Oberlux

OBERLUX

J. DeWayne Pierce

Copyright 2012

Smashwords Edition

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Dedication

For my wife Patricia, who watched the back of my head patiently, while this novel jumped from my mind onto the printed page.

OBERLUX

J. DeWayne Pierce

CHAPTER 1

Secrets

Captain Vince Stewart had always wanted to go to the stars. He could not remember a time in his life when he didn’t think about it. Seeing the Northern Cross, the Horsehead Nebula and Betelgeuse had filled his dreams all his boyhood years. The Venus and Martian dreams of previous generations had been shattered. They were dashed by 600 degrees on one and freezing cold on the other. In junior high he had written an essay about habitable planets in our galaxy. You remember writing essays, I’m sure and having to read them in front of class. Everyone had to do it, with all the name calling and teasing. No one received as much ridicule and stodgy educator scolding as Stewart had that day. Just because of that particular subject.

If his Air Force dad had not been transferred from Keesler AFB and taken Vince and the rest of the family to Malmstrom that summer, he doubted whether he would have continued on to get his B.S. at Montana State and then his Masters in Astrophysics from Oregon State. He was told by his teachers that such things were the realm of science fiction and should best stay that way. He was reminded that only an idiot believed planets other than earth had intelligent civilizations living on them and to travel to them was pure fantasy.

Twenty years later Ensign Vince Stewart stood on the bridge of Lightchaser VIII. The first spacecraft to reach anywhere near lightspeed, topping in at 0.9c, an incomprehensible velocity just twenty short years before.

Two decades after Lightchaser Stewart was standing in Socorro, New Mexico, borrowed from the Space Navy and assigned to the Oberlux Project. A very odd sounding name until you understand the etymology of the word and very descriptive. The Latin ‘ober’ for ‘above’ and the Latin ‘Lux’ for light, put together meaning ‘above light’ or ‘faster than light’. Oberlux was also a resort hotel on the Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan back in the 21st Century. The Azerbaijanis sometimes called it ‘The Treasury’ which was very fitting for building a starship, since it would take a treasury to finance it.

Never in the annals of History had so many brilliant minds assembled in one location in pursuit of one objective. Over five hundred thousand persons: scientists, technicians, doctors, lawyers, accountants, craftsmen, laborers and hundreds, even thousands of other skills and jobs. The sheer organization of it all was staggering. That's why it could only be done by people who believed in what they were doing. Absolutely every man and woman was personally interviewed as to their attitudes, wishes and dreams about humans going to and controlling the stars. If they had the slightest doubt about mankind's worthiness or purpose in going to or working in and exploring the stars, they were rejected no matter how eminently qualified they may have been.

If they were excited about working on the biggest and best Scientific Research and Development Project in the history of earth, but wished it were something besides breaking Einstein's Light Speed Barrier, they were rejected.

If their dreams did not coincide with this purpose, to travel faster than light, to go to the stars or any star one desired and to control them for the betterment of earth, they were rejected. There was not one person out of the over five hundred thousand that did not believe in this project. Because of this kind of dedication , belief and commitment, not one deadline, target date or scheduled completion date was missed. These people, all these people, wanted this spacecraft to reach and fulfill its goals.

The doers have always done amazing feats when the leeches got out of the way. Two years after Lightchaser VIII made its historic flight, Lightchaser XV reached a mindboggling 0.97 c, but the whiners and complainers said that the Lightchaser Project was a failure. It had not attained full light speed. Did the news people understand even a tenth of one percent of what happened with Lightchaser? Probably not.

Fortunately, the news media had lost most of its influence with government, business, labor and people in general almost a century ago. The public just got fed up and demanded news coverage, not

televised opinions. The television networks kept saying, we'll do it like we always have, it's our right to do as we please. And they were correct. It was their right to do as they pleased. But somewhere around those 2050's or 60's the television networks changed what they pleased to what the public pleased.

That was when Darby Bacon and a team of Research Particle Physicists discovered or stumbled onto SH's…Suspended Holographics. After SH's were fully developed a person could spend $10,000 and transmit programs of any type on an almost limitless number of frequencies, around 10 to the 9, to an SH sucker, as they were called, that cost about Thirty Five Dollars. The SH transmitter, or Spitter, could literally create Holographic Images. No actors, newsmen, cameras or videotapes were needed, only software for the Spitter's computer. The possibilities were limitless and justice was finally served to the nearly 100 year monopoly television had in communications.

Stewart was trying to relax, soaking it all in as he sat in the Captain's chair on the helm watching technicians connect, disconnect, put things in, pull gadgets out, and put them back in again. He had had some training in electronics over twenty five years ago, but as he watched these electronic whizzes, he could not decipher for himself why they were doing things the way they were. He knew what piece of equipment or console or instrument they were working on and why, but the way they were doing it seemed totally fouled up. He looked over the techs and out of the Control Room's see-through metalized hub. As he gazed at complex after complex and building after building, his mind wandered. This was a luxury he hadn't allowed himself until today, but he just decided it might be about time with the first flight test only two weeks away.

He remembered a tremendously less cheerful time ten years before on the Seeker, a third generation descendant of Lightchaser XV with a top in of 0.97 c. He had been told by his superiors that 0.97 c was it.

There would be no ships any faster, now or ever. He didn't believe that, not then or now. He didn't agree with some scientists' interpretation of Einstein's theory. Even if he wasn't an expert on theory he was an astrophysicist, and he had 8 years of experience at 0.9c. He believed that light speed might not be attainable, you know 1.00 c, but what about 1.01 c or 1.5 or 2 or 15 c. If you could jump 1.00 C just jump right over it without going through it, that believed was possible, and so did thousands of scientists and technicians. That was what Project Oberlux was all about. He knew the project had many detractors. No-Lighters he called them. No matter what you did or tried to do there were always people who said no. But we overcame them, Stewart thought. The Seeker found 14 planets in the Alpha Centauri system. Two of those were earth like with animals and plants, animal-plants or plant-animals almost beyond description. Enough varieties to keep astrobiologists busy for a hundred years, but no technological civilizations, in fact, no civilizations…not anything as close to man as our early Chimpanzee. Some people might have given up the search! A 48 trillion mile round trip looking for extraterrestrial intelligence and then no cigar.

Stewart wouldn't give up and neither would five hundred thousand others. Even after Seeker's return from Alpha Centauri and no intelligent civilizations on its planets to boast of, they beat the No-Lights with this project. At least our world's leaders have vision he thought. And that was our first time out, with limited range too. We had to pick Alpha Centauri, based on our technology it was the only place we could reach in a reasonable amount of time. It was an eight-earth-year trip that took Stewart and his crew only six years, ten months and three weeks ship's time. When he returned to earth, he was told he was eight years older, but he didn't look quite that much older to Valerie, his wife. In fact, she felt he was starting to look rather young for his age.

And now Stewart was to explore the blackness of space once again. This time he would carry with him the burden of command. Captaining a ship a half mile across, carrying a crew of 5,000 into the mysteries of an endless abyss. His every move, his every thought, his every decision would affect the lives and welfare of 5,000 living, breathing, hopeful, excited and dedicated souls. Could he handle this awesome responsibility?

Of course I can., he thought, I welcome it.

The most lofty and worthy goals of mankind were his. He stored no doubts in the recesses of his mind. It was no longer a test to him. He knew they would achieve their objective. He could feel the ship crying for the freedom of the vacuum of space. To be released from the chains of bondage of earth's gravity.

What amazing speed these technicians and craftsmen had put the ship together. Technology no longer limited the building and assembling of huge craft outside earth's atmosphere. Antigravity simply released the ship from earth to the desired orbit. It was a fantastic development, this anti-grav, and perfected right here at Oberlux.

The first of countless innovations and discoveries made here, but anti-grav was a critical must. Without it the project could not have proceeded another step. And the spinoffs of every new discovery were given freely to the world with no strings or conditions. This was the most honorable of projects in history.

But so much for all this daydreaming, it was time to go to the Project's weekly GDM (Goals Development Meeting). This week was special, not because it was the next to last meeting before departure but because the deep, dark secret would be revealed. The secret guarded by life and limb. The secret billions of people all over the globe wanted to know. Today OBERLUX's destination would be revealed to him. Five years of study, planning and arguing went into deciding its first destination. Stewart had not even a wisp of an idea. He would soon find out.

As Stewart reached the Control Room door, he was met by Macayhey, Nelson and Pratt, his Weapons Control officers.

Where are we going, Captain? they all bellowed in unison.

You men know I can't tell you that.

"But Captain, you can give us a hint, can't you?, Nelson

pleaded.

Gentlemen, you are United States Space Navy officers. Your Captain has given you an answer to your original question. Any further questions on this subject will be considered insubordination and dealt with swiftly. Everyone here at Oberlux Project will know its destination at 0900 tomorrow. At your stations, Gentlemen, immediately.

Quick as light the three were off and Stewart chuckled behind their backs. He really hated to be harsh with them. They knew the answer he would give before they asked. They above all others must learn patience. If they were to be Captains themselves one day of Faster than Light ships, they must learn patience. Command could not be maintained without it.

When Stewart reached the GDM Room, he was ten minutes early, but he was the last one to arrive. All GDM meetings were held with only four people present; Dr. Morris Leathow, Dr. Whitney Bornae, Dr. Charisse Pitney and of course Stewart. He always felt somewhat uncomfortable among such distinguished and knowledgeable scientists, the leading minds in each of their respective fields.

Dr. Leathow, at 51, was the most respected of all Particle Physicists of his day. Some even compared him to Einstein. He did not resemble Einstein, quite the contrary. He was of large build, about six feet two inches tall, blonde hair, blue eyes, but a dark blue that could stare down the most threatening of foes. He was the leader of Oberlux on the ground and a good choice he was. The whole concept and idea of Oberlux began in his mind.

The nuts and bolts of the design and assembly of Oberlux rested with Dr. Bornae, a Mechanical Engineer and Space Ship Designer. He had been the leader of the Light Chaser Projects. A man in his early sixties now. He had seen many battles with bureaucrats, financiers and opinionates. Most who had unsheathed the sword of wit with him had been intellectually disrobed. He was not a man of threatening stature.

At 5' 7" and 145 pounds he was no physical threat to anyone. But of the three doctors he was the mental giant.

And what of Dr. Charisse Pitney? What in the name of Muons was a luscious 35-year-old, built like a beauty queen, female astrophysicist doing on this project?

Well, it just so happened, that she was the first human ever to detect and find definitive proof of the existence of exactly earth sized habitable extra solar planets. Twelve years before at the age of 23, while doing her thesis for her doctorate, she developed a method far superior to speckle-interferometry which detected perturbations in star movement. Her method, called SWOPI for Stellar Wink-Out and Planetary Intensification, somehow blocked the light of the particular star under observation and intensified any object within two seconds of arc from that star. Granted many multiple star systems, mostly White Dwarf companions were found, but so were some habitable planets. She announced having discovered two exactly earthlike habitable planets, with two earth sized moons orbiting larger planets in the Alpha Centari System, a well known triple star system which she observed from the old, archaic, nearly abandoned Cerra Tololo Observatory.

The whole Astrophysics community laughed at her. All of the entrenched astronomers at the major universities would not even try her SWOPI method when she asked for peer review. In fact, Dr. Pitney offered to let these university star gazers use her SWOPI instrumentation, but they declined. They explained that her instrumentation was too primitive and that they did not have the funds to build their own. In an additional response to her kindness, she was denied access to any of the world's observatories for the next two years. If it had not been for Stewart's trip to Alpha Centauri, which was an additional proof her method worked and worked very well, she would not have been allowed to do any work in her field at all.

Dr. Leathow contacted her for work with the Oberlux Project and when she accepted, a tight lid was put on any more releases of new planetary discoveries. A little slap in the face to all the self-serving sanctimonious, arrogant know-it-all college professors.

Oh, how they sorely deserved it. Dr. Pitney thought. Since that time she observed and catalogued many more habitable planets. The lid was also kept on this new information for another reason. New world discoveries could create a squabble among financiers and bureaucrats about which planet or planets to go to that would most likely delay progress on Oberlux.

Captain Stewart, I know that during the past few years since you've been here at Oberlux, you have worked with everyone in this room. Dr. Leathow continued, So, I'll get right to the point. We are here to inform you of the destination for Oberlux. At least that is the official reason for this meeting. This destination was to have been decided by we three doctors. Leathow waved his hand toward Bornae and Pitney and back toward himself. However, it seems that many new discoveries are constantly being made here at the project. I'll let Dr. Pitney explain why the destination was chosen for us.

Leathow sat down next to Stewart, put a firm hand of confidence on his shoulder, leaned over to him and whispered, Don't worry.

Stewart was dumbfounded. What was going on here? How could these three great doctors whom he respected more than any professionals he had ever worked with let someone else pick Oberlux's destination for them?

Dr. Pitney stood gracefully poised for her presentation as the morning sun streamed lightly through the windows and danced deliciously through her blonde hair. The soft light from the ceiling caressed the smoothness of her face and trickled down the supple curves of her body.

'She is a goddess of beauty,' Stewart thought. He had always fancied her ever since the first day he'd seen her. She had been the subject of many of his fantasies, but he never thought seriously of any of them. All men fantasize about women and all women about men for that matter, although most women won't admit to it.

Dr. Pitney began, As you've seen, Captain Stewart, many disciplines overlap here. Astronomy and Astrophysics have been my main concern, but in developing better techniques and methods for my work, electronics, computer technology, and mechanics have been my tools. One of my division's departments is devoted solely to the search for and contact with extraterrestrials. In this search for E.T., we have developed many techniques and devices we have labeled Top Secret for reasons which you will soon see are quite obvious.

She spoke proudly now because of one of her department's developments, but also with the reserve and concern of an Army General that doesn't know the capabilities of an enemy.

To get right to the point, Captain, we have contacted a possibly hostile extraterrestrial intelligence located on a planet which orbits a star in the Globular Cluster M-13 in the Constellation Hercules.

How could you make contact with a civilization so remotely placed? What you would hear from M-13 would be a message 25,000 years old. It's 25,000 light years to M-13! proclaimed Stewart firmly.

We had a two-way exchange, Captain.

How is that possible?

My job here is to make the impossible possible, as is the job of all of us. We have developed a hyperspace communications capability for want of a better name. We've used the very same principles of the tachyon drive in Oberlux for transmitting radio signals. The technology is so new the terminology is not there to describe it accurately.

You mean that signals or messages can be sent that travel faster than light? Good God!

Yes, two billion times faster. It takes our messages approximately 6 to 7 minutes to reach the extraterrestrials at M-13. Their replies are instantaneous and that's what scares the hell out of me. She looked scared too.

You're scared because if they can send an instantaneous message to our 6 or 7 minutes, they must be more advanced than us, Stewart said.

That's part of it. But not all.

Maybe they've just developed this technology and if so they might be very close to us technologically, possibly ten or twenty years or less. Hey! What did you mean, Dr. Pitney, by 'But not all'? Stewart was getting very concerned now.

When he saw the gloom on their faces, the faces of people always optimistic. A gloom you rarely see except on faces overcome with despair. He was more than concerned...it scared the hell out