Chapter 1

2095

The Moon.

The new suits worked flawlessly, form fitting and streamlined it was almost as if I was wearing a simple jumpsuit, I flexed the armored glove thinking about the first spacesuits, I had one in my office back at base, a museum quality relic.

"Once there was a way to get back homeward, Once there was a way to get back home, sleep pretty darling" I sang to myself as I trudged across the lunar surface.

"Im sorry sir?" My comm chirped, Alice, or actually A.l.i.c.e. Automated Logic Intelligence Computer Engram, had picked up on my singing to myself.

"Nothing Alice, just passing the time while I inspect the outside of the drill" I said as I looked up at the massive mobile drilling platform.

"Sir I can stream music through to you if you wish? Perhaps Golden Slumbers, recorded by The Beatles on july 2 1969 for their album Abbey Road..." Alice said, before I cut her off.

"No thanks Alice, How about you just give me the status report?" I said as I reached the first main tread for the drilling platform, looking it over for damage.

"Of course sir. Station One reports a random fluctuation in power, it has yet to effect output or efficiency of ore processing." Alice said.

"cheap bastard." I muttered.

"Sorry sir?" Alice asked.

"Oh nothing its just Jason, he has been trying to squeeze as much output from his HE3 generators, hes holding off on replacing the filters to save on budget, thats what is causing the fluctuations. Alice Draft a memo to that station, tell them to replace them now or ill go over and do it for them." I said as I scraped a chunk of rock out of the giant tread using the suits enhanced strength to break it with my hands.

"Of course sir. Station Two Reports all systems nominal." Alice said.

"Good good, tell Iris good job, but watch the friction on the drills, I noticed they are going through them at a higher rate than any of the other stations." I said while moving on to another set of treads.

"I will pass that on sir, Station Three reports a higher consumption of water on a number of their green houses, Commander Sheridan suggest its due to the rise in solar flair activity, the increase in solar rays has caused more evaporation than normal, She request an increase on their allotment of water. She also left a side note stating her concern for what she calls "The commanders continuing need to put himself in harms way for no reason" She told me to state it exactly like that..." Alice said.

I laughed out loud for a second.

"Increase their allotment Alice, and tell Shannon I will take that under consideration." I said.

"I will sir, but she does have a point, you should assign these inspections to a lower ranking officer Sir" Alice said.

I stopped at that, looking down from the tread I was inspecting.

"Alice, Im touched, is that concern?" I asked

"Of course Sir, it is my primary mission to insure the safety of members of the lunar bases, and as you are in charge your loss would place them all at risk, as well as have a negative impact on moral." She said

I nodded.

"Of course Alice." I said.

"And besides Sir, who else would replace you at our weekly game of chess?" Alice said.

I laughed again.

"Im sure Ivan would gladly take over for me on that." I said.

"Ivan is still teaching me the finer points of chess to increase the efficiency of which I best you Sir." Alice said.

"Ah conspiring with the enemy? Im telling you Alice I could just upload a program for you" I said

Ivan was my counter part charge of the Joint Russian/Chinese lunar stations on the southern hemisphere, where I was in charge of the U.S./European union stations.

"Sir you have stated on numerous occasions that Ivan was not our enemy, and Sir that would not be fair, I would rather learn this way" Alice said.

I frowned at that but nodded.

"Of course Alice and I was just kidding about Ivan, you may continue the report." I said

"Station 4 reports all systems nominal." Alice said.

"Okay, tell Glen good job and to keep up the good work." I said.

"Station 5 reports a 14% drop in output of drinkable water, unknown as to the reason why" Alice said.

"Tell Jen to keep an eye on that, if it continues for the next few days they will have to shut down for full inspection." I said

And so it went for the next several minutes, report after report as I looked over all the treads on the mobile platform, Being in charge of a fully self contained lunar operation was not as fun as it sounded, by the time I finished and heading back to my rover I was exhausted from cleaning and inspecting all 22 treads on the giant platform as well as from giving out memos to all the 16 bases on the moon that fell under my command.

"Sir priority alert from sat comm, meteorites have just been detected in your sector, they just passed the outer perimeter, multiple contacts incoming." Alice said.

"Can the sat defense grid take them out?" I asked.