Chapter 3: Fresh Plans

Walking in about 00:30, Sue Lee greeted me with a kiss. She didn’t ask how my day went, she knows I don’t want to relive it in a conversation about it. She DID ask about my experiments success.

“The clustered Tesla unidirectional valves worked fantastic. Using the super heated ionized air as a ram jet feed, the valve reversed the flow, and with no moving parts to wear or require external power, allowed the high velocity gases to be redirected outward and ahead of me as a free braking jet. In addition it improves the efficiency of the rockets by reducing back pressure on the combustion chamber from the nozzle pressures. I saved so much fuel and liquid oxygen I didn’t need to spend half the time reloading, refueling, normally required during the expected three missions. As a result, I had time to squeeze in a fourth trip. Thank you Mr. Tesla, He was such a genius, and one of my heroes”.

“I’m very pleased at your success, dear. Does Joe know how to work it?”

“It works by itself, automatically. Joe will notice his refueling time for kerosene amd LOX much reduced after each flight, The window for an extra flight should be obvious to Joe before his shift is over. He won’t understand the why of it, but I expect him to make every moment count. It’s simply wise business to use the full potential of equipment and working hours. Joe understands that basic concept.”

“Joe is smart and loyal. He’ll do his job to his best ability. If he calls and wants to know why he’s conserving fuel, shall I wake you?”

“No, just tell him I said it’s an expected benefit, nothing amiss. Instruct him to fly the extra mission and I’ll explain when I see him. Tell him I also flew four missions last shift, and expect to fly four more next and every shift after. Don’t disturb me, I need the sleep.”

“Of course I’ll tell him precisely what you said, the way you said it, Mark.”

“You’re a good friend, Sue. A good girl. Give us a kiss. Yum.”

Many decades ago, Burt Rutan, another one of my personal heroes, told Popular Mechanics,

“If we make a courageous decision like the goal and program we kicked off for Apollo in 1961, we will see our children or grandchildren in outposts on other planets.”

He was absolutely right. We have an outpost on Mars and we are launching star ships, just as he envisioned. As a race of beings we haven’t begun personally exploring those far stars yet because our ship’s won’t arrive during Earths current inhabitant’s lifetimes. The star voyagers will. They’ll live to see the new planetary systems. They’ll be awoken when they arrive. The planets exist. We know that from our deep space telescopes in orbit around Mars. We just need to go. Some have already embarked on the journey. I want to be one of the future star voyagers. What could be more glorious?

“How about you, Sue? Would you go if offered the opportunity?”

“I’m pretty comfortable right here. So no, I guess I’ll pass.”

“You wouldn’t come with me, if I asked you?”

“That’s flattering Mark, but how about Joe? Wouldn’t he feel hurt if we BOTH abandoned him?”

“Joe’s all grown up. He’ll cope.”

“Maybe I would worry about him.”

‘You’ll be asleep and when you wake up, Joe will be dead centuries earlier.”

“That’s too sad to think about, Mark. You make me want to cry.”

“You really are in love with Joe, aren’t you. Do you love Joe more than me, Sue?”

“In different ways, I love you both.”

“Remember it was me that found you and gave you a home.”

“You only gave me access to Joe’s home. He shares with both of us. Joe is very kind to us both.”

“I see. Well ingrate, at least I know where I stand, don’t I.”

“Don’t be sulky Mark, I’ll still have sex with you whenever you want to. Do you want to have sex now? Would you prefer to eat?”

“Sex isn’t everything and I want everything.”

“You want too much, Mark. Nobody can have it all.”

“Watch me. You’ll see me have it all someday, if you stick by me.”

“You think I’m disloyal because I love Joe. My heart can’t be ruled, and my heart loves Joe. You’ll end up either hating me or despising me in the end if I choose to stay with you. You don’t really love anybody but yourself Mark.”