Read Guardian Stone 1: Stone Genesis Online
Authors: Don Koch
Tags: #Science Fiction & Fantasy, #Science Fiction, #Alien Invasion, #Military
Guardian Stone 1: Stone Genesis (16 page)
"We will not set you down on a planet without resources. We are currently manufacturing housing units on Tau Ceti that are similar to those in which you are presently residing only somewhat larger. Those structures are designed to last for thousands of years and will be comfortable and as modern as the ones you are now in. They can house large family units and are weather resistant. Windstorms and the like will not touch them. The learning and medical machines are the same as those you have been using for the past week. You will have to work to provide additional food but not nearly as hard as you would have to work on Earth. These colonies are expected to become self-sufficient and in time trade in the interstellar community. This too is described in the information packages. You likely have friends or neighbors you know that you would like to be with in a move of this kind. We will try to be accommodating as we can or let you know why a request cannot be honored. You will be provided with secure storage for equipment and food. A full descriptive packet of the items that will accompany you can be viewed and it runs about an hour. Air cars will be provided so you need not be worried about building extensive road systems."
"As you know, we are facing an invasion crisis and our efforts, of necessity, must first focus on that. If you elect to go the colony route, you will be placed in stasis on one of the Type One Stations. You will be in these units for about two to three years at which point you will be delivered to the planet and location of your choice with your housing already installed and waiting for you. During the time in stasis you can select the types of training you would like to have and you will be learning while you sleep. In addition the colonist enhancement package will be administered. We will wake each family unit up every six months so you can be brought up to date on what is happening, test or revise the learning package you are receiving and enjoy about 10 days out of the stasis units. Any revisions to plans will be discussed with you then. Frankly we expect none but if there is a delay or acceleration of any part of our program, this is when you will be informed. Once on the planet, additional learning materials will be available for you. We would urge you to continue to expand your educational horizons."
"For option 2 or option 3, we ask that you make your decision known via the wrist-bands in the next four days and then refine it over the next 6 days because there are many people in the learning machines right now and we will need to make room for more. "
Sam then went on, "Again we would like to thank you for taking part in the upgrade program. If you are having difficulty deciding what you want to do ask the wrist-band for counseling and someone will make an appointment to see you and help. Henry and I will leave you now. Please make the choice that is best for you and your family." With that the viewers went blank.
About 150 light years from Earth in the
Main Glarin Fleet – November 8 – C Day 135
<
Dinan, do you hear me?
>
<
Yes Abgar, I hear you clearly.
>
<
I am sad to report that Gambel is lost to us now. He told me they were activating the withdrawal system for his stasis unit. They have turned him by now. I hope he is well. I will miss him.
>
<
I too, will miss him. Do you think the Earthians hear us?
>
Abgar said, <
I am certain that they have heard us but I cannot know the fashion in which they have heard us. Clearly they have acted on the messages sent to them so for that we can be thankful. Unfortunately without the precision that Gambel was capable of, there is little hope that we can provide further help to the Earthians. It is sad that so many will be lost. We too will be lost. How has this horror been visited upon us?
>
Dinan answered, <
Unfortunately, that is true. However we can hope that Gambel was correct when he said the signals sent might be our salvation. The Glarin that are awake and assisting in the operation of the ship do not understand how to run the ship and can barely follow instructions. Perhaps there is hope in that as well
.>
<
In the meantime, we must continue to send what we can in hopes the Earthians hear us. Have you noticed that the mind speaker who leads has become difficult to observe. It is like watching a star from too close. There is another with him who is equally bright. He also appears to be gathering many mind speakers because I see others with him who are gaining in magnitude. It may be that they will develop the precision we have lost.
>
<
We should indeed try. I can sense about 70 mind talkers, 60 of whom are in stasis. Unfortunately, I am not strong enough to reach those who are awake but we can certainly inform them. Perhaps collectively, we can reach one of the mind talkers who are awake. We should try
.>
Part 3
Habitat.
One of the more interesting features of the station is its ability to house and maintain a very large population. This large capacity makes it ideal for mass movement of populations in a relatively short time frame when threatened by a catastrophic event such as a nova scale solar event or an invasion such as that anticipated by the Glarin.
The real challenge was crafting a usable infrastructure for 1.5 billion people escaping from Antor 1. Ninety per-cent of the population was in stasis sleep and awakened as the facilities for their living were completed.
All Habitat sectors are each 50 miles wide. The ground level for the outer zone deck is at RM25 with a ceiling that is 9 miles high and for the inner zone deck, ground level is RM15 also with a 9 miles high ceiling. In the center of each habitat zone there is a mountain range that runs the full circumference of the habitat deck. Terrain elevation starts to increase at 15 miles from the habitat wall and returns to deck level at 15 miles from the opposite wall. Mountain peaks ranging to 21,120 feet can be seen in this area. The fabricators are programmed to assure that every mountain is different from those around it and on other stations. Mountains are made of the same material as found in the shielding material utilized in the outer hull area. They have the same look and feel as natural mountains on a planet. There are snow-covered peaks, streams, forests, trails and lakes. The mountains fulfill an esthetic need for persons living off planet for long periods of time as well as provide many recreational opportunities.
Beneath the mountains there is a 10 miles wide facility for sewage treatment and recycling, water purification and air quality control. This facility is completely automated.
At both walls of each habitat there are vertical transportation corridors that connect with those at RM5-RM6, RM15–RM16, RM25–RM26 and the housing units.
At each wall there is a structure that is a mile in depth and two miles high. The portion of the structure containing the housing units has 870 floors. Housing units start at floor 9 and go up to floor 878. The housing units have a balcony overlooking the habitat, so every unit has a view. The balcony is 60' wide by 18' deep. The dwelling portion of the unit is 60' wide by 112' long. The contents of every unit are nonflammable so fire is unlikely. Each unit has a front double door that is six' wide. At the entry to the unit there is a porch that is 10' deep that has a 5'x10' storage shed at one end and an 8'x10' storage shed at the other. Residents generally store their outdoor equipment in these sheds, such items as bicycles, golfing equipment, tennis rackets, soccer balls, etc. Note that the Antorans have adopted many of Earth's sports.
Between the porch and the common walkways is a front yard that is 60' by 50'. The front yard and porch can be privacy screened at the press of a button switch. The front of the property has a 3' fence and gate. The common walkways are 50' wide with a 5' access lane from the dwelling units, 2 – 10' wide lanes for pedestrians, and 2 – 5' lanes for skating or bicycle traffic going in opposite directions. The remaining 15' portion of the walkway is for access to the vertical elevators that are located about every 300'. It is also a space to view the interior open spaces of the structure. The housing unit portion of the structure is 240' deep and 870 floors tall.
The remainder of the structure has a floor for every 10
th
floor of the dwelling structure. These floors have parks, playing fields, churches, schools, meeting places, exercise paths, etc. Many activities typically found indoors on Earth can be found in these spaces. The first eight floors of the structure contain offices, stores, theaters, music venues, dance halls, restaurants, flea markets and even amusement parks.
If every unit on the station were to be filled to its capacity of eight persons per unit, the population would be more than desired and it would be crowded. Most agree that while this is possible, it is far from likely since population density would be too great and would create unintended stress. Nevertheless the station is built to sustain a large population. The most likely scenario with all units occupied would be an average of four persons per unit.
Each unit is capable of comfortably holding up to 8 persons. Family units with more than 6 persons are eligible for a double unit where the Great Room adjoining wall has been removed and the dining area is reconfigured. While other configurations are possible. The most common configuration of the units contains:
1 - Master Bedroom (each 20' by 20')
2 - Bedroom (each 20' by 20')
1 - Kitchen/Dining Area (17'x 24')
1 - Great Room (configuration optional) (33' x 55')
While the living quarters appear to be conventional, the Great Room is fully programmable with numerous templates that can be used for guidance. Optional décor includes for example, old European, rustic American, South Pacific grass hut, old Japanese, you name it and the changes can be made in a matter of minutes. For groups wishing to exercise a more communal lifestyle, extended family group, or to socialize with their neighbor, a 64-foot section of wall in the Great Room and Kitchen can come down through common agreement for designated periods or left down. All units are self-maintaining and self cleaning. There are many options to explore. The housing units are identical on all stations.
Military
The sector at either end of each station is the military sector. These are identical on all stations. The military training area is in the Outer Zone at RM16-RM25. The training area consists of four decks at RM25, RM23, RM21 and RM19. The combined area for the training decks for each station is 11,058 square miles. These areas can be configured in numerous ways to provide any level of training activity desired.
Flight Decks
The Inner Zone of the military sector is the location of the flight decks for shuttles, commercial vessel and warships. Flight deck bays are one mile high, one mile wide and 10 miles in length at both ends of the station. The first nine miles from the end of the station are used for the docking of the vessels. The innermost mile is the location of the elevators to move vessels from deck to deck, typically to return a ship to its parking place where it is locked down.
Warships
There are three Warship flight decks. These decks are located at RM13, RM14 and RM15. Deck RM12 typically is used for small commercial ships but can be quickly changed to warship docking if needed. Each bay is designed to hold vessels that are 300 feet in diameter and 900 feet in length. Each bay has ships that are four abreast with next ships 400 feet in back of the ship in front of it. Several moving walkways along the length of the bays provide rapid access to the ships by crew. Each Warship deck has bays or portions of bays reserved for construction, repair or the docking of visiting ships. Warships can also carry up to 1,000 Marines with equipment for short hauls. Ship movement within the station is all automated until launched.
Warship Capacity
Deck | Bays | Capacity | Normal Complement |
15 | 188 | 27,072 | |
14 | 174 | 25,344 | |
13 | 162 | 23,328 | |
Totals | 524 | 75,744 | 20,000 |
Each station is assigned 20,000 warships. Special operations may require a station to carry more warships and each station has the capacity to do so. Bays that are partially occupied can also be used for visiting ships. Each bay is capable of launching four ships every 5 minutes. This means that a single station can launch 2,096 warships every 5 minutes.
Commercial Ships
There are three Commercial ship decks. Each Bay on decks RM11 and RM12 is designed and laid out the same as a Warship Deck. These decks hold the small commercial ships used primarily for hauling freight. Similar to other flight decks, heavy duty moving walkways down the length of the bay deck assure efficient loading and unloading the ships as well as provide quick access for flight crews.
Small Commercial Ship Capacity
Deck | Bays | Capacity | Normal Complement |
11 | 138 | 19,872 | |
12 | 150 | 21,600 | |
Totals | 288 | 41,472 | 20,000 |
Large Commercial ships are typically used for heavy freight movement and mining primarily for resupply of the station raw materials. This class of ship is typically 1,000 feet in diameter and 3,000 feet in length. Large Commercial ships are parked two abreast and 1;000 feet apart. A heavy duty moving walkway down the middle of each bay aids in loading and unloading the ships as well as provide access for flight crews. The large commercial vessels can be converted to troop transports on short notice.
Large Commercial Ship Capacity
Deck | Bays | Capacity | Normal Complement |
10 | 126 | 3,024 | 2,500 |
Shuttles
There are three Shuttle decks with the similar bay configurations as other flight decks. These decks are located at RM7, RM8 and RM9. Each deck is designed to hold a different class of shuttle. The 250 person shuttles (100'x800') are located in the bays at deck level RM7. They are parked eight abreast, with about 500 feet between rows. In line, the distance between ships is also 500 feet. Bay capacity is 288 ships. Moving walkways facilitate the loading and unloading of the shuttles. The 30 person shuttles (80'x300') are located at RM8. They are parked twelve abreast, 325 feet between rows. In line, the distance between ships is 300 feet. Bay capacity is 948 ships. The 8-person shuttle (50'x100') is located in RM9. They are parked twelve abreast, with 325 feet between rows. In line, the distance between ships is 400 feet. Bay capacity is 1,140 shuttles.
Shuttle Capacity
Deck | Size | Bays | Capacity | Normal Complement |
9 | (8) person | 112 | 127,680 | 100,000 |
8 | (30) person | 100 | 94,800 | 50,000 |
7 | (250) person | 88 | 25,344 | 15,000 |
Totals | | 674 | 247,824 | 165,000 |
The shuttles are used for conventional movement, recreation and for humanitarian purposes such as medical evacuation, general evacuation, search and rescue and catastrophic disaster relief efforts.
Manning of Stations
In addition to the 650,000,000 Antorans on Antor II, the Antoran population distributed itself fairly evenly among the Stations. On average, there are about 60 million Antorans per Type 1 Station and 10 million Antorans per Type 2 Station. It is expected that residents from four of the other five planets and Earth would further populate the stations.