The Xyania Project 1 Read online

  “Affirmative, get us down,” Kenneth said punching a few buttons on his control panel and looked at his second in command.

  “Ready to follow your orders, sir,” Malcolm said.

  “Aright then, buckle up and hang on. This is going to be a less than smooth ride!” Kenneth ordered as the ship pitched forward and began to rattle and shake even more.

  Chapter 3. Our New Home

  With a shudder and a groan, The Xyania sped through the vacuum as it hurtled towards the surface of Nix. Without an atmosphere to disrupt their approach and minimal effects in the way of clouds or wind to obscure their vision, the crew had an almost crystal-clear view of their approach. This also meant that there was little to slow them down other than the expertise of Kenneth and Catherine at the controls.

  With dwindling fuel supplies, they had to land quickly but they also had to find the best possible place to land. Moscovium was what was powering their ship so not only were they racing the clock to find a mining spot for their mission, they were also racing to find a place to mine for more fuel so they could still have a chance of making it back home. They weren’t going to make it to the predetermined place for this mission so they had to do the best that they could in order to salvage their mission. Researchers were fairly sure the Moscovium would be found in the moons as well as Pluto itself, but with the moons being so small, there would be limited deposits. If they were going to be limited to mining on Nix, they had to try and find the best possible place to start mining.

  Kenneth and his crew raced to plot their projected path as they began their approach. Catherine and Malcolm poured over the reports, photos, maps, and other data they had about Nix, trying to find the best area that might be suitable for landing. Felicity monitored the read outs, looking for any alerts or hazards that might impact their choice in landing area. Kenneth and Kayden manned the controls, making adjustments as needed as Nix grew larger and larger on the screens.

  “Alright everyone! Look sharp. This is it, it’s now or nothing” Malcolm yelled out as the ship shuddered again.

  “All readouts looking good so far” Felicity shouted out over the groaning of this ship. “Nothing major picked up so far so it’s up to you captain, on where you want to land.”

  “Estimated time to impact is 90 ticks” Kayden called out as the ship gave a sudden lurch, sending the crew staggering slightly.

  “Alright, Catherine! Cut back engines to 50% and find us a spot to land this thing” Kenneth ordered. “Aim towards section C34 on our readout, that looked like the best area we have a chance of reaching!

  “Yes sir!” Catherine replied as she punched a few buttons and studied the readouts flashing on the screen in front of her.

  “Malcolm! How are we looking on our trajectory and approach?”

  “Captain sir, looks like our best bet in that area will be to aim for the area around this field of larger and deeper craters” Malcolm replied as he motioned to the display screen showing the topography of the surface as they approached.

  “Alright, Catherine, aim for the flattest area you can and bring us down!” Kenneth said as he turned his chair back around and focused on the control panel in front of him.

  A short time later, The Xyania was coming to a rough and pumping stop on the surface of Nix. As the ship skidded to a stop, everything fell silent for a moment inside as the shaking stopped. Everyone was quiet for a moment as they looked around at each other, waiting for any indication that they were safe and in fact not dead.

  “By golly, I think we actually survived that!” Kayden exclaimed.

  “Give me a system check sound off! What’s our damage” Kenneth called out over the dining of a few alarms that started pinging from a few of the control panels.

  “All systems seem to be stable. Minimal damage reported to our primary operating systems” Malcolm called out.

  “Life support system currently at 85%” Kayden reported as he studied the readouts and alerts on the screen. “Some damage sustained to the cargo bay. Not sure how much until we are able to get down there and do an inspection!”

  “Engines are reading at 70% operational power. We should be able to get out and make any necessary repairs as needed” Catherine said as she turned over her shoulder and looked at Kenneth. “Considering our unplanned and nearly blind landing, I’d say that is good news!”

  “Ok good” Kenneth said. “Are we good for some first hand inspections? I want to get to the cargo bay and make sure everything is ok. If our equipment is damaged, we have no mission!”

  “We should be good. No imminent threats detected” said Kayden as she looked up from her screen. “No major hull breeches indicated. Oxygen levels in Xyania are currently reading at 95% and holding throughout most of the ship.”

  “Initial readings and scans indicate we are on the edge of a crater field” Felicity said. “We are at a slight elevation but it shouldn’t be too hard to get to the edge of the nearest crater. This might actually work to our advantage too as the crater seems to be fairly deep. If we can get to the bottom of the crater and set up there it will give us a big head start on our digging as opposed to starting at the surface.”

  “Alright then, first thing to do is make sure Xyania is secure and stable…. Malcolm, Felicity, you come with me. We will go inspect our cargo and see where we stand there. Catherine and Kayden, you two stay here and keep an eye on the readings. Let us know if you see anything or if anything changes!”

  “Remember, stay alert” Felicity warned. “Since we have not made it to our target destination, we don’t know what exactly what to expect out here. We are the first humans to ever step foot on Nix. We were operating on hunches, theories, and hypothesis to begin with when our destination was Pluto itself. Now, we are even more in the dark. We have to be extra cautious until we have a better understanding of what exactly we are up against!”

  “Completely agree, Felicity!” said Kenneth as he stood and made his way to one of the panels that lined the wall.

  Punching a few buttons, the panel let out a small hiss as it slid out from the wall, reveling a storage compartment. Kenneth reached in and pulled out some equipment, tossing a small pack to Felicity and Malcolm before pulling one out for himself.

  “I know readings all say there are no hull breeches, but I don’t want us taking any risks until we get eyes on the rest of the ship” Kenneth said as he undid the pack, revealing a portable oxygen supply and mask system. “Rather safe than sorry. Keep your mask handy and the instant you start feeling a little off, get your mask on! I don’t want someone passing out right after we land! Stay sharp, stay alert, and keep in contact at all times.”

  Felicity and Malcolm nodded in agreement and hooked their tanks to their belts and followed Kenneth as he led them out of the control room and down the hallway towards the cargo bay. The lights flickered slightly and the occasional spark went off from the writing system in the celling. A thin veil of dust still lingered in the air from their controlled crash landing. All in all, the hallway leading to the cargo area looked like it was in decent shape. So far, the ship looked like it was in good condition considering the long trip and less than predicted landing it had been through.

  Soon they arrived at the doorway leading to the cargo bay. Kenneth punched in the code on the nearby control panel and the doors slid open, granting them access to the cargo area. As they walked in, the crew flicked on their flashlights as the overhead lights also turned on, illuminating the large storage area. Row after row of large cargo boxes lined the walls and smaller containers were stacked and laid out across the floor. A few had broken their anchor straps and were strewn across the floor but most were still secured in place.

  “Could have been a lot worse with everything that has happened since we left Earth” Felicity said as she inspected one of the damage cargo crates. “Seems like most of these damaged crates were backup supplies and the few that have some of our construction materials don’t look like they are damaged too bad and should still be usable.”

  “Alright good” Kenneth said as he stood around up from the box he had been inspecting. “Let’s find the mining supplies and equipment. Without those, this mission won’t be getting very far! Xyania thankfully seems to be in good shape which is great, but we need to make sure we can go forward with the mission and get this mining operation off the ground.”

  “According to the shipment manifest records, the mining equipment and supplies are in section D-6, towards the rear of the bay storage area” Felicity said, looking up from the document in her hand.

  “Got them right here!” Malcolm called out a few minutes later from the far side of the cargo bay. “Found the mining drills and equipment. Everything seems to be in good shape. Looks like we might have lost one of the oil drums but we brought extra reserves so that shouldn’t be much of an issue. There shouldn’t be much of an issue with getting things up and running here on Nix.”

  “Found the pre-fab panels!” Kenneth called out from one of the rows of boxes. “Looks like they are all in good shape, some scrapes and dings but nothing that should affect them. They look in better shape than I would have expected after a three-year trip across the solar system!”

  “Good news so far…” Malcolm said with a sigh of relief. “Looks like we might actually be able to still pull this off!”

  “We copy that.” Catherine said over the com system. “No changes here. Our readings are holding steady too. Looks like Xyania held together well like she was supposed to.”

  “Roger that” replied Kenneth. “We are heading back now and will regroup and figure out the next steps. It is time to get this mission back on track and get to mining for Moscovium!

  Chapter 4. Mining Operations

  A short time later the entir
e crew was in the cargo bay unstrapping the cargo crates and boxes and unpacking the load. The lights were dim in the cargo bay but it was enough for them to see what they were doing and read the labels on the boxes and crates as they opened them up. There was a lot to go through and organize before they could get out and start setting things up. Everything had to be sorted and documented and inspected before their temporary base could be set up. And until that happened, there was no way to protect their mining equipment, or themselves for that matter, from the hazards Nix presented. So, first and foremost, the crew needed to take inventory and find a place nearby where they could set up their base of operations.

  Felicity and Catherine worked on sorting and organizing their food supplies and other rations while Malcolm and Kenneth began unloading the pre-fab panels that would be used to construct their shelters as well as their mining facility. Kayden busied himself with unpacking and organizing the weapons, machinery, and tools that they had brought with them. For a short time, all was fairly quiet in the cargo bay as they talked among themselves and kept busy with the tasks at hand. Then the cargo bay echoed with a voice coming from the end of one of the rows.

  “Hey guys, come here!” Kayden called out. His voice somewhat muffled by the box his head was still stuck in. “I found the Hollo-Kin that Pex sent.”

  The crew huddled around the small, simple looking box as Kayden pulled it out and set it on one of the cargo crates. Kenneth walked over and pushed a small depression at the top of the box. At first nothing happened. Then, slowly, a light began to spread over the box, lighting it up with a thousand little cracks of light. The top of the box slid open and a brilliant green beam of light shot out of the top. A moment later, a small holographic figure appeared in the beam. It was the head of Pex Aerospace, the man who had sent them on their mission and financed the entire project. They all huddled around the box and stared at the transparent figure as it began to play the pre-recorded message.

  If you are getting this recording, congratulations. You are the first crew to successfully make it to your destination and to survive the journey to the farthest reaches of our solar system. It has been a long and hard fight these last 50 years, and many before you have tried and failed, but their sacrifices are what has made your victory possible. So, congratulations!

  The crew looked around at each other incredulously. They knew there had been many attempts at solar exploration and a number of failed attempts. But 50 years of failures to get to where they were now? Just how many people had died in previous attempts testing out new methods of travel and stasis? Their attention went back to the holographic figure as he continued to speak.

  You have reached your destination thanks to the latest in technological advances using the finest in AI control, scientific innovation, and the latest in ship design and propulsions. History has been made and you are the ones writing the next chapter. The union of AI power and reliability, combined with the heart and imagination of mankind has made this moment possible.

  But there is much left still to be done, for while one chapter of your mission is over, there is a new chapter waiting to be written. With all high hopes, you have landed on Pluto or at the least one of its moons. You know your mission has been laid out in brief to you. Now it is time to realize the full extent of your mission. While mining your location for Moscovium is the primary goal, you will also be serving a vital role in the first attempt to establish a colony at the farthest reaches of our solar system. Pex Aerospace is financing the first colony out in the reaches of space and you are the first five members of that colony.

  Everyone exchanged glances at that little truth bomb. They had all known this was for all intense and purposes a one-way-trip. But they didn’t quite realize this was also a colonizing mission. That was definitely news to them.

  On the cargo manifest you will find all of the equipment and supplies that have been sent with you. Priority number one is to find a suitable location to set up your base and begin mining operations as soon as possible. Our estimates during planning were that you would land and within a week at the most have your base set up. The pre-fab structures should make work quick and easy. You will need three main structures, one for your lodgings, one for all the equipment, and one for the supplies. All the details and specifics should be self-explanatory on the manifest and it should be easy to get everything up and running.

  So, find a suitable place to set up base, get everything up and running, and find us a nice big pile of Moscovium so we can get this colony up and running! Oh, and communications will eventually be online now that you have landed. It will take some time due to the distance but once your base is up and running, we can begin establishing a connection, and in a few weeks, we should have some remedial communications set up so we can keep tabs on each other. So, again congrats on the safe arrival and let’s get that Moscovium!

  The hologram flickered and then shut off, the box going dark as silence filled the cargo bay once again. The five friends looked at each other for a moment, letting everything they had just heard sink in for a moment as their eyes adjusted to the dimmer light once more. “Well…. That was, umm, and interesting little update from the big boss…” Kayden muttered as he rubbed the back of his head and winced at the headache that was starting to take hold.

  “So, we were right” Malcolm said with a slight snarl “They were keeping things about the mission from us! I knew it!”

  “Our mission is still the same as it was” Kenneth said with a calm yet strained voice his own eye a little darker than before. “Now we just have another goal added on to our existing mission.”

  “It’s not like we can really do anything about it now” Felicity said with a sigh. “We are here, we can’t get back home, so following through with the original mission and anything else they have tacked on to it is the only option we have.”

  “So…. “Catherine said hesitantly. “I guess we start getting things set up them.”

  Everyone nodded silently in agreement and began opening boxes and moving things out of the cargo bay as very little was said among themselves.

  ~~~~~One Week Later ~~~~~

  After the surprising revelation of the hidden aspect of their mission, the crew busied themselves with setting everything up. Item one on the list was securing a spot that was suitable for them to set up base camp and begin searching for a mining site. Thanks to the on-board scanners and equipment that Xyania had on her, they were able to get a topographical readout of the area within a few miles out from where they landed. As fate would have it, they had crashed landed less than a mile from a field of craters that was bordering a surprisingly large and undisturbed area of moon surface.

  Much like the Sea of Tranquility, which served as a landing location for the moon missions so long ago, this area was flat, fairly level and easy to get to. The openness of this lunar mare on Nix, which the crew decided to call the Xan Sea, offered the same benefits the Sea of Tranquility did to the astronauts who became the first humans to step foot on a celestial body other than Earth. So it was that the crew of Xyania chose a location at the edge of one of the craters within the flat expanse to set up their base of operations. Thankfully their rover was large enough to carry a good number of the pre-fab pieces at a time and with cabin space for three crew members, it was no time at all before the first shelter was built and they had their lodgings ready to go.

  Goal number two with the base set up was getting their mining gear and equipment out to the Xan Sea and to set up a base of operations for their mining project. With the pre-fab design their location was set up in a matter of days and their mining supplies and equipment were loaded and ready to be tested.

  By the end of their first week on Nix, the crew had all the pre-fab buildings set up and everything moved off the ship. The crew was still note entirely happy about being deceived and lied to about the full scope and purpose of their mission but they had accepted it for what is was and they were admittedly anxious to get started with the mining project and find the Moscovium.

  “Alright guys, that is done” Kenneth said with a smile as they loaded the last of the boxes off the rover and into the storage building. “We are up and running. You all take the rest of the day and rest up. Get a good night’s sleep because in the morning we are starting our search for our first mining site! It is time to get to work and do what we were sent here to do- find that Moscovium and get as much of it out of this hunk of rock as we can!”