Chapter 3 – “We’re all alone up here.”

March 8th, 2008
7:36 AM

Once Jim asked where Gustav was, I immediately began to question everything.

He had said that he was going to check and make sure everything was stable in the F.R.C. systems module.
But why would he even need to go near that sector. The Front Reaction Control module has no relation to re-entry and was just about to be disbanded from the main Command Module.

As I began to go over the re-entry checklist for about the tenth time, I realized that there had to be something wrong. Gustav was gone for over ten minutes and he had stopped responding to Amanda’s pages from the Command Module.

I continued to look over the checklist and make sure that all the gauges were set for re-entry. Suddenly, the entire ship began to shake. My feet instantly fell out from underneath me and I grabbed onto the nearest ceiling handle to stabilize myself. After the initial shock, there were a continuous number of smaller shocks that succeeded it. It felt as if the ship began to sway as if it were in open water. Then I noticed two red flashing lights on the main switchboard. One light indicated Hydraulics and the other was for Stabilization. One usually offsets the other and visa versa. I immediately hurried over to the main control switchboard where Amanda had been working. Sweat dripping from her brow, she looked as though she had just seen a ghost. She began reciting current data reports and I could hear the nerves shaking in the back of her voice as she spoke.
                    “Hydraulics: 1800 over 600, Oxygen fans: 700/508…”
Only one thought crossed through my mind.

How are we going to make it through the earth’s atmosphere at this increasing speed?

As soon as I noticed the blinking red button, I struggled to get Jim back on the line.

                    “Houston, this is the George W. Bush. Houston, do you read me?

                    ”Houston…”

                    ”Jim…”

Static filled the void. With no response from Houston, I knew that we were alone up here.

There were nearly twenty-seven minutes and counting till re-entry, which meant that in seventeen minutes we must eject the Systems Module. Anything after that and we would have major problems. The earth’s gravitational pull would drag the Systems Module through the atmosphere following the Command Module. We would then run the risk of colliding with it during re-entry. Ultimately, this would cause more damage then I can even imagine at this point.

I concentrated my thoughts on correcting the problem at hand.

                    “Systems Module, Gunther here, do you read me?”
                                [There was a long, silent pause.]

                    “Gustav, can you hear me? I need to know the status of the Hydraulics tanks down there. We must stabilize the tanks before we can separate from the Systems Module in order to maintain control of the Command Module upon re-entry.”

                     “GUSTAV, WHAT IS YOUR POSITION?”

After hearing nothing but static on the other end of the line, I sent Steven back to check on the status of the problem. While he was gone, Amanda and I attempted to stabilize the Hydraulics manually. If there was something wrong in the Systems Module, then there may be no way to even out the tanks using the computer re-entry systems. And considering that the main Hydraulics lever in the Command Module wouldn’t budge, the only other way would be to steady the thrusters by hand, which required a lot of knowledge and skill. One small shudder would stir the thrusters and make it all that more difficult to achieve complete control and re-enter the atmosphere successfully.

There was nearly twenty-one minutes and counting till re-entry.

                    “John, there is a definite problem back here…”

                    “What is it Steven?”

                    “Apparently it seems as though Gustav has sealed off the entry way into the Systems Module. I can’t get in. What should we do?”

                     “Get back up here. We are going to have to eject from the Systems Module in ten minutes, and it’s going to take a while to achieve stabilization manually. I’m going to need all the help I can get.”

                    “Roger that Cap.”

Steven scurried back into the cabin where Jose and Amanda were frantically checking gauges and going through their usual re-entry checklist. Only this time, instead of going over all those things myself, I was attempting one of the hardest maneuvers I’ll probably ever have to do. In order to achieve stabilization manually I was going to have to anchor both thrusters on the exact same degree. The only way this is even possible is if I am able to use a stable object as my point of reference. Up here, the only stable point of reference is the earth.

There was eleven minutes, fourteen seconds and counting till re-entry.

At this point i knew the Systems Module must be disbanded from the Command Module now, or else I wouldn’t have a chance to stabilize the thrusters manually.

                    ”Amanda, release the Systems Module.”

                     “Copy that John. Releasing Systems Module Now.”

The ship instantly began to shudder. A loud grinding of metal could faintly be heard from inside the tightly compacted module. While watching out the small circular window, I could see the F.R.C. Systems Module begin to break away from the Command Module. As soon as this was complete, I began to initiate the stabilization process.

With my eye on the target, I slowly lifted the lever in my right hand and pressed down on the other in my left. The ship shook with every slight movement and my palms began to sweat. I grasped each lever with everything that I had. It took every once of my concentration in order to keep my hands from slipping. I kept moving each handle very slowly until finally i heard a loud reboot and the constant shudder began to slow.

I stopped there. The lights on the switchboard had turned green again. Although the thrusters were not exactly equal, as shown on the monitors, they were close enough.

                    ”Alright everyone, prepare your stations for re-entry. We are back and running.”

                    ”T-minus two minutes until we hit the earth’s atmosphere.”

I jumped into my station in anticipation and buckled helmet into my suit. I felt a sense of relief and yet extreme worry. I glanced back over my shoulder to make sure that my crew was where they were supposed to be and I noticed the Systems Module following close behind. I thought for sure that eleven minutes was enough time. Apparently I was wrong.

There was nothing else I could do. I decided to keep this to myself. I was not okay with supplying fear to the eyes of my crew. All I could do now was prey. Prey that we would not collide.

I closed my eyes in order to brace myself. While light surrounded the spaceship. The module began to shake violently. Once we cleared the atmosphere, I saw blue tint at the end of the tunnel. There wouldn’t be much longer.

In that instant it felt as though the Systems Module collided into my back. There was a huge crash, green lights changed to red, the sound of shaking became endless noise and cries, my thoughts became utter confusion.

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