Dark as Daylight Ch. 06

BY

Prolonged_Debut10

Note:This the property of Prolonged_Debut10. Information available at Literotica .com. All persons in this NOVEL are fictitious. There will be very little sex and it will not be of a graphic or vile nature. I hope you take this journey me as you did in my previous, SHORT, work. There will a great deal of science, how interpersonal relationships work in an enclosed space, and rollercoaster rides through Wormholes, White Holes, and possibly a Black Hole.

20. Um, Captain

"Captain this is navigation."

"Go ahead navigation."

"I heard the helm give you our direction, and angle of inclination, which were correct according to our profile, but I have a problem."

"Go ahead, what is your problem?"

"I have no fucking idea where we are!"

"What do you mean you have no idea where we are? Where is the Sagittarius A*? Where is the Super Massive Black Hole?"

"Sir, I have no idea. We have 15 other scientists on board, and they are shouting at me trying to find out where we are. I can't tell them, because I don't have a fix on any star we know. I'm running Hubble's star charts through Callie again, just in case I missed something, but the first time she didn't come up with anything. Callie doesn't miss anything sir."

"I know this is a stupid question since you can't see the Black Hole, but can you see the White Hole?"

"No sir, it's not there either."

Gordon scratched his head. "Check the southern hemisphere, most of the star charts focus from the northern hemisphere. Hubble did a deep space field of one area of southern hemisphere several decades ago. We may get lucky and find ourselves down there."

"Sir that is a few hundred million light-years away from where we were a few moments ago."

"Do you have any better ideas Mister Hendricks? If you do, I'm open to any and all of them. How about you Elizabeth, do you have any ideas?"

"Yes sir, but it's just as ridiculous as jumping several hundred million light-years in a few minutes. I was wondering if we were thrown through a worm hole, and jumped to where we are now, or into a new time period, or several hundred time periods from where we were."

"Why do you find that ridiculous Elizabeth? It's just as good a guess as any one of us could have come up with. There's also the string theory we have to watch out for, because if we are caught in a closed loop, we could be repeating today over and over again, and not know it. If we're in an open string, we could go back to the beginning of time, and cause the whole world as we know it to cease to exists. We could go forward in time and change the future. Come here 'Little Red', I need help from number 2."

"Number 2 here."

"Number 2 do you know where we are?"

"In spaceship?"

"Teddy, we are lost. When we all went to sleep, and grandpa left us, something happened. Our spaceship was sent somewhere very far from where it was. We are now trying to find out where we are to see if there are any planets in the area that are like Earth. That's what this trip is all about, and if we fail, this whole project is a failure. Can you help us?"

Teddy ran off the bridge, and came back moments later with her giant coloring pad, and huge crayons. She sat down on the floor and drew a large circle. She drew a line down the middle of the circle and colored half of it black.

With a yellow crayon, she filled in the other half of the circle.

Then as best she could she wrote: L581.

"We go there."

"Where is there Teddy? Is it part of a coordinate? Is it a planet? Is it the name of a solar system?"

"God say you do some work. She not tell grandpa all."

"Tell God thank you very much. We will work very hard to find where she wants us to go."

"She knows. She knows everything."

"I know she knows everything Teddy; She made you."

"You funny."

"I think I tickle my Teddy."

"I think I go my mommy."

She ran to Delicious, and grabbed her leg.

"What's going on kid?"

"Do you mean besides we are in the middle of nowhere, and we're trying to find out where nowhere is?"

"How did that happen?"

"Do you see the little person holding your leg; ask her?"

Delicious picked up Teddy, and gave her a nose rub.

Teddy giggled.

"Okay little girl, what do you know that no one else knows, except God?"

Gordon said, "If you don't tell mommy everything, I'm going to tickle you."

Teddy screamed, "No, I ticklish. I tell mommy."

Gordon kissed her and fluffed her hair. He didn't tickle her.

"I love you Teddy. I think I marry you one day."

"Mommy don't want to; him too ugly."

Gordon tickled her, and Teddy screamed in delight.

"Let me see what she drew Gordon."

"Baby, is this like our moon, and it never turns?"

"Yes."

Teddy pointed to the terminator. "Here it cool, in middle of black, freezing. In middle of yellow very hot. Water all over yellow, go swimming. Little animals, want a pony. Water all over black, get ice, or go skating. Funny animals, with big tails. God send us nice place."

"Honey, I don't know of the star system named L581."

"L581, J581. Same, same. You no see good again?"

"You're right Teddy, I'll have Doctor Finch check my eyes tomorrow. There is a star system named GL581, and although there are seven planets in that star system, there is only one planet they believe might be able to support life. That is GL581G. It is in the middle of the Goldilocks zone. It is the 'Tidally Locked,' and is only 1.2 times the size of Earth. Gordon find out where we are and find out where Gliese 581G is. Then, set a course for it.

Have Jack set up the last rocket we have. Have him inspect it, inspect it again, and inspected a third time. If we make a close approach to Earth, I want that thing ready to go. I want that rocket to sing all the way home. I want the people of the Earth to know where we are, where we are going, and when we are going to get there. I want everyone on board to write a personal note to their family to leave no doubt it is from them. I may even talk to Jack about supercharging that last rocket, but I'll leave that up to the senior captain."

"You know Delicious, I thought I was the captain, and you were the senior engine specialist. I thought I was supposed to give the orders and you were supposed to take them."

"Get used to it little brother, otherwise I'll have Teddy tell God on you."

Teddy giggled again, and shook her finger at Gordon.

"You not nice to my mommy, and you not pray, I tell God on you."

"Little Red Head, one of the happiest day of my life, after marrying Zoey, and having our baby, was the day I came out of stasis, and smack your mommy on her butt. She deserved it, and she didn't retaliate because of you. You told mommy 'head in corner' and pray, because she was a bad girl."

"You right, but mommy good girl long time now."

"Everyone on the ship knows it, and is very happy for your mommy."

Why don't you go with your mommy and play, while we find out how to get from where we are to where we are supposed to be?"

"Good, go playroom! Make Lincoln Log train station, like Newton."

"That sounds good to me Number 2. Just don't let the logs fall on you."

"Not big logs, little logs."

"We couldn't find little logs, so we bought trees instead."

"Mommy he kidding?"

"Baby, if he's not, we will take one of the big trees and hit him with it."

"Good, hurry playroom. Big tree there. I make sure I no have marry him."

"She's three years old, and she already has the female side of her brain working overtime."

Delicious said, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Do you want me to say what I'm going to say about the year before your marriage in front of your daughter?"

"No, I think I'll let you live for now."

"I think you should go to the playroom, NOW!"

Teddy saw her mother's face turning red and knew she was about to say at least one bad word if not many more. Before her mother could, Teddy jumped into the air, and landed on Delicious' foot. Delicious screamed in pain as she fell to the floor. Teddy ran up to her mother's head and put her hand over her mouth.

"No bad words. I sorry I jump you foot. I know you say something bad soon. Not want God angry with you. I pray, not want you in trouble again."

Delicious grabbed her daughter and asked, "What did I do to deserve you?"

"Newton you booby prize. Me here help mommy and daddy."

"I love you from the top of your red head, to the bottom of your tiny toes. If we don't get to the playroom soon, I'm going to tickle you."

Teddy jumped to her feet. "Mommy can't get playroom, while you lie down."

As Delicious was getting up, Gordon snuck up behind Teddy and began tickling her. She fell to the ground and crawled quickly under one of the computer consoles.

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

"Grandpa, you in there?"

"Yes Teddy, it seems you are having a problem."

"Gordon always tickling me."

"He does it because he loves you."

"I not want marry him."

"He's just teasing you. Gordon is already married to Zoey. He will never leave her, because he loves her very much. You will find someone you love very much, and marry him. Gordon held you on the day you were born. He looks at you as if you were his own daughter, and will for the rest of his life. So does Zoey, and if anything ever happened to your parents, they would take you in and treat you as one of their own forever.

By the way, Gordon is ticklish behind his ears."

"Thank you grandpa, I love you very much, and I miss you."

"Think about me this way little one; I am with our God every day. Could I be any happier? You should be happy for me, and one day I will have you in my arms again. Go tickle Gordon."

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

Gordon dragged her out from under the computer console, picked her up and told her he was sorry if he scared her.

"You know scare me, I talked grandpa."

"How is he, what did he have to say?"

"He sounds very good, and he told me do this."

She reached her hands behind his ears, and began tickling him. Gordon reacted as if he had been stung by a dozen bees, and he had only one hand to brush them away. Everyone on the flight deck was laughing. He was so out of control, he nearly dropped Teddy.

Delicious ran over to take her from him.

"Mommy, no! Grandpa tell me he ticklish there. He no tickle me anymore."

Delicious smile as she approached her brother. "Is it true, you have one weakness little boy?"

"Would you like to try to do it, while I break your neck?"

"You still have that match with Monty that was postponed because of our father's death. I can't wait to tell her about this."

"If Monty tries to use it while we are fighting, it will work against her. She is smart enough to know it."

"Infirmary to the bridge, infirmary to the bridge."

"This is Captain Luck, go ahead infirmary."

"Captain this is Doctor Finch. I would like to take one more CAT scan, and one more set of x-rays, then will be ready to operate on you in three days."

"I'll be down in 10 minutes."

"Elizabeth you have the bridge. Callie find us away to get from where ever we are to planet GL581G. I would also like to know our closest approach to planet Earth on our way there, and our estimated time of arrival at the new planet. I should be back here in 90 minutes. If it is at all possible, I would like that information ready for me."

"Captain Luck as per one of your previous requirements, it is time to bring in the nuclear engine. It has been out just short of the maximum time you requested."

"Thank you very much Callie."

"Bridge to engineering, bridge to engineering."

"Bridge this is engineering, Newton speaking."

"Newton, it is time to bring in the nuclear engine. Where is Jack Daniels?"

"Without being offensive Gordon, I would say he's about 7 or 8 inches deep in Hannah."

"Can you bring in the nuclear engine properly, or should I come down and do it? Remember, the exterior of those cables need very sensitive care."

"Gordon, I watched over your shoulder the first three times you did it. I watched Jack do it nine times. He looked over my shoulder the last five times we did it. I can handle it, and if I run into any trouble I'll hit the panic button and get Jack out of Hannah, and in here. I never thought a 79-year-old man would have such stamina. I hope it happens to me."

"I will be in the infirmary. They will be doing a CAT scan, and x-rays. I can also be to you in a matter of seconds. If you need any help at all Newton, I don't want your pride to overrule your common sense. Okay?"

"I promise Gordon, if anything looks suspect I will hit the panic button and get you guys in here."

"That's all I needed to hear. Bring it in."

"You got it Captain."

21. Testing 1– 2 – 3 test out.

Seated as far apart in the auditorium as they could be, captains in training Janet Dover, Gloria Abrams, Stephen Nash, Felix Nabros, Elizabeth Franklin, and Montgomery Jamison were being closely monitored as they took Part 2 of the Captain's examination. This was an 8-hour exam, with a 30-minute break, one-hour lunch, and another 30-minute break. The difference this time was you could take your breaks, or your lunch any time you wanted. However, an agent would follow you wherever you went, and would time you to the second. At lunch you were not allowed to sit with another member of the testing group, nor stand next to one, while in line.

Another difference between the 1st and 2nd test was if you felt it was too much for you, you could raise your hand, and an agent would come to your desk, put your papers into a manila envelope, and escort you from the room. You were automatically disqualified from Captain training, and would be reassigned by the computer to a job equal to your skills. None of these people would be the first to drop out as a trainee. While they were still on the ground in Temple Texas, they had 42 captain trainees. As each of them tried to understand and learn: Advanced Linear Algebra, Calculus, Fluid Dynamics, Spatial Navigation and everything else they would need to have at their fingertips, while sitting in the Captain's chair, they began falling out of the system, as leaves drop from a tree in Fall. This was no disgrace.

NASA's last general call for persons to become astronauts received nearly 40,000 applicants, for less than 100 slots. Most of these applicants had thousands of flight hours in advanced jet aircraft. These pilots also had advanced degrees in math, science, and engineering. Other applicants had Masters' Degree's and Doctorates in the Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Math from some of the best schools in the nation, the world, and even a Rhodes Scholars. These were men and women of every race, color, and creed. It didn't matter what their names were, they were the best this country had to offer, and only 100 of them were selected.

("NASA is going through this process again, now")

Everyone taking the Captain's test was warned when there was one hour to go, then 30 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, 1 minute to go, and to stop.

When she stopped Monty screamed, "I hate you Even Luck."

Elizabeth turned to her. "You probably outscored us all, because there was no pressure on you. You took the test four weeks early. No one could expect you to know everything that's on it."

"The bastard wanted me here, just to give me an ulcer. The next time I have to take this exam, the thing will be as large as my fist."

"There is a way for you to avoid that."

"What is it, I'll do anything not to have my stomach get eaten away."

"Gordon seems fit. Why not challenge him to a match?"

Monty picked Elizabeth up and kissed her. "Elizabeth, I love you. I forgot all about it. Now I can knock his block off. Thank you so much."

Monty started leaving the auditorium when an agent stopped her.

"I'm sorry Monty, you can't leave until all the tests are graded."

"How long will it take?"

"It should take Callie about a minute to bring up the results."

"I keep forgetting how fast the computer is."

Jennifer walked out of the ready room with a sheet of paper containing the results.

"My husband used to like drawing out these results, and torturing each of you to death waiting for your results. I won't do that to you. I'll just tell you like it is, right after I finish reading you the preamble to our association."

"Booooo."

"Okay, I get your message. Here goes: Stephen Nash, 83. I'm sorry you failed for the 2nd time. You will be reassigned. Felix Nabros, 78. I'm sorry you failed for the 2nd time. You will be reassigned. Captain Gloria Abrams 90. Captain Janet Dover 92. Captain Elizabeth Franklin 94. Congratulations to you all."

"Excuse me, did you forget someone?"

"Didn't I hear someone scream, 'I hate you Even Luck, knowing that the kind, warm hearted, generous, loving man, who was my husband, and who I miss every second of every day, since he left this world, would hurt me deeply? Did I hear someone say that out loud and in an abusive manner?"

"NO!"

"Are you telling me I am hearing things since my husband passed away?"

"YES!"

"Okay, who's grade is missing?"

"Jennifer either give me my grade, or I'm going to give you your sons' head on a silver platter."

"Is that a threat?"

"Think about it, and get back to me on it."

"The grade for Captain Montgomery Jamison is" ...

Elizabeth screamed, "Monty, you passed, she called you Captain."

"What did my husband do to you Elizabeth? No one could get you to say a word while we were in a group. Now, we can get you to shut up."

"The Captain believed in me. He gave me enough strength to believe in myself."

"The grade for Senior Captain Montgomery Jamison is 96. She is top scorer in the class."

"Way to go Monty, you beat all of us, and you were worried about this exam."

"I promise I will treat all of you like the blithering idiots you are. You can shine my cloth shoes, and press my slacks to a fine crease, just to stay on my good side."

Elizabeth said, "What side is your good side? You look mostly round to me."

"Little girl, when I am finished with you, you will fit inside the shell of a turkey egg."

"Jennifer, I think I should have kept my mouth closed on that one."

"Elizabeth, do you know how to run?"

"Yes, I am very fast."

"In that case, I would keep a safe distance between you and Monty, because he or she comes."

"Goodbye all."

"Monty when you pass Gordon's room, set up the match with him. For you, that little girl isn't big enough for an appetizer."

"I'll do it Jennifer. Do you want me to make up the crew schedules, or do you want to do it? You have the twins to take care of by yourself now. I just want to take some pressure off you."

"As far as the scheduling goes, you are the Senior Captain, that is your job from now on. Leave Elizabeth with Gordon so she can continue to gain confidence in herself, as Even wanted her to. Shape the crews around those two.

Technically, everyone is a fully qualified Captain now, but we know better. Gordon and I will work both ends of the schedule, as we did before, just in case someone needs help.

As far as my babies are concerned, I rarely see them. The 12, 13,14, and 15 year-olds, grab them from me soon as they get a chance. These flexible school hours are working out very well; not only for the children, but for their teachers also. Those who need tutoring can get it. Those who are exceptionally bright can just skip ahead on their own. We have some very bright children on this trip, and I mean very bright, like Newton."

"What are we going to do with those kids?"

"We are going to give them to the people that got us here in the first place; US. We are not short of extremely intelligent people on this eight ball of ours. I am short one, and I miss him. We will have Callie match their skills, and desires to someone on board. That person will become that child's mentor, until the child decides if he wants to continue, or try a different field. Nothing will be forced on the child, and his education will be expanded by that piece of education."