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    Arrival: Octant Chronicles #0 Prequel
    Arrival: Octant Chronicles #0 Prequel
    Arrival: Octant Chronicles #0 Prequel
    Ebook194 pages2 hours

    Arrival: Octant Chronicles #0 Prequel

    By Charles G. Dyer

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    About this ebook

    This is the prequel to the popular Octant series.
    A gigantic asteroid is on a collision course with Earth. The expected result could be the extinction of all life on Earth. Governments and scientists do not want the public to know about it for fear of widespread panic.
    A wealthy international consortium builds a fleet of spacecraft using new untested technology and crewed by androids. Their most precious cargo is all the genetic material needed to re-create life as we know it, especially humans.
    Exciting events lead to the human colonisation of alien worlds that becomes known as the Octant. Not everything goes according to plan. The androids never arrive at their intended destination owing to a mysterious space-time anomaly. The androids have to deal with a human stowaway.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCharles G. Dyer
    Release dateMay 5, 2019
    ISBN9780463863008
    Arrival: Octant Chronicles #0 Prequel
    Author

    Charles G. Dyer

    Charles Dyer is a consulting engineer, former senior lecturer and former technical magazine editor. He creates 3D models to help with visualisation and realism in his writing.

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      Book preview

      Arrival - Charles G. Dyer

      Arrival

      Arrival

      Octant Chronicles #0

      Prequel

      CHARLES G. DYER

      Copyright © 2018 Charles G. Dyer

      All rights reserved.

      ISBN 9780463863008

      License

      Thank you for purchasing this book. Names, characters and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. It remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to purchase their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

      It would be greatly appreciated if you could post a review on the site where you purchased this book. If you have any comments about this story, good or bad, you can write to me at cgd@telkomsa.net.

      NOTE:

      Other books in the Octant Chronicles series are:

      Book 0 – Arrival (Prequel).

      Book 1 - Space Blues.

      Book 2 - Meg's Escape (previously published as Meg).

      Book 3 - Fox 101 Revival (previously published as Fox 101).

      Book 4 - Fresh Start (previously published as The Octant).

      Book 5 - Bounty Hunter.

      Book 6 - Scout’s Dilemma.

      Book 7 - Revenge.

      CONTENTS

      Glossary

      Prologue

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      About The Author

      Glossary

      AI - Artificial Intelligence.

      DOSAT - Distortion Of Space And Time. The name of the faster than light engine.

      ETA - Expected time of arrival.

      EVA - Extravehicular activity in space.

      FI - From Inception; usually placed after the year and refers to the standard year when the Octant was first colonised, starting with year 1FI.

      GPO - Geostationary Planetary Orbit that is different for each planet, usually in the order of 40000km for habitable planets.

      HE - High explosive.

      HPO - High Planetary Orbit is any orbital path above the Geostationary Planetary Orbit.

      HUD - Heads up display, either in helmet or somewhere in the cockpit of a vehicle.

      IW - Inter Web or Interstellar Web that is a vast repository of all available knowledge that is accessible to everyone.

      LPO - Low Planetary Orbit from altitude of 200 to 2000km.

      MPO - Medium Planetary Orbit from altitude of 2000km to Geostationary Planetary Orbit.

      Newtonian - Native of the planet Newton in the Tetratos system where gravity is 7.92m/s².

      Octant - A region of space containing seven occupied solar systems.

      OPS - Octant Police Service.

      Oramese - Native of the planet Orama in the Pentos system where gravity is 12.13m/s².

      OST - Octant Standard Time.

      Prototian - Native of the planet Protos in the Protos system where gravity is 9.92m/s².

      RFID - Radio frequency identification tags in the form of microchips, cards, labels, etc.

      RPM - Revolutions per minute.

      Shivish - Native of the planet Shivan in the Deytos system where gravity is 12.82m/s².

      SI - Superior Intelligence; highly advanced AI.

      Skork - Native of the planet Skorky in the Septos system where gravity is 16.51m/s².

      Tritanese - Native of the planet Tritan in the Tritan system where gravity is 9.81m/s².

      Tulan - Native of the planet Tula in the Ektos system where gravity is 10.76m/s².

      VTOL - Vertical take off and landing type of aircraft or spacecraft.

      Wristpad - Multifunctional PC, communicator, wallet, ID, camera and more.

      ~##~

      Prologue

      It was the year 2130. Earth was in a sorry state of decay in more ways than one.

      Endless wars on every continent and a population of in excess of twelve billion people had caused widespread famine. Extremely high levels of unemployment had led to almost continuous outbreaks of civil unrest around the world.

      Over the years, there had been many scares about near Earth objects that threatened global disaster. Some large meteorites had in fact collided with the planet and caused some significant localised loss of life and damage to property.

      None of the past threats from space could match the enormity of the huge rogue asteroid that the experts thought originated from the Oort Cloud. Many eminent scientists argued that it was on a collision course with Earth.

      The public were not informed for fear of creating panic in an already unstable world. Nevertheless, among those in the know there were growing concerns about the expected astronomical catastrophe.

      The massive asteroid was on a huge elliptical orbit around the sun. After the first observations, its projected trajectory implied a collision some five or six years hence.

      There was one new technology that very few people knew about. It potentially could provide a measure of relief to the abused planet. It also possibly might be the only thing between extinction and survival of the human species.

      Every since the dawn of the space age, people had dreamed about the possibility of travelling faster than light and visiting the stars.

      The successful development of DOSAT engines held the promise of fulfilling this age-old dream. The ability to travel faster than light. The engine derived its name from its function, namely the Distortion Of Space And Time.

      The theory had been around for decades, but technicalities and the lack of certain exotic materials had always prevented any successful experiments or implementations. The recent discovery of a method for the production of exotic matter changed everything.

      Nobody really knew how the DOSAT engine worked, but the theories suggested that the further you went the faster it would get you there. The only real drawback of the DOSAT engine was that you had to be travelling at Mach thirty before the space-time distortion phenomenon would come into effect.

      Interest in space travel had all but petered out thanks to the more pressing concerns facing governments in every country. A few private companies still had vested interests in space, but they were mainly concerned with maintaining satellites and space stations that manufactured specialised goods in microgravity.

      ~#~

      In the crazy mishmash of the twenty-second century, the Japanese still clung to their traditional politeness and sense of etiquette. One concession that business people had made was that the exchange of business cards was no longer practical, given that paper was so scarce.

      Just about everyone had a wristpad and before any business meeting commenced, the new tradition or protocol was that the delegates or participants exchanged basic identity documents on their wristpads.

      Han Miki-Chang was a middle-aged man who had started out as a salesman and then founded a robotics company that made him a billionaire with a current value of eighty-nine billion dollars. His androids were a stroke of genius.

      Initially, he only made robust labourer robots in humanoid form. They had artificial intelligence that put them on a par with junior high school education. Mostly, they were custom-made to suit the needs of clients. The databases they were given were generally job-related with a low level of general knowledge.

      Miki-Chang soon turned his endeavours to the more challenging task of creating perfect replicas of humans. He found a niche market in producing sex toys of the highest possible standard. His androids were almost indistinguishable from their human counterparts. And they were equipped with humanlike intelligence that was comparable to college graduates. Additional features were that they were capable of learning, improving themselves and self-repair.

      In recent years, he had developed superior artificial intelligence that made his androids better than human geniuses. Their databases gave them comprehensive general knowledge, and the ability to perform faultlessly in any given field. They were also endowed with high level programming that they used to further improve themselves.

      One of the hallmarks of Miki-Chang's success was the fact that his androids were in a class of their own. None of the other manufacturers had ever managed to imbue their androids with distinct personalities the way he had. His androids were also as anatomically realistic as possible without resorting to the use of biological materials. They were also far more durable than other brands. Just about the only thing that they could not do was to reproduce in the same way as humans did.

      ~#~

      Because Miki-Chang moved in elite circles, he was privy to the impending disaster posed by the errant asteroid. He saw his SI androids as the means of spreading the human species beyond the confines of the solar system. He put together a winning proposal in which his androids would play a leading role.

      Always the canny businessman, he only sought out those fellow billionaires that he felt sure that he could trust. As it turned out, they were a multinational crowd with diverse expertise. It certainly was quite an achievement to sell an investment idea that would never return any profit to accomplished sales people.

      The subtropical climate and the smallest population in Japan were the attributes of the Kagoshima prefecture that suited Miki-Chang most. He was not particularly concerned about Sakurajima, the great active volcano that rose out of Kagoshima bay opposite Kagoshima City.

      The daily emissions of a steady trickle of smoke and ash that emerged from the volcano did not bother the residents. However, they all carried umbrellas to stave off the regular showers of ash that occurred when it was active.

      Miki-Chang stood at the picture window of the penthouse in his fifty-storey office building. He watched as jets of lava spewed hundreds of metres into the sky from Sakurajima.

      Pretty, isn’t it? He gestured at the spectacle for his guests.

      A bit too frightening for me. I don't know how you can live so close to a thing like that. Beatrice Gordon affected a shudder.

      She was the only English member of the select few. Her hundred billion dollars came with the inheritance of a firm that made construction plant and equipment. Miki-Chang regarded her as one of the essential suppliers for his scheme.

      The richest person at the gathering was Yoshiko Takamura. She too was somebody that Miki-Chang regarded as a key player. As an aerospace manufacturer she produced shuttles and satellites. Her net worth was well in excess of a hundred and thirty billion dollars.

      The group comprised five Japanese, two Chinese, two French, a Russian, an Italian, a Swede, a Texan, an Israelite and an Englishwoman. The sexes were split into eight males and seven females. Their combined wealth was a staggering 943 billion dollars.

      Of course, Miki-Chang did not expect any of them to plough their entire fortunes into his venture. However, his preliminary soundings of their interest had led him to believe that they were all willing to contribute significant amounts of cash or kind.

      He clapped his hands the moment the last of them arrived. Right, please be seated ladies and gentlemen. Please also remember that nothing we discuss leaves this room.

      There was no need for introductions because they all knew each other.

      The latest projections about the asteroid from several reliable sources indicate that a horrendous collision will occur in either five or seven years from now.

      Grim expressions and nods rippled around the elliptical ebony conference table.

      Yeah. The Texan mining magnate, Jeff Houston, rubbed his chin. My sources reckon we'll be darned lucky if we don't get whacked in five years time.

      Miki-Chang ignored the interruption. As you all know, I want to build a fleet of interstellar ships. They will carry all the equipment necessary to build new cities preparatory to introducing the next generation of humans on a distant planet. My biggest concern is the reliability of the DOSAT engine. Perhaps you could reassure us, Monsieur Rondot?

      The dapper little Frenchman stood. "Oui, Chang san. He tapped his wristpad. I have just sent you all a copy of the Distortion Of Space And Time engine. It may look innocuous enough, but it will work."

      The attendees all stared at the images on their wristpads. Kentaro Sano, a Japanese engineer and manufacturer of EM drives was first to react.

      Have you built and tested one yet, Henri? he asked.

      I have built a small scale one, but so far I have not found anyone who is willing to test it in space.

      Yoshiko Takamura brushed the end of her ponytail over her cheeks. What sort of ship do you need, Henri?

      The smaller the better, but it must be capable of at least Mach 30. The theory indicates that the engine can only be engaged once that velocity has been attained.

      How soon can you let me have the engine? I have a small two-seater shuttle that can easily be modified to accommodate this engine. It can only make it to Mach two and a bit in the atmosphere, but it can definitely exceed your speed in space. My only concern would be for the pilot.

      No problem, Miki-Chang smiled. My superior androids will make perfect pilots, and they are not affected by high g-forces.

      The meeting soon came to an end because nobody wanted to commit until they were certain that the DOSAT engine would work. Two weeks later, they all gathered again.

      Han said, People, I think we can dispense with formalities. They tend to slow us down, and time is of the essence.

      Henri and Yoshiko were both beaming with success. Their experiment had sent a modified shuttle fifty-five million kilometres to Mars. The journey had only lasted for four seconds. From there, the shuttle flew a further four-point-three billion kilometres to Neptune in four minutes.

      You see, that is proof that the further you go with this engine, the faster you go, Henri said.

      I don't follow, Jeff frowned.

      It's simple. For the distances travelled it was 55.6 time the speed of light to Mars, and 56.7 times light speed to Neptune. That means that a distance of say nine light years could be covered in 220 times faster than light speed. Namely, about fifteen days. Yoshiko grinned.

      Everybody was impressed, except for the Israeli physician who specialised in manufacturing laboratory equipment. Talia Ephron remained sceptical.

      She gestured at Henri. With all due respect, Henri, can you tell us how such travel will affect the human body?

      "Certes Madame la docteur. Henri smiled. I think I'm correct in saying that human physiology is similar to that of pigs, yes?"

      "Indeed that is so. For decades pigs have proved invaluable in medical research. If something works in a pig,

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