Main

Another one of those nightmares. They were becoming more and more frequent the closer it got to M-Day. It was three in the morning of the third. Why was this day special? Oh, yes, she was to be introduced to her fellow crew members. Today was the day that she would find out who she was going to spend the next great change in her life with.

The sole inhabitants of a planet, alone together. She hoped that they weren’t all strange scientists who didn’t talk and did their little experiments in their own little worlds. Vicky hated those people.

It was too early to get up, so she went back to sleep. This time, she did not dream.

The plans for the program had started back in 2005. The new British Space Exploration Service had been developing satellites to orbit Mars and collect data. That was where it started. Exploring Mars.

With the population boom of earth, new land needed to be established for the movement of a section of the populous. The American’s were too busy with their new space station and the international space station. The Russians were building high technology communications satellites. This left the Chinese and the British.

Britain had sent a team to the international space station in an American space shuttle in 2004, and from that day onward the British people had caught the space bug. The BSES had been established for the mission and had received reasonable funding for the government. The BSES had recruited the best from the RAF and later the RAAF in return for funding. The Australians could not afford to start their own space administration, but were willing to be a part of the BSES, being a prime member of the commonwealth.

More funding came from the Canadians as they had always been working with the Americans and had decided to instead focus on the BSES where they could be a larger part of the organisation. The BSES had finally acquired enough funding and expertise to set up one of the worlds leading space administrations.

The British decided that they should move their attention to Mars as it had recently become a viable prospect. An orbiting space construction yard was launched in January 2006 and the designs for the craft to fly a group of astronauts to Mars were almost complete. Now all that had to be done was assemble a crew.

By 2007 a leading Navigation’s officer came up numerous times in the preliminary search, and Victoria Watson was almost guaranteed. She had to be interviewed along with nine other candidates before being chosen in mid July 2008.

“Flight Lieutenant Watson.” the main examiner uttered in a tired voice. “You have been in the RAF for five years now. After doing a law degree you continued with a navigation course and finished top in your class. You have also finished a part time geographical science course in this time. Out of all the soldiers we have interviewed you have, by far, received the greatest navigational scores in the military games and also you have been advancing at a very quick and steady rate through the ranks. We believe that you are the soldier for our job, yet first we must ask you a few more questions.”

Vicky had been listening intently. She new that she would have to answer these questions perfectly. She was also aware that this was something big, and she wanted to be a part of it. This was her big chance.

“Flight Lieutenant, do you have any illnesses that require long-term medication?” the second examiner asked. She was a rather large woman with died red hair and thick brown glasses.

“No, Air Chief Marshall.” she said as strongly as she could, trying not to sound anxious.

“Do you have any idea about what you are being interviewed about?” this question came from a stumpy balding man who seemed to squint a lot.

He continued “How do you feel about travelling…into space, Flight Lieutenant?”

“Yes!” she then needed to take a breath so as not to sound too excited. “Yes, sir. I would definitely accept a mission into…”

“Do you understand that this is top secret and you can never repeat anything that has gone on in this conversation with anyone not directly related?”

She was taken aback. The biggest thing Vicky had thought it could have been was going to the space station, but then again, why would they have needed a navigator? She thought about it for a brief second.

“I would be honoured to represent my country anywhere. To be honoured with being able to travel to Mars would be my greatest dream come true and I would be proud to do it. If you would take me, I’m your navigator!” she said, proudly.

The woman spoke again. “You do understand the risks involved? There is a chance that you may not survive. It is small, but there is a chance. It is however greater than that of dying in one of your aeroplane flights. This is a serious matter”

Vicky thought about not wanting to be too hasty. This was what she had worked for. Something great, to be a pioneer.

The examiners spoke briefly amongst themselves and then all but the main examiner stood and left. He then turned to Vicky.

“I am glad that you have chosen this path for your life. You were top on our lists and we really wanted you. We had to make it look like we didn’t need you, but the truth is, we do. I have the papers to sign, but first I want you to think about it over night. You will be staying here from now on. We will have your telephone line redirected and your belongings packed. Do you understand?” he was deadly serious.

“You will stay on the premises until the mission. You will be allowed out, of course accompanied for your protection. You should know that there may be some opposition to this mission, but nothing really life-threatening. The precise date of M-day will be disclosed later, but for now, it is sometime early next year. That is all for now, Flight Lieutenant. We shall see you tomorrow at 0800 hours in my office.”

The next day Flight Lieutenant Victoria Watson signed the papers and was officially on the Ares 1 team. She was given a list of pilots and told to go through it thoroughly. The list was about two hundred names long, so it took the best part of half an hour.

The chief examiner was Air Chief Marshall Charles Milton. He was in charge of the Ares 1 mission and was finally relaxed after realising that the team had started to assemble. He stood a tall six foot four inches, but was not heavily built. He had the look of a long distance runner, but now he seemed too old. His silver hair was short and he was clean-shaven. He smiled as she returned to his room.

“Sir, I would like to ask what I was supposed to be looking for?” Vicky said with a respectful tone.

“These are our prospective pilots. It was my idea to set up a group of people who would get along together so as to cause the least amount of friction. The question I will know ask you is, do you know any of these pilots?” He smiled and waited for her response.

“There are a few pilots that I have worked with on this list. None of them were particularly well to get along with.”

“Oh, that was a disappointment. I was hoping you would like at least one of them.” He looked worried.

“But, excuse me, sir. I would just like to enquire about this one here. I may have known him a while ago.”

“Squadron Leader Nunn of the RAAF. If that is who I think it is, he was a good friend of mine back in high school.”

The Air Chief Marshall smiled. He was interviewed and signed up the next day. Apparently, he was perfect for the job as well.

The alarm in Vicky’s room woke her. It was time to get up. She crawled out of bed and made her way to the en suite in her dormitory. She looked in the mirror, wondering whether she had changed much since high school.

She was of average height, with shoulder length brown and blond highlights. She was an attractive girl with a voluptuous appearance.

She cleaned her teeth and stepped into the shower. All that was on her mind was who would be on her team. Who else would be sharing the glory of being the first people on Mars. Would she know any of them? How would she get along with them? Would she be the only woman?

She got dressed into her RAF uniform and made her way to the mess hall for breakfast. Officers’ breakfast at the BSES was cereal, eggs, bacon, tomato and coffee. As she ate, Vicky wondered what breakfast would be like on Mars.

Vicky’s possessions had been moved into an officer’s dorm and she was given books and equipment manuals to learn. Straight away, she was in the program. Ares 1. She was quite sure that the general had chosen Ryan for the captain. There was something about Charles Milton. He was quite happy when she mentioned Ryan. Maybe he had already chosen him.

It had been quite some time since she had seen the squadron leader. Back before he was a squadron leader they had known each other in high school in Kuwait. It seemed like such a long time ago. Seven years. She wondered how she must have changed.

Squadron Leader Nunn had been asleep for the majority of the flight. The long flight from Richmond Air Force Base just North of Sydney, Australia, had stopped over in Colombo, Dubai and now was on it’s final approach into England. Ryan Nunn had been reading an article on the EF-2000 Eurofighter when he had fallen asleep just before approaching Colombo.

He had been enrolled in the BSE Service earlier that year and had been looking forward to this day for quite some time. Time to meet the troops. His troops.

He had read all the material supplied to him about the mission, numerous times, and was busy reading his researched material on everything from Mars to microscopes. He had to be in charge, and he knew it. He had to know everything about the mission. It meant so much to him.

“She’s all yours, sir!” the pilot smiled. With the customary wiggle of the sticks, the pilot transferred the craft to the Squadron leader

It was 0730 hours at Richmond Air Force Base, and Ryan Nunn was working on some flight schedules.

“There are some English men here to see you. They say they don’t need an appointment and that this is very important. Should I show them in?” the aid said from her desk outside.

The three men entered. They wore dark suits, two black, one blue. Each one wore a shirt with a logo on the left breast pocket. In the logo were the letters BSE.

“Hello Squadron Leader Ryan Nunn.” the oldest looking out of the three said. “My name is Air Commodore Jenkins of the Royal Air Force. There is something we would like to discuss with you.”

The next day, Ryan had been signed up for the mission. He was moved to a secure residence in the base and isolated as much as possible from outsiders. He was given manuals for the equipment to be used on the mission. He was also issued with a plan of the mission, named Ares 1 for obvious reasons.

Soon he had studied it all, understanding the technical details for the flight perfectly. The BSE had, however, left out a list of the crew. This annoyed Nunn as he would have liked to been able to do background checks on all of them.

Warrant Officer Paul Robinson marched up the stairs towards room 217. He had left his craft to join the Ares 1 group. One of the RN’s best logistics officer’s Paul too had been chosen after large amounts of tests and interviews. He also was a good choice as he had finished an electrical engineering course.

He stopped outside the said room and knocked. The door opened and a young private ushered him in. Air Chief Marshall Charles Milton met Paul inside another door.

“You ready to meet your fellow crew mates, Warrant Officer?” Milton asked with his typical childish grin.

“Ready when you are, sir!” Robinson said, looking slightly pale. He too was wondering who the group was. Was he going to be able to fit in? He might be the only Royal Navy sailor going. It really wasn’t a navy job.

“Well let’s get to it! Ha ha! I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment!” Milton said as he turned towards yet another door. “You wait here till I call your name, then come and sit in your seat. No talking though, till I say a few words.”

“Understood, sir.” Paul said wearily. Why had he said no talking, it’s not like he knew any people aboard this mission… or did he?

The Air Chief Marshall stepped outside. Robinson could hear clapping from about twenty people. Twenty privileged people who were just about to find out who the team was for making man’s next great step. It was like being a new evolutionary level. They would be known for ever as the first of their kind. Pioneers.

Warrant Officer Paul Robinson was working at his post at the harbour warehouse where he had been for two weeks. He had four thousand food rations boxes to sort through and it was taking its toll on his concentration. The call on the PA system came as a welcome release.

“Warrant Officer Robinson…Warrant Officer Robinson…please make your way to warehouse headquarters. Repeat: Warrant…”

That was what he had needed. Paul rose and quickly jogged to the secretary inside warehouse headquarters. As he walked through the door he spotted three men sitting down on the rather cheap looking furniture. They looked oddly out of place. It was probably the suits. Everyone in the vicinity was wearing uniform of some kind or another.

Jane looked up. “Warrant Officer, those men are here to see you.” She winked at him.

“So did I, sir” she said with mock seriousness, “Better not keep them waiting.”

Robinson left the secretary and trotted over to the three men, who promptly rose. He noticed that each one had a shirt with a logo with the letters BSE on it. He hadn’t heard of that commission, if it was one. Maybe a contractor? Was he in any trouble? He couldn’t be… he always did everything by the book…

“Just this way….” He led them to a conference room which was not often used. They moved in unison and sat in the chairs directly opposite him.

The Air Chief Marshall tapped the microphone twice to make sure it was on. Satisfied, he unwrapped his folded up speech and began.

“Ladies and Gentlemen. You twenty five people are privileged… privileged to be the first people to know the names of our crew for the Ares 1 project. These people are the chosen few, the end of a very long process of discriminating and testing to find the perfect working group. These people are them. Our perfect working group.”

“I would like to point out a very important point.” He smiled like a child with a new toy. “The individuals of the Ares 1 crew have no idea of who their crewmates are. The months of training have taken place in very secluded and separate centres. No clue has been given to any member about their equals on this mission. As the members of this crew are, at this moment, still separate, I will give them some food for thought. Each member has met the others at some point in their life…”

“It was one of my “partners in crime” in this project who suggested it. The basic plan is that all of the members of this crew should have known each other well so as not to cause any friction as a crew of persons who have never met each other might have. This “lubricant” will allow better work between the crew so as to produce a more productive mission. So without further delay, I give you the crew of Ares 1, the first mission to Mars!

Firstly, let us start with our pilot. We had to find a pilot with experience and promise. A soldier with the ability to take control of this mission and fly a craft which has never been flown for a long period of time. Our choice has proved to be excellent. Our pilot has been in the Royal Australian Air Force for six and a half years. He has advanced quickly through the ranks to become a Squadron Leader. Finishing in the top marks for all of his courses, he clocked up hundreds of hours in both F-111s and F-18 Hornets. He has also studied mechanical engineering. In the end, the choice made itself as he was both the best qualified and most capable of the list. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Squadron Leader Ryan Nunn.”