Episode 7

Chapter 17 part 1

Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, Captain of the Flying Dutchman, 11:30 am, October 29th 2006.

The Hades was the second of the Dutchman class vessels to be launched under the command of Jacob Jehosophat Stone. It was the first of it's kind to circle the earth at 45 miles altitude.

It was also, as far as I knew, the only manned craft to fly comfortably at that height.

Everybody aboard the Hades was in position. Since this was a simple flight, they were mainly here for window dressing. No use letting the world know just how advanced this ship really was.

With a smile, I got up and checked the stuff in the kitchen area of the workroom. The pizzas were in their thermal packages, so they'd be hot and fresh for another forty five minutes. That would be more than long enough. The sodas were chilling nicely too. I almost wished we had some beer aboard, but that was pushing it. They may be getting me to relax, however that much relaxing I do not think I could get away with.

I went back and sat in the command chair. "Everybody ready?"

Bob smiled. "Ready as we can be."

"Ashley?"

"Ready I suppose."

"You suppose?"

"This is not my normal thing, what can I say? How many teenagers do you know that usually go into orbit?"

The same number that do drugs to get high?

I resisted saying that one though.

Megan looked a little bit uncomfortable. "Ashley has a point. Don't get us wrong, we trust you. You'd never do this if you were not sure it would be safe. It's still a little hard to accept."

"She has a point, Jacob."

"We can wait till you are all a little more comfortable."

Now Megan looked a little sheepish. "In my case, that could take a while."

I watched Bob look at Megan piercingly. "You mean?" he asked.

"Yup."

"Afraid of heights?"

"I wish. I'm starting to get stage fright."

"Stage fright??"

"Yes. Have you any idea how many people will be watching?"

"A lot?"

"A lot???? Millions! Millions for god's sake. Billions more will see the tape once the news service starts selling this segment. My favorite rock star would give his left lung for this sort of audience."

I sighed. "Millions, billions, what ever. They are just numbers. You'll never meet them all. Those you meet you can handle. Besides, look at it as a good opener on your resume."

Megan seemed shocked I could treat the situation like I was doing.

"Relax. I chose you for this because I knew you could handle it. Just talk. The ship's systems will handle the broadcast transmission and camera view according to what you say."

"One more question."

"Go ahead."

"Why?"

"I thought I explained why I chose you."

"Not that. Why have this broadcast made at all?"

"Because the secret is out after the flights the Flying Dutchman made last week. So I might as well make the announcement as dramatic as possible."

"Honey, what else would they expect of the legend of Jacob Jehosophat Stone?" Bob asked her reasonably.

Megan slowly got her composure together. "Ok. I guess I'm ready for this."

I looked around the ship. Everything was in readiness. My crew were about as ready as I could reasonably have expected. Perhaps my mistake was in the idea that everybody can see that the greatest events consist of smaller events. Smaller events that anybody can handle. All they have to do is act on these smaller events to deal with the greater, supposedly awe inspiring events. Am I the only one to see this?

Ah well, lets go make history.

"Action stations."

Everybody readied themselves.

"Ok Megan. Call your mother."

Megan turned to the com panel. "Wotan, call 1 410 BCS NEWS."

"Done."

"On speakers."

"Done."

"Baltimore Chesapeake Station. Helen speaking."

"Helen, this is Megan Hastings. Get my mother please. Tell her I'm ready for the broadcast."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Secondary news desk, local section. Mrs. Hastings speaking."

"Hi mom. You wanted me to call when we were ready, remember."

"Ready already? As in right now?"

"Yep."

"We are going to pre-empt the noon news for this. I like it. Stand by."

Bob gave me an evil grin. "Want to put the broadcast on visual?"

"In due time, my dear Bob, in due time."

"Shush... she should be going on now." Megan sounded like the girl who received an unending gift certificate to a fashion mall.

"Good afternoon and thanks for turning to channel 14, BCS. This is a breaking news story. We are in contact with a vessel about to go for the X Prize II. My daughter, Megan is a member of the county high school press club. She will be running the interview by telephone. Megan?"

"Thank you mom." Megan took a deep breath and fulfilled the dreams of every journalist. "My name is Megan Hastings, and I am reporting from the command deck of the Density Ship 'Hades'."

"The Density Ship Hades??" Mrs. Hastings' rival snorted. "What kind of BS are you pulling here?"

Mrs. Hastings grinned a 'you should have kept your mouth shut smile.' "Megan, can you give us a visual. My coworkers think we are making this up."

"Wotan, take the incoming phone call and send a visual signal to that location."

The regular anchormen looked in shock as Mrs. Hastings indicated the big screen.

The in-studio cameraman panned immediately to it.

"Megan, what exactly is going on?"

"As I stated before, I am aboard the Density Ship Hades, on it's maiden flight. It has suited the odd humor of it's creator to allow me to broadcast from the ship as he goes for the X Prize II. Without further ado, may I introduce the inventor of Density Technology, the creator of the Density Force, the Captain of the Hades, and incidently, a high school sophomore, Jacob Jehosophat Stone."

By the time she finished that sentence it was an even bet that the signal was being watched by every body who could get that signal. Or an affiliated station's signal.

"Hello all. I am indeed Jacob Jehosophat Stone. Welcome to the Hades."

"Thank you. Can you tell us about this ship."

"Not really. But I will take advantage of this broadcast to put everybody on notice that I am the only one who understands the practical applications of the Density theories I discovered. And let the world know that I have no intention of letting the Density Force become military pawns to anybody. And I truly mean anybody."

"Understandable. Can you tell me more about the X Prize II?"

"Yes. The X Prize II is a contest sponsored by the International Science Federation. To the first crewed privately owned ship that reaches orbit and maintains a sustained orbital flight for at least twenty minutes will be given a prize of Twenty Million Dollars."

"A lot of money for a teen."

"A bit yes." I said with my typical understatement.

"Can we meet your crew?"

"Sure. On weapons we have Bob. Navigation is being handled by Ashley."

Megan started, " Is that the same Ashley that... ?"

Ashley shook her head no subtly.

Megan took the hint. "Never mind. Jacob assigned me to be in charge of communications. Now back to the flight. Jacob, can you tell me where we are right now?"

"Certainly I can. We should be about twenty eight miles above the Earth's surface. Geographically we are about..." Jacob looked at Ashley.