is the Nuclear Engine running?"

"Why; did you do something to it?"

"We just went to 93% power."

"You are interrupting our card game, because of something as trivial as that?

The engine is purring like a kitty cat. Can we go back to our game now?"

"Sullivan, are you forgetting we can see you?"

"Damn those Japanese, and their tiny cameras. I'll get you for that Monty."

"I am saving you from losing money. You don't play cards worth a shit."

"Yeah, I know."

"All the engines are in good shape."

"Everything down here is fine, with one anomaly. The Ion/H2 engines are set at 70% power, as ordered. However, their output is nearly off the charts. They are reading 268% power, and it doesn't make any sense. The colonel told us to let them run as long as their temperature readings were within parameters. Those engines are running cooler than normal. It doesn't make any sense."

"Do you want to wake up the colonel and ask his opinion?"

"I am dumb Monty, but I'm not stupid. The colonel would hang me outside with the Nuclear Engine to keep me warm."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to stand here and watch every gauge, dial and flashing light until I go blind. Then I'll call the colonel, and have him fix everything. He is a storehouse of knowledge, and I want to learn everything he knows."

"That's going to take a long time Sully."

"Isn't that something we have a lot of on our hands?"

"We will see what happens with engine at 93%.

***************

"Monty I want an update on our speed in 5 minutes. I don't want it in miles per hour I want it in light years per hour, and in warp speed."

"Captain, I have not been taught how to calculate warp speed yet."

"I'm sorry Monty, you are always so competent, I keep forgetting you've only been at the position for 3 weeks. Newton Thyme to the bridge please."

Newton arrived at the bridge with his hair all messed up, and lipstick all over his face, which he was trying to get rid of with all possible haste.

"Newton get over here."

Still trying to get rid of the evidence he walked over to his grandmother.

"Yes Captain how my help you?"

"What the hell..., let me change that; I know what you were doing, but you're only 15 years old."

"What's wrong with that grandmother? I have heard stories that you started earlier than I am."

"Those are only stories Newton. You're supposed to have facts before you go running off, and start messing around."

"I have excellent sources grandmother. Would you like me to mention them here on the bridge, or in private?"

"Shall I call security and put you in the brig for the next 6 months, as your grandfather did to our son, or are you going to keep your big mouth closed."

"Without being disrespectful to the captain of this ship, are you going to keep your big mouth closed to my mother and father?"

"Your mother and father cannot put you into the brig; I can, and will."

"You're not being fair."

"I believe your sister says that all the time."

"Where do you think she got it from?"

"Are you courting one girl or more?"

"The female to male ratio on this ship is slightly more than 2 to 1. Why should I restrict myself to one female? This is not a planet Earth with its moral code. In our bylaws it says we must not breed within our own families. We must interbreed for the sake of our species, and the separation of our DNA."

"May I interject something Captain?"

"Go ahead Monty."

"The boy is too damn smart. You are not going to beat him, unless it's with your hand, or your rank. Let it go for the sake of your sanity, because you are going to wind up with another Gordon on your hands very soon."

"Did you really have to destroy my entire day?"

"All the signs are there Captain. He is well into puberty. He is already getting obnoxious, and he knows his own mind. Either throw him out into space now, and get rid of him, or accept the notion that his mother and father are going to go crazy dealing with him."

"Thank you Monty, you saved my day. I'm only his grandmother. Let Delicious and Grayson deal with him. Newton sit next to Monty and teach her how to compute warp factors."

"Grandmother, I was in...

"That's captain to you, young man."

"We are nowhere near using warp factors Captain."

"Would you show this insolent pup our Nuclear Engine output, our Ion/H2 output, and our current speed helmsman."

"Aye, Aye Captain."

As Newton perused the 3-D hologram he couldn't believe the numbers.

Monty said, "We increased the power of the nuclear engines to 93%. The Ion H2 engines are set at 70%, but they are putting out 268% of normal. The Magnetic Engines, both forward and rear, are working at extreme output, but we do not have an obvious source for them to be pushing us away from, or pulling us towards. Engineering has no idea why the Ion/H2 engines are acting this way, but Colonel Daniels told them not to touch anything as long as it was within normal heat numbers. Callie cannot pinpoint a power source for the Magnetic Engines. We are now approaching a speed of 2 Light Years per hour. We are heading for the inbound side of the White Hole. Our initial estimate was 15 LY, but now, with our speed increasing incrementally, it looks like we could be there in a matter of weeks or days. That is the reason why the captain asked you to teach me warp factors."

"Holy shit. The nuclear engine wasn't supposed to put out that much power. Look at that puppy go! We are going to have to recalculate everything. Apparently, inner-space is nothing like outer-space. We knew the further you moved away from the Earth, the less drag it would have on our vehicle, but nothing like this. This is off the charts. We never dreamed about anything like this at all. We have to get a message back to Earth and tell them about it. It won't mean anything to NASA with the Mars trip, but once Richard, and Holden get past Jupiter, they are going to fly Good Luck 2 like they never dreamed of. Can you imagine them with their 4 huge engines moving through space with that monster of theirs? They may hit warp 20 without breathing hard. When are you going to let grandpa out of jail?"

"How did you know about that?"

"There were 4 security agents. You left two at his door, and the 2 others were free to tell the tale."

"Why do you need him?"

"I want to launch a rocket back home, and I don't know how."

"Then you need two people that are sleeping. Colonel Daniels is in his rest period, and so is your grandfather. I don't believe any of our rockets have the range to get back to earth."

"Can I teach Monty about warp factors later? There is a way to get a rocket back to earth, but I have to retrofit one of them by taking 2 of them apart."

"You love to tinker, don't you?"

"Like grandpa, and Colonel Jackson, I'm an engineer, not a captain."

"Go ahead, I'll tell your mother to spank you later. By the way, what are their names?"

"Funny you should ask; the one I was with today was Jennifer."

"If I had a gun I wouldn't kill you."

"No weapons were allowed on board."

Monty said, "Neither were turkeys, but you should see them running around downstairs."