Scorpio
A story I wrote in about 1982. I was a bit scientifically confused, but hey, I was 9...
Chapter 1
Coming to with the alarm clock blowing my ears out is bad enough but, what a terrible night that was. There was something wrong with the nuclear reactor for sure.
While floating past the computer I typed “Nuclear Reactor.” Out came the same problem as last time. “Oh well,” I murmured “can’t solve problems on an empty stomach.”
I jumped into the AG tube and gave one good blow with my feet and was sent down the AG tube so fast that lights on walls were just a blur. The AG (Anti Gravity) tube was one of the exhilarating things on board the Scorpio (our ship). It was fast and good fun. One good blow with your feet sent you hurtling down the tube like a bullet. Everybody travelled down the AG tube whether for pleasure or for convenience.
Within 30 seconds I was out of the AG tube and in the dining room.
Chpater 2
The dining room was not crowded because I was late. I walked to the counter and asked for “A down to earth breakfast” instead of that dehydrated rubbish. The man said “We’ll be out of rations in two months, they only gave us 5 years of rations.”
I stumbled to my seat and sat down. He was right, we had been in space for almost 5 years. Because of a mineral (Jesus) we were searching the fields of space. This mineral was called Jesus because it was going to save the world from nuclear waste and Jesus means saviour. The mineral Jesus had the power to neutralise nuclear waste.
This mineral had 4 times the normal gravitational pull of matter. On our charts on earth we had recorded immense gravitational pull round the area we are located at now. A small metorite was found on earth which contained this mineral and our role was to find the source of this mineral Jesus.
When we left Earth we were given 11 years rations, 5 to get there and 5 to get back with a year’s extra in case we ran into trouble. In two months time our first five years would be up and we would have to turn round and travel back home. So far we have been unsuccessful and with only two months left chances ran high that we won’t find it.
Chapter 3
After all this down to earth business I decided to walk to work because I felt like a “down to earth morning.” As I am walking along I can hear the slight buzzing sound of the people whizzing past me in the AG tube. After 1 km I reckon I’ve done enough walking so I jump into the AG tube and whiz off to work.
As I enter work I see Jim and ask “What have you come up with?” Jim says “The computer come up with 3 things, the nuclear explosions in port engines 1, 2 and 3 are working but the starboard engines 1, 2 and 3 are not functioning. Therefore there is no power generated on that side which makes us spin.” “Thanks Jim” I said. “Darby” says Jim. “Yes” I say. “By the way because there is no power on starboard you will have to work off port’s power, and when you get it fixed take the spin off this ship.” “Bye” I say. I get the computer to take samples of how the explosions are taking place on starboard and port. I find out to my surprise that on starboard the mineral Jesus has leaked into the starboard engines and neutralised the engines.
I check for leaks and then get the computer to fix them by remelting down the spots.
The computer finds that the mineral Jesus, because of it’s four time matter gravitational pull, it had pulled itself into the ship. Because the ship is spinning the ship created its own centrifugal force so therefore instead of the ship being pulled to Jesus, Jesus was pulled to it.
We must be in the right place to find the mineral Jesus!
Chapter 4
The next day Scorpio’s engines are functioning but before we put them back into action we notice that the outside of the ship is becoming coated with a substance. I get the computer to analise what substance is coating out ship. Quickly the computer comes up with the answer Jesus mineral!!
I discuss this with Jim. We decided not to restart the starboard engines, but to keep the Scorpio spinning so that more Jesus mineral will stick to the ship. Perhaps we will be able to take the mineral back to earth stuck to the outside of the Scorpio.
After two days we take note that the build up had gradually come to a halt, so we figured out that we had got as much as we needed and as much as was out there. Apparently the build up was 0.5 metres.
Chapter 5
Sliding in the AG tube I hit my hand but that was not stopping me. I speed down the AG tube. All of a sudden I burst in to the captains room and said “Captain, as you know the ship is spinning, it is also bringing the mineral Jesus on our ship, coating it. We have collected up enough Jesus so we can head home.” “Great,” says the captain “but can we use the starboard engines or will taking the ship out of a spin release the Jesus mineral?”
“Yes we can take the ship out of a spin because the Jesus mineral has so much gravitational pull it is almost bonded to the Scorpio.”
“Well done Darby” said the captain. “I will give the order to head home.”
In five years we will be back on earth. It seems like a long time, but at least we have the ingredients to save the world!