4 The Stargazer Project
Eric stood there and soaked in what he was being shown. As he carefully listened, he understood why the data he was being given was highly classified. If the public knew about the incoming asteroid, there'd be panic in the streets. Every end of the world nut ball would be digging out new shelters in their back yards, getting ready to survive the end of the world. Any effort they made would be futile. Eric could tell by the size and density of the rock, it would wipe out all life on Earth. It was clearly a planet killer, something Eric had no doubt about. That guy with the sign downtown was right; the end was nigh. Billions of people were going to die and odds are there was nothing any of them in the room could do about it. Eric took a deep breath because he knew that the everyone in the room wasn't ready to give up without trying to save the world first. They had brought him in to help them, because they had an idea they thought Eric could help them out with.
"So, what's the plan?" Eric suddenly asked.
"Direct," Drummond said, respecting his approach. "I like that."
"Just answer the question," Eric insisted, "Please."
"Does he have clearance?" Samantha asked.
"He does," Sergeant Drummond answered, "Located at this facility is one of several international think tanks. This is a joint operation with over a dozen countries that are working together to deal with the problem presented by the asteroid known as PX-256, which is expected to impact with our plant up to two years from now based on its current projections, but if could be sooner if estimates are off by even just a single percent. We are on the clock, and we need your help to make your engines fully operational."
"And there it is," Eric said, smiling. "You're trying to build something with my engines. Try being the key words here."
"That is correct," Samantha confirmed, "We are stuck and need your help."
"I get it," Eric said, "Might as well call on the inventor when you need something modified and up-sized, right?"
"Precisely," Drummond concurred, "We need engines big enough to move large space vessels carrying extremely heavy payloads great distances."
"You're going to carry some nukes up there and split that rock right in half like they did on Armageddon, right?" Eric asked.
"No," Samantha replied, "I don't even think that plan is even possible."
"We're not going to carry nukes to the asteroid," Drummond informed him, "That plan of planetary defense was given to different think tank."
"How many think tanks are there?" Eric asked.
"Several," Drummond answered, "Each one has assembled some of the brightest minds in specific fields to deal with the extinction level event, each having their own directive, a different plan to try."
"So instead of pooling all their resources into one idea," Eric said, trying to see where this was going, "There are several tanks made to take multiple kicks at the bucket in case the others fail?
"Pretty much," Drummond said as he paced the room, "We've been given a specific assignment, the most important one in my opinion."
"Which plan are you guys in charge of here?" Eric asked.
"Evacuation," Drummond answered, "Our job is to get as many humans off world and relocate them to a new planet before the asteroid arrives."
"I see," Eric said, looking back at the board where he could see his blueprints for his engines. "You need my engines to make them useful for interplanetary travel, to move mankind to a new rock?"
"Yes," Samantha confirmed, "This is our last resort in the event that all the other plans to stop the asteroid fail."
"What planet were you thinking of?" Eric asked.
"Mars." Drummond replied, "It's the closest and it has water."
"But no air." Eric reminded him.
"We have people working on that," Drummond informed him, "And they're making great progress. The water is the key, as long as we have that we can generate our own supply of oxygen. But the key is getting all the equipment and construction crews over there to build it."
"This is insane!" Eric said as he waved his arms about like a mad man. "The project you're proposing could cost hundreds of billions of dollars!"
"We've been given a budget of two and a half trillion." Drummond said, "Will that cover it, sport?"
"Two... trillion?" Eric repeated, having trouble repeating the last one.
"Two and a half," Samantha corrected.
"Various governments around the world have overdrawn their budgets," the Sergeant explained, "When these numbers are made public, it will out the truth about PX-256."
"And that's when it will all hit the fan, right?" Eric asked.
"Pretty much," Drummond confirmed, "We have about a year until that happens. What we need is ships ready to fly and break orbit, so we can go about delivering our cargo as soon as possible."
"What are we going to use for our power supply?" Eric asked.
"I was thinking nuclear." Samantha said, stepping back in, "Once on Mars we'll obviously use solar and wind but we'll keep one reactor there for backup."
"Or on the ships if you continue to use them for space travel," Eric offered.
"That might not be an option," Drummond honest answered, "We might need to save all resources to surviving on Mars."
"We've never sent anyone there to visit," Eric said, thinking about it, "What makes you event think this could work?"
"It might not," Samantha answered, "But it beats doing nothing and waiting for the end to come to us."
"So while I'm working on these engines..." Eric continued, "You've got other people working on the other problems?"
"Exactly," Drummond confirmed, "Your only problem is transport. We've got other people taking care of the other issues. Just get us up there and we'll take care of the rest."
Eric paused for a moment and deeply sighed. "How many transports to you need to move all this stuff?"
"Five," Samantha answered. "Four for construction materials and supplies and we'd like one specifically for moving humans off world."
"How many people will that ship be able to transport?" Eric inquired.
"We are looking at about ten thousand per trip." Samantha answered, "And we're hoping to do as many as one trip every month until the asteroid gets here."
"So if we move quickly enough," Drummond continued, "We could get as many as a fifty thousand up there before disaster strikes. That would give us a healthy chance to survive on Mars."
"How would we feed all those people?" Eric asked.
"Not your problem," Drummond replied, "We have botanists and other scientists in similar fields assigned to take care of that. Your job is to get the engines going so we can start moving our shit to our new crib. How soon can you get these engines online and attached to the spacecrafts we're constructing?"
Eric scratched his two-day old scruff as he walked up to the board and looked at the blueprints of the ships. If his engines worked, they could do Mars in a month like Samantha said they would. He stood there, looking at the measurements of the ships and the sheer size of the engines he would have to make for them.
"If I start working now," Eric stated, "I could have one ship completed every four months."
"How long would it take if we doubled your onsite engineers and worked on these around the clock?" Drummond asked.
"One every two months," Eric answered, aware of how crazy it sounded. "But these engines eat away a good chunk of your budget."
"It's necessary," Drummond explained, "Without the ships everything else is not going anywhere. No point packing if you don't have a moving truck."
"Good point," Eric said, "So when do you want me to start?"
Drummond smiled, "What time is it now?"
Eric sighed, "I was afraid you were going to say that. But I'm going to need some conditions before I start working."
"Name them," Drummond asked, ready to approve almost anything.
"I want my people running this project, the people I trust to make sure it's all done right and by the book." Eric demanded, "The last thing you want is the moving truck to break down halfway to the new house."
"Agreed," Drummond said, without hesitation, "Anything else?"
"My family," Eric added, "I may not get along with the ex and the kid doesn't want to talk to me, but they and twenty-five other people of my choosing get free tickets to Mars if they want them. If I'm going to save thousands of people, I want them to be a part of that group."
"Is that so?" Drummond asked, "Why should I even consider that?"
"Motivation," Eric answered, "Give me a reason to want to finish on time, and you'll see faster results."
"Deal," Drummond said, extending his hand to Eric, "Welcome to the Stargazer project, Doctor Saunders."
