Arkangel-X

Definitions of Sci-Fi used:
1) What if? factor
2) No redemption

                                                     Arkangel-X
The Arkangel-X was an impressive sight to behold.  It had a sleek silver fuselage with three enormous jet engines in a line behind it, all tapering to an aerodynamic point at the front, all attached to a gigantic rocket booster.  The booster would bring the ship out of Earth’s atmosphere, letting the jet engines do their work from there.  The trip to Gliese 581 c would not be a short one.  A planet 20.3 light years away is relatively close to earth when comparing it to universal distances, however it would still take a ridiculously long amount of time for a man-made spacecraft to travel 192 trillion km.  However, thanks to the design of a certain Dr. Drake Faraday, who with his legendary hyperdrive generator is able to boost any object of a certain size to the speed of 3x107 meters per second, almost the speed of light.

The sun’s life was ending.  In about 200 years, Solaris would become a supernova and explode, expelling most of the star’s material at a velocity of up to a tenth of the speed of light.  The explosion would most certainly engulf the Earth and destroy human life, unless if something could be done.  Scientists at the University of Geneva discovered Gliese 581 c on April 24, 2007.  Gliese 581 c is the first planet discovered to be located in the habitable zone of its star, at just the right distance from the sun to be able to have liquid water on its surface, therefore providing the possibility of human survival.  Arkangel-X is going to be sent out to examine the planet to see if it is truly hospitable.

The crowd witnessing the launch started chanting the countdown when the launch clock had 30 seconds left.  Once the clock reached 10 seconds left, the rocket booster engines started to glow a bright orange.  As soon as the countdown ended, the rocket booster engines flared and anybody within a 10 mile radius could feel the Earth shake as the rocket left the ground.  All those on board the Arkangel were strapped down into their seats and were currently experiencing violent shudders while the rocket booster drove them upwards through the various atmospheric layers of the Earth.  Once the rocket reached the exobase at 690 km, the rocket booster used the last of its fuel to bring the Arkangel as far as possible.  At that point, the Arkangel crew jettisoned the rocket booster and let it fall back to Earth to disintegrate in the atmosphere.  The Arkangel’s engines then started to glow a brilliant, bright blue and the rocket continued its spaceward journey.  At the upper boundary of the exosphere, at around 10,000 km, the Arkangel used its side boosters to adjust its course.  Once it was ready, the jet engines started to glow even brighter and brighter, and a couple instances later, Archangel-X was traveling at 3x107 meters per second.

The crew applauded Dr. Faraday for successfully working the hyperdrive generator the first time on an object this size.  Thanks to his ingenious invention, the trip to Gliese 581 c should take about 25 years at this rate.  The Arkangel was a comfortable cruiser, so 25 years aboard the ship shouldn’t be a problem to the crew.  The ship was basically a small city in itself with dining areas, a movie theater, a library, and individual bedrooms.  There would be a constant communications link set up with a station back on Earth.  Thanks to a smaller version of the hyperdrive generator on the ship, radio signals could be sent instantly no matter what distance because of their microscopic size.  The trip should truly be a great one.

                                                 - 24 Years Later -

“Dr. Faraday, you are requested on the bridge,” said the voice on the intercom.

Dr. Faraday looked up from reading Physics of the Impossible and gave a grunt as he wearily lifted himself out of his chair and put the book away.  He left his bedroom, grabbed his cane, and made his way towards the bridge at the front of the starship.  As soon as he entered the control room, he was confronted by Captain Faulkner Hawk.  “Dr. Faraday, we have a problem.”

“What’s going on?” asked Dr. Faraday.

“We can’t pull out of the hyperdrive,” explained Captain Hawk.  “We should have started slowing down five minutes ago!”

“What do you mean we can’t pull out of hyperdrive?” asked Dr. Faraday.  “How can we not slow down?”

“I think the generator is treating the Arkangel like a radio signal.  It won’t stop until we hit some sort of receiver.  At this rate, we’ll crash right into the planet.”

“What have I done?  We can’t disconnect the generator without risking the destruction of the ship, and we can’t change our course once in hyperdrive or else we’ll crash into another space object.  There’s nothing we can do.” said Dr. Faraday as he held his head in his hands.

“I’ve doomed us all.”