Allegiance 2

Character Appearence:
http://modelmayhm-1.vo.llnwd.net/d1/photos/100613/14/4c1549a5a0bb7.jpg



15 February 2076
Lunar surface station Columbia

Lieutenant Commander Jake “Jabba” Barrett entered his dorm room. Barrett was 4 months into an 8 month deployment to the lunar surface. He was flying shuttle cargo flights between Earth and the Moon.

He took off his blue NASA flight suit, and went into the bath room. Once naked, he jumped in the shower. The water did not actually spray out of the head. It came out as hot fog.

After cleaning, the Naval Aviator changed into some clean boxer briefs and a Florida State University t-shirt. He had graduated from the university in 2055. When he first went to flight school in the Navy, his call sign was “Nole”. It was later changed to “Jabba” by his squadron mates because of his good looks and his ability to pick up women.

Barrett flopped down on the sofa, and flicked on the video monitor which hung on the wall. He flipped to the 24 hour news channel. The television signals were broadcast from Earth and were only 6 seconds behind. The crews working at Columbia got all the programs that were broadcast on earth, so that allowed for Barrett to watch the Seminoles play football.

The head line story was about the Chinese space program was close to finishing its Mars craft. They had put the finishing touches on the nuclear reactor for the space craft.

Barrett thought about the Chinese space program. Their Lunar station was 500 nautical miles east of Columbia, the American/European/Japanese Lunar station.

Barrett turned off the video monitor.

He closed his eyes a moment.

He missed his daughter. She was 10 now. Barrett could not remember the last time he was at one of her birthday parties. Since he and his ex-wife split up, he had slipped more and more out of her life. He went from test pilot to the space program, and then got stationed in Columbia, where he periodically talked to her on the video camera phone.

The 43 year old Naval Aviator had dedicated his life to flight, probably at the expense of his relationship with his daughter.

He opened his eyes then looked at the video monitor on his desk. The Earth hung suspended in the black of space. It was a live feed. Cargo ships could be seen flying in to Columbia.

For the past 5 years, the station was a dedicated base. The entire reason for the station was the construction of the massive Quasar 4 deep space vehicle, which was in a low lunar orbit around the Moon. It orbited a mere 100 nautical mile up. The Allegiance was completed last year. The Allegiance had completed the first manned Mars circumnavigation only 2 months ago.

The Chinese were still working to catch up. Their vehicle was built in Earth orbit but they had not even fired the reactor in the vehicle. But they were desperate to win the race to put a man on the surface of Mars. They would try for Mars soon.

Barrett closed his eyes and sleep was about over take him when the “BEEP BEEP” tone brought him conscious.

It was the video phone.

Barrett went to his desk, and punched the button. The monitor came on.

It was Colonel Troy “Trojan” Ross, the head of astronaut selection.

“Great…” Barrett thought. An unscheduled shuttle flight, probably taking some scientist back to Earth because he or she was homesick, was in his future.

“Hey Trojan, what you got?”
“Jabba, did I wake you buddy?
“No…I was just laying down resting. I just got back from the gym.”

Ross laughed, “That’s it, keep that body in shape. Who knows, you might run into some hottie aliens from Rigel. Look, you need to be in my office in 10 minutes.”

“What did I do?” The only reason for getting called to his office was for a flight assignment or to get your ass chewed, like the time a buddy did the mach 8 flyby of the lunar launch pad in the Ares 7 lunar lander.

“Jabba, just get here.” Ross disconnected the video feed.

Barrett grabbed a clean flight suit and climbed into it. He put on his shined, inspection ready, flight boots. He only used them for this sort of situation. Normally, they are not touched, but instead, are kept in a plastic box, shined and polished.
On his way out, he put on his squadron ball cap. The olive drab green hat bore the patch of the coiled rattle snake, fangs out. The VF-65 squadron was aboard the USS William Jefferson Clinton, the oldest carrier in the fleet. Barrett had flown with that squadron during the second Sino-American war. He had earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for combat over the Pacific.

Barrett walked out and turned to lock the door. When he turned to walk down the passageway, he crashed. The young lady was carrying at least 50 pounds of books and manuals. Her load fell to the floor and she let out a curse good enough to qualify for Naval service.

“I am so sorry.” Barrett said. He looked at the young lady. She looked like a high school student. She had her brown hair in a ponytail and wore some fashionable eye glasses.

“It’s okay; I am a klutz and should have been watching out for doors.” She said trying to restack the books.
Barrett helped her gather the books.

“I am sorry, but I have to ask, how old are you?” Barrett asked

“I’m 22…I am working on my master’s and I came to Columbia for a field study…my name is Amy.” She offered a hand.

Barrett shook it, saying “I’m Jabba; it’s very good to meet you.”

He did not remember 22 looking so young.
As he walked away he said, “I hope you pass your class.”

He arrived at Ross’ office and went in.
The astronaut selection chief was seated behind his desk. Flight director Chris Karr was seated in front of the desk next to an empty seat.

“Jabba, come on in and have a seat. How you doing?”
“I’m good. Talked to Izzy yesterday. She apparently has a boyfriend now in elementary school. Her birthday is next week. She will be 10.”
“Well, how would you like to be there for the party?” Ross asked

Barrett could not wrap his mind around what he was saying.
“Trojan, my rotation is not done for another 4 months…you aren’t firing me are you?”

Barrett was getting a little nervous.

Ross chuckled. “No, buddy…but you may want to quit when I give you your next flight.”

Barrett sat up.

“Jabba, I have selected you for command of the Allegiance 2 flight.” Ross stated

Barrett smiled big. “I am going to get the second Allegiance flight!” he thought. Barrett would have preferred a later flight, maybe a chance at a landing on Mars, but this was historical.

“Hey, great! I guess the second shakedown flight is as cool as the first.” Barrett said, still smiling. A deep space flight. It was the entire reason he went to test pilot school then the space program.

“Jabba, it won’t be a shakedown,” Ross had a serious look on his face. Barrett let his grin go away.

“This came straight from the president…the next flight is to make a landing attempt. You are flying to Mars and if you survive the landing, you will be known as the first human to step on another planet.”

Barrett sat stunned. His eyes dropped as the full magnitude of what was just said hit him.

Orville Wright…Charles Lindbergh…Neil Armstrong…Jake Barrett….that was unbelievable to Barrett

“Jabba, listen, this will be the most dangerous undertaking in the history of manned flight. The fact is, the chances of you and the crew surviving this flight are maybe 3 out of 10. If you do survive the landing, there is a 50/50 chance you won’t be able to get off the surface. We haven’t tested the assent stage. It might fire..it might not…it might blow right there. The Chinese are pressing us, and the president wants us first. Period.”

Barrett sat staring at the video monitor with the real time image of Earth hanging in space.

“Jabba, listen, if you elect to pass on this mission, I will totally understand. I do not want you taking this mission only because you think that if you don’t then I won’t give you any more deep space flights. That is not the case. You were my first choice, but for you to get the mission done, you have to be totally committed. If you choose to pass on this I will totally understand. You will remain on the rotation.”

Ross studied his friend. Barrett seemed deep in his thoughts. Talk about a roll of the dice.

Barrett knew he was going to take the mission. No real test pilot would turn it down. But the danger factor was increased by a magnitude of 10. The only reason he had not jumped on the chance was because Isabelle would not have a father if something happened.

In the end, the test pilot won the day.

“Trojan, you know I couldn’t turn this down….even if I wanted to.”

“Commander Barrett, I want you to fully understand this,” Chris Karr spoke for the first time.

“As you are training for this mission we will be preparing your memorial service. We already have plots at Arlington prepared. But you have to make this happen.”

“You guys really don’t think we will make it back…Well, Chris, I have never failed at any mission I have ever been on. I do not intend to fail now.”

To Ross he said, “Trojan, I will take this mission.” Barrett went on to ask some questions, not the least of which was when do the unmanned flights to deploy the habitat and the ascent vehicle leave for Mars.

Ross exposed a secret. It turns out the first Allegiance flight had deployed those items to the surface. It was a highly classified mission, but they equipment was on the surface already.

When Barrett had finished with his questions, Ross said, “Ok, you need to be on the 9 PM shuttle flight back to Earth. You need to assist in picking the crew and start training. The president wants an August TMI…September at the latest. Go get packed.”

The 2 aviators shook hands. Barrett shook Karr’s hand, then left to grab some things then get to the white room to change into the environmental white suit. He would have to get on an ascent vehicle, then transfer to the shuttle. Then there was the 4 day trip back to Earth.

What an adventure this is going to be….
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Allegiance 2 OCC
Now looking for 1 female writer. If any female writers have an interest, please send a PM.
I already have 1 other male writer. Depending on interest, we could have more characters for the crew. If you are interested, please PM me with a bio of your character, to include their science degrees, field of study or military training.

Character Appearence:
http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo154/sexiwitch/KimLuBei2.jpg

Name: Rae Liu
Age: 28
Height: 5'6
Qualifications: Masters in Astrophysics with a minor in engineering. A year working with the NASA Engineering department on the Allegiance's propulsion systems.

IC:

Rae hummed softly to herself, a lullaby her mother had sung. It was one of those things that never quite left your head. It was always partially stuck. She was just leaving the shuttle port now, having just returned from her stint working on the Allegience II. It had been a dream come true, to see the stars with no atmosphere to get in the way. Mars was all the rage these days, and it had been easy to spot the wandering red dot. Rae had always been quite the nerd for the stars.

For now, she was back on the earth. Hot florida rays beat down on her bare shoulders, the navy tank sporting her school colors. The Maize block letters read proudly: MICHIGAN PHYSICS. Michigan grads had never been a subtle bunch when it came to academics. In space, it had felt like she never wanted to come home, but it was nice to have solid earth beneath her feet once more. They had finished work on the propulsion systems, and Rae suspected that NASA had little reason to send her back anyway. Well, She thought. I did it once. I can tell my kids about it someday. The thought brought a smile to her face.

With her bag thrown over her shoulder, and the ash-fault baking in the afternoon sun, one of the interns raced to catch her as she inserted the key into her little Toyota. "Rae! Rae, Stop!"

Curious, she looked up, shielding her eyes from the harsh light. She had almost forgotten how hot it was down here. "What is it, James? I'm just aching to collapse on my couch and watch the Discovery channel, this better be good." Walking around in the heavens was the stuff of storybooks, in her eyes. It might be time for a little relaxation. Let the adventure stay in the television, so to speak.

The huffing, puffing intern stopped next to her. He was smiling despite his exertion. "You gotta see this... Couldn't wait..." He extended a sheet of paper to her, fluttering in the wind. Her eyes narrowed and she snatched it, holding it before her warm brown eyes. "Yadda yadda, NASA has selected..."

Her breaht caught in her throat, eyes widening to the limit. She read it again... and again. "T-there has to be something wrong... I..."

"There's no mistake, Rae. NASA doesn't fuck around."

Slowly she broke into one of her trademark smiles that had so charmed her coworkers, only this smile was different. It was the kind of smile worn only by those whose wildest dreams had come true. Rae felt her eyes begin to water as she slid down the side of her car, finding herself sitting on the surface of the parking lot. "My God..."

James grinned. "I'll leave you to revel, darlin'. Congratulations, you earned it."

She wiped her eyes and nodded, still unable to say anything as he headed back to the office building. She took a moment to soak it in. History. Thats was this was. Rae Liu had been chosen for the first manned mission to Mars. She couldn't wait to begin her training, or to meet her crew mates.

Standing, she sniffled slightly. Mom and Dad would be so proud. She had to call them. Though she had composed herself, her smile was not so easily banished as her tears of joy. She climbed into the car and looked at the paper one more time, specifically the two signatures at the bottom. Lieutenant Commander Jake Barret, and Colonel Troy Ross. Commander Barret would be leading the mission. He had chosen her specifically to be the teams Astrophysicist. She had to fight back that fatal flaw, hubris, before it consumed her.

For the next few days, until the beginning of training, her thoughts were filled with nothing but the red planet. Ares himself. She hoped the fickle god of war chose to smile on them when the time came...

2 March 2076

T Minus: 166 Days, 3 Hours, 25 Minutes, 17 Seconds

Jake Barrett had arrived back on Earth and immediately went to spend time with his daughter. When he told her he had to go to Mars and would be gone for a long time, she asked if he would be able to get pizza on Mars. At her age, she still was only barely able to grasp the concept that Daddy was going to another planet.

Back at the Kennedy Space Center, Barrett was working with Colonel Troy Ross, who had returned to Earth shortly after Barrett, on putting the crew together.

Barrett had spent some time prioritizing his crew. He already had a person he wanted for Mars Excursion Module pilot, so that was a low priority.

His first concern was propulsion. If the reactor scrammed or failed in any way, they would have no power….for anything. They would not be able to power the vast and complex computer system. The computer would be the main navigation tool. They would have to rely on celestial navigation, which, though not impossible, is a mathematical pain in the ass. Without the reactor, they would not be able to power the environmental controls. It would get colder than the arctic inside the vehicle.

But most importantly, without the reactor, there would be no main engine. There would be no course corrections…no maneuvering at all.

The propulsion system is a Bimodal Nuclear Thermal Rocket System. Barrett understood this at a very elementary level.
Essentially, the reactor pre-heats Hydrogen, which creates thermal energy, which is then routed through a compressor which generates the propulsive energy. They can also introduce liquid oxygen to the mix as sort of an “Afterburner”.

Yeah, they would need the best physicist in the country.

Barrett had told Ross that they needed the best, so they had been poring over the files of hundreds of applicants for most of the last 3 hours.

“Hey Jabba, how about this one?” He flipped the file across the desk.

“Rae Liu…University of Michigan….masters in Astrophysics…it says she is already working on the program.” Barrett read aloud.

From what he read, she practically installed the BNTR herself.

“Well, if there was anyone capable of knowing this system, it has to be the physicist who installed the fucking thing. I want her.”

Ross quickly banged out then printed the letter. They both signed it and Barrett left the office to try to find the physicist himself.

He located the physics lab and spoke to an intern named James.

“Is Rae Liu around? I need to speak to her.” Barrett asked

“No, she has left for the day. She recently returned from Columbia, so she is a little pooped.” James said.

“Alright, it’s very important that she get back to me. Give her this,” He handed the intern the paper.

James scanned the paper then looked up at Barrett.

“Is this for real?” The intern asked a stunned look on his face.

“James, this is NASA…we don’t fuck around like that. Tell her to be in my office first thing tomorrow.” Barrett started down the hall.

“I am sorry; I didn’t get your name.” James asked as Barrett walked away.

“Tell her that her mission commander, Commander Barrett needs to talk to her.”

James took off in a sprint. If he hustled he might catch her in the parking lot…

James had called her to let her know that she was required to meet Commander Barrett at 6:00 AM the following morning, to fill her in on the details. the letter she received had been short on information. It was little more than an official pat on the back. "Congrats, you made it." Not that that was not appreciated. Congratulatory formalities were rather nice, she thought.

Even in Florida, the mornings were a bit chilly. A nervous wreck all the while, Rae had dressed herself in a red turtleneck sweater and a grey pencil skirt, along with a pair of black heeled boots. There was no need to look shabby. Her mother had insisted she look like a lady for the cameras, anyhow. Then again, NASA did have quite the secretive side. There was no guarantee the public had gotten wind of the mission yet. No doubt soon there would be no stopping the press from finding out.

Rae glanced at the clock on her radio as it played some 100 year old 1960's tune. 5:45. She took a hair-band and pulled her long dark tresses into a bun, her bangs framing her freckled cheeks in the vague reflection of her windshield. The lyrics, oddly appropriate, struck a chord with her. It was amazing that some things just lasted for generations.

I like to dream yes, yes, right between my sound machine.
On a cloud of sound I drift in the night.
Any place it goes is right.
Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here.

Well, you don't know what we can find.
Why don't you come with me little girl,
On a magic carpet ride.
You don't know what we can see,
Why don't you tell your dreams to me,
Fantasy will set you free.

Close your eyes girl,
Look inside girl,
Let the sound take you away...

She turned the key and shut off her car. It might make a good impression if she were there early. Surely they would cut her loose at the first sign of trouble. As they should, this was an unimaginably important mission, not just for the United States, but for the world.

Rae's night of sleep had been fitful and broken. Her thoughts were on the mission. She went over every nut and bolt she had installed on the Allegiance. She could not help but extrapolate every detail, including the implications of success or failure. The possibility of a colony on Mars loomed on the horizon of the future with a success. With a failure it was a different story. Congress could cut funds for the space program. The Peoples Republic of China would be emperor of the skies, and they would be left in the dust.

But this was all useless conjecture. She shook her head to rid herself of such thoughts, and stepped out of the vehicle, heading for the building that housed the mission commanders office. Her heels clicked gently on the pavement as she threw open the door and headed to his office. Finding the door that bore his name, she took a deep breath, tucking a stray lock behind her ear and knocking. This was the moment that her new life began. Rae Liu, the Astronaut.

"Excuse me. Rae Liu, Sir." She was not military. She was unsure how the spacefarers did things, as she had had little contact with them, between her office job on the surface and working on the ship, which was devoid of flight personnel. Perhaps 'Sir' was inappropriate. But she figured it was better to be safe than sorry.

3 March 2076
T Minus: 165 Days, 5 Hours, 54 Minutes, 42 Seconds

Jake “Jabba” Barrett finished his 2 mile run, showered then changed into a tan golf shirt with the Allegiance patch on the left breast, some olive drab tactical pants, and flight boots.

He was expecting Rae Liu at some point this morning. She was a civilian scientist, and he knew how civilians were. She had probably partied well into the morning. He expected her to come dragging in around noon.

Barrett turned on the digital stereo system and spun the satellite radio over to the “Oldies” broadcast.

It was the most popular broadcast at Kennedy these days, playing real music from over a hundred years ago…back when music was music and not the electro synthesized pop crap that was popular today.

“Goin' up to the spirit in the sky
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
When I die and they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place that's the best”

Barrett started thumbing through the files again. The hunt for the perfect crew was ongoing and more difficult then Barrett had expected.

Every one of the candidates was more than qualified, as far as education and experience went. What Barrett was most concerned with was personality more than anything else.

It was going to be a long trip. If everything went exactly as planned, they were going to be in the space craft for 144 days, almost 5 months. As a carrier aviator, Barrett was well aware of what happens to people when they are jammed in close quarters for long periods of time.

Barrett was reading a file on a Ph. D from MIT when a soft knock came at his office door. The door opened a little, then all the way.

A dazzling Asian woman entered and announced, "Excuse me. Rae Liu, Sir."

Barrett stood and smiled. He could see that this whole 6 months to Mars trip was going to be even more difficult if he was going to be locked in a deep space vehicle with this beautiful woman.

Barrett checked the Rolex Aviator watch on his left wrist. WOW! Well, she was certainly an early riser. That would be one smiley face and a gold star next to her name on his crew list.

“Ms. Liu, it’s very good to meet you. I’m Lieutenant Commander Jake Barrett, but you can call me Jake or Jabba…that’s my call sign.”

She smiled at the reference to the ancient movie.

“How did you get that name?” She asked. Jake noticed that her voice had an almost musical tone to it.

Jake laughed, “Well…I don’t know, to be honest. That’s just the name that the guys in my squadron gave. It might be because they think I look like the character. I don’t know.”

Jake liked her smile.

He indicated that she have a seat in front of his desk. Instead of sitting behind the desk, Jake grabbed another chair, and scooted it beside her. Sitting behind the desk would give the wrong signals, he thought. Yes, he was the mission commander, but he wanted his crew to be relaxed around him, so he went for the “friends just chatting” vibe.

“Ms. Liu, I want….”

“Please call me Rae….Jake.”

Jake smiled at her. “Alright Rae…I want to tell you that I have selected you for the Allegiance II mission. I want the best physicist up there with us, and…well, that’s you. I want to ask you personally, will you join this crew?”

Jake watched as the gorgeous woman turned her head slightly and stared out the window into the glorious Florida spring morning. He thought he saw her eyes watering.

After a moment, she said “Since I was a little girl…about 5, I have dreamed of going into space and walking on another planet. This is the culmination of everything I have worked for. All those years at the university, the late nights studying and preparing papers and projects. This is my payoff. Yes, I will be a part of this crew.”

Jake sensed that she was really moved by the thought of this mission. That was a good thing. She would not be thoughtless and make mistakes. But how will she feel when he gets to the danger aspect of the mission.

“Rae, do you have family? A husband or boyfriend…mom, dad….brother, sister?”

She said she had parents and they were behind her decision to do this.

“Rae, the fact is this might be a suicide mission. There are still many things that are untested. Right now, NASA is only giving us a 30% chance of making the landing. Our odds get worse if we do survive and land on the surface. With that in mind, are you sure you still want to fly this mission?”

“Jake, this is what I have wanted my entire life. Not just since I was in college…my entire life. I have dedicated myself to this. Everything I have ever done has been for achieving this goal. Yes, I want on this crew, no matter the danger…or the cold…or the loneliness…or bad food. I want to fly.”

Jake like her dedication. She wanted on this crew. She wanted to walk on the surface…and nothing was going to stop her.

“Welcome aboard, Rae!” He shook the delicate hand again. It was soft and warm.

“So, who are my crew mates?” Rae asked

Jake chuckled, “Uhh…well, right now…its me…and you. There are just so many candidates and I am trying to examine every single one. We are going to need the best of the best or, as my daughter likes to say, the besterest. I have an aviator for the Mars Excursion Module pilot, but he is on some NASA PR thing…travelling all over the world. When he gets back, he will be second in command. Until then, its you.”

Rae smiled.

“Tell you what. You go clean out your office over in the physics lab, come on back and pick a new one on this side, and then we will go have some lunch and discuss my priority list.”

Jake hoped she didn’t misinterpret his request to be, like, a date or anything. He was certain he would have made the same request to a male scientist.

Well, pretty sure anyway.

But the fact was, she was beautiful and he sure would not have minded a date with her.

“That sounds fabulous, Jabba. Let me get moved in and then we can go…say around noon.”

She got up and was almost out the door when Jake called out to her.

“Oh Rae, hold up a second. I have to give you this.”

Jake approached and held out his hand. Rae held hers underneath his.
Jake dropped the gold pin into her hand.

“It’s your astronaut pin. You are one of us now.”
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Allegiance 2 - OCC
Still looking for another female writer. If you have any interest at all, please PM. I am hoping that my detail is not to intimidating. I like detail, but it certainly is not necessary for any other writers. This is a work of fiction and a game…we are playing and we are making this all up, so I welcome all writers, no matter experience or knowledge.
If you are reading this and thinking, “I would like to try this.” You are the one I want to PM me. If you have questions or concerns about any of the story, I will be glad to answer them. Please feel free to ask and then make a decision if you want to play.

Her coworkers greeted her with cheers as she walked through the doors to her office building. It was the fantasy of nearly everyone in the space program to be in her position. The fact that most of the engineering department was not eligible, be it due to physical incapability or lack of necessary qualifications, only added to their joy at seeing one of their own be selected. Why would they have aspired to work for NASA, if they had not once dreamed of the stars? Rae was determined not to let it go to her head. Humility had kept her hungry. And the work had only just begun.

She offered all of them a warm smile, blushing a little at all the attention as she waded through the sea of fellow engineers, exchanging handshakes and polite words of good will. It took her a full fifteen minutes to get to her office.

Rae's office was a tribute to the many accomplishments of the space program over the years. A large photo Neil Armstrong on the moon was featured prominently. Along with a panoramic view of the Moonbase. Various papers lined her desk, a few good luck notes from her coworkers, along with a picture of her Parents and a little Rae standing in front of the Grand Canyon. A bookshelf on the far wall held an combination of Physics textbooks, epic poetry, and grandiose, far-future science fiction. She took each of her things and placed them in a large cardboard box, feeling suddenly nostalgic for the place. But not enough to stop her from doing that which she had been called for.

It took several trips, but eventually she managed to pack up all her things and stuff them into the cramped compact car. Tossing a few errant items in the Passenger seat, (An Einstein bobblehead and a battered coffee mug that read: It is rocket science!) she slammed the door and headed to her new workplace.

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Unpacking was a great deal faster than packing, without the clamor of congratulatory friends and coworkers. One of the offices even had a window. She was surprised someone had not taken it already. A few people visited, offering a more quiet version of the well-wishing she experienced at her former office. The stream of people slowed, and Rae glanced at the clock. It was only 8:30. Plenty of time to work out and prepare for her lunch meeting with Jake.

She drove to her gym nearby, and changed into her workout clothes. As she circled the track again and again, she thought about her new flight commander. He was a handsome man. (It seemed a recurring theme in the world of human culture. Handsome men just happened to become the quarterbacks, the test pilots, the astronauts, the rock gods of the world. Rae figured it must be a confidence thing.) And he seemed very nice. He was more congenial than she expected. Maybe she had seen too many movies, where the spacefarers had adhered to strict military rigidity. Regardless, she liked it this way. But she wouldn't call him Jabba. That was silly. He didn't resemble that repulsive creature at all.

A part of her didn't want to face the idea of dying on this mission, but she forced herself. Rae wasn't the kind of girl who dwelled on death, but that was not to say she never thought about it. She was one of the few in the physics community to still believe in God. At the same time, she was fairly convinced that anyone claiming to have evidence for either side of the debate was a bit on the arrogant side. Even if their was more to a life than the machinery of the brain, and she thought there might be, she wasn't sure if there was an afterlife. God, no more thinking about this... She put it off. She couldn't allow them to fail if only to make sure Jake could return to his daughter. From what she had seen, there was no reason a little girl shouldn't adore him.

She stopped. Two miles. Her breath was only a little labored, her cheeks flushed pink from the exercise. Packing up her things, she headed home to change and meet Jake for lunch.

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It was far too hot for what she had been wearing now. In the midst of her frantic, neurotic morning she had forgotten to check the weather. Leaving on the skirt, she changed into a pair of black heels and a sleeveless white blouse. She hopped in her car for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day, and drove to the outdoor cafe Jake had specified. She arrived before him, as it was only eleven thirty. She hadn't had that much to do today, and he looked as if he had quite a lot of things to take care of. Hopefully the conclusion of this meeting would mean he would share the load a little. Rae was happy to do her part. For now, she took a few minutes to enjoy the sunshine, and ordered an iced tea.

His car pulled into the parking lot just outside of the outdoor dining area. Smiling carelessly, she waved. "I'm here, Jake!"

3 March 2076
T Minus: 165 Days, 1 Hour, 17 Minutes, 21 Seconds

Jake sat at the café going over records. He sipped at his tea as he read.

Major Noah Craig, United States Air Force, was a top candidate. He had over a dozen shuttle flights to Columbia and was one of the top astronauts in the program. He had his masters in engineering and was single. No family issues. He was at the top of Jakes list for a mission specialist position.

"I'm here, Jake!"

Jake turned and saw Rae approaching. She had changed out and was wearing a sleeveless top. Through the mirrored lenses of his Oakley sunglasses he admired the young scientist.
Her arms were buff. She worked out. That was good.
Jake then scanned her legs. He watched her delicate ankles, then up the shapely calves, to her knee and then the bottom part of firm thighs.

She was amazing to look at. She was also smart.

She sat and they ordered some food.

As they waited, Jake started the conversation.

“Did you get settled in ok?” He asked
“I sure did. Its easier unpacking then it is to pack.
“Isn’t that the truth? Ok, a couple of things. First, I am giving you the task of selecting who goes into the science section. NASA wants at least 1 geologist, beyond that it’s your call. The other thing is I have to get you spun up on the whole flight thing. At some point I have to take you up and we will do some maneuvers. Then I can sign off on you as being trained. It’s more of a formality than anything else.”

Rae seemed to get very excited at the prospect of flying.

“That sounds terrific! When do we fly?”
“Well, let’s get some of this admin shit done….oh sorry, periodically I slip into salty navy talk, if it offends you just let me know…anyway I want to sew up the crew first, then we can start the practical training.”

They talked some more about personnel and Rae had some interesting ideas.

Yeah, she was a perfect second in command.

They finished their lunch and talked some more about non mission stuff.

They finished, and when she started to dig for money, Jake said, “Negative…I got this one.”
“You don’t have to pay for mine.” Rae said
“I know, but I want to.” He said
“This is kind of like a date then…you know, I haven’t been on a date in a while.” That smile lit up on her face.

“That surprises me.” Jake said as they walked to the parking lot
He continued, “I should think that you would have no problem getting dates.”

“I don’t. Jake, I have dedicated my LIFE to this moment in time. This thing has been my life’s dream. I put everything on hold….family…friends…social life…everything. There will be time for all that when we return.”

If we return, Jake thought

“Understood Rae. Your dedication is why I want you backing me up on this.”

They reached her car.

“I am going to go back to the office and make some calls. If you want, take the rest of the day off, and start back tomorrow going over the science personnel files.”

Jake watched her climb into the little car. Her skirt hiked up the leg exposing a generous amount of thigh.

Jake was grateful for the orange, mirrored lenses of the Oakley’s.

Rae smiled to herself as she stepped into her car. Jake had been perfectly charming. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised, those flyboy types always were. But she didn't hold it against him. The way their conversation had turned had transformed the meeting into something bordering on unprofessional flirtation. That said, Rae had always been more concerned with excellence than protocol. Not only didn't she mind, but she preferred it.

The last thing she wanted to do was return home. It would only ensure that she would think about work while lacking the ability to get any done. No, she would go to the office, and look at the team Geologist candidates. There was no way her mind would even let her consider doing otherwise, especially with half the day remaining! She turned the key, and that same classic rock station blared another wildly appropriate tune. NASA sure knew how to put together a radio station.

And I think it's gonna be a long long time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no I'm a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone
Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact it's cold as hell
And there's no one there to raise them if you did
And all this science I don't understand
It's just my job five days a week
A rocket man, a rocket man
And I think it's gonna be a long long time...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her new desk was strewn with a myriad of resume's, all heavily qualified in Geology. The trick of the selection process was not just that they had to be qualified, unattached, and able to pass the physical. She had to spend an inordinate amount of time with this person. Factions forming within the crew would just not do. Everything had to be perfect. Rae glanced out her window. It was getting dark outside, and she still had not found a suitable candidate. Just a couple more...

She opened the folder for the thousandth time that day, scanning the page that sat before her.

Jean Kowalski
33 years old.
Geology PhD, Northwestern.
Two years with the unmanned Mars program, served with distinction. Instrumental in finding pockets of frozen water in the Poles. Well liked by her coworkers, and single.

Rae sighed happily, relieved that she had found someone, as she glanced at the photo of her paper-clipped to the corner. She was a pretty woman, with green eyes and blond curls that came to her shoulders. She had taken the preliminary physical, and passed with flying colors. She was perfect. Rae got up, walking briskly over to Jakes office. As she entered, she smiled. He looked surprised to see her.

"You can't just expect me to go home on an assignment like this. Anyway, I think I found our Geologist. I thought it prudent to get your 'OK' before I sent her the news." She set the resume on his desk. "I think she is just what we're looking for."

Jake sat in his office.
He had narrowed the mission specialists down to two astronauts.

He was about to make a selection when Rae knocked on his door.
He was shocked at first, and then laughed. She was dedicated.

She said she had a geologist.

Jake reviewed the file. Dr. Kowalski had everything that he was looking for.
“Ok, Rae. Send the letter and let’s get her on board.” Jake said. Just as Rae was going to leave Jake said, “Oh yeah…Rae pack your gear. We have been ordered to Houston for training. When you pack, bring your gear to the flight line. We will put it on a cargo hauler and then me and you will fly to Houston.”

Rae smiled real big and darted from the office.

Jake then on a snap decision called his selection for mission specialist.
Wing Commander Ethan Henderson, Royal Air Force, was a 2 year veteran of the European Space Agency. He was on the planning session for Allegiance 1 flight, so was aware of the capabilities of the vehicle. He had multiple flights to Columbia Lunar Surface Station. He had a master’s degree from Cambridge in engineering and had easily passed the physical fitness tests.

Jake picked up the satellite phone and dial the contact number in London.
When Henderson came on the line, Jake did not waste time. “Commander Henderson, how would you like to go to Mars?”
=================================================

6 August, 2076 T-Minus 13 hours, 25 minutes, 47 seconds.

Kennedy Space Center

Jake looked at his crew as they ate their meal. It was the traditional meal served the night before a launch.

Steaks cooked to order, baked potato, steamed green beans and a tossed salad.

The training had been 6 months of 12 to 18 hour days. They had died thousands of times in the simulator. But this crew was ready. Jake was even more proud of their selections now, then he originally was.

Ethan Henderson had shown what a great aviator he was, and his knowledge of the Allegiance vehicle was immense. Jake felt totally confident in his ability to fly the Mars Lander.

Jean Kowalski fit right into the environment at the Johnson Space Center during training. She was strictly a scientist but she took to the flight training as though she had done it for years.

Then there was Rae. She looked absolutely radiant. There was no one more eager to make this the best mission ever. She turned into a great commander and was officially the executive officer for the mission.

Jake stood up.

“Let me have your attention, please.” The chatter died away.

“Ladies and gentleman. I want to thank you for the effort you have put in during this training period. I have all confidence that we will be successful and that it is the greatest honor to be flying with you. Cheers.” Jake raised his glass of Gatorade and drank.

The meal was over and Jake had retired to his dorm. He stretched out and his thoughts turned to his daughter.

During his last visit with her, they had laid on the lawn staring at the stars in the night sky.
“Daddy, which one are you flying to?” She had asked
Jake hunted until he found the glittering red speck and pointed, “You see the little red one over there? That’s where we are going.”

The little girl looked at the sky.
“Are you coming back?” she asked

Jake thought about that. He damned sure was going to try
“Of course I am, sweetheart.” Jake smiled at her.

“Will you bring Rae back?” The little girl really liked Rae. They had met when they had been up late working on mission profiles at Jakes house, and they became fast friends.
“Yes, Rae is coming back with me.”

His last night with his daughter had been just 2 days ago, but it seemed like a million years.
Jake cleared his head and focused on the launch in the morning. He would fly the shuttle to the moon. It would be a 4 day trip, and then he would dock with the Allegiance. They would transfer to her, and then Rae would fire up the reactor. They would fire the engines and push away from the moons gravity and when they were in position, they would await the command, “Allegiance, you are GO for Trans Mars Injection.”

Jake thought of Rae. He knew she was doing the exact same thing. Laying in the bed, staring at the ceiling going through the procedures.

He thought of her in her underwear, in the bed…

Stop it. Jake snickered to himself and closed his eyes.