Chapter 8: Colony Down

Kozlowski and most of his crew were getting bored once all of the pods except their five habitats had been moved from the ship to the small settlement on the planet or to the core structure of the space station that was being fabricated in orbit. Raw materials were pouring into the space station's replicator units from the planet below. It was more than a bit strange to watch the items being built "grow" out of the side openings of the industrial replicators.

To pass the time, the crew deployed their telescopes by releasing the self-stabilizing platforms that used triangulated theodolite beams to hold the platforms in a fixed position relative to each other, but independent of the motion and vibration of the people and mechanical equipment on the ship. The group of astronomers became engrossed in observations from a vantage point that no human astronomer had ever experienced. They were officially looking for possible planet-killing asteroids and comets, but were, in fact, distracted by their own curiosities and pet projects.

In a productive vein, the astronomers were taking sightings of the stars currently inhabited by humans and the stars closer to Sol whose positions had been accurately measured for decades. They could use these calibration measurements to calculate the distances between the stars they would be charting when they were finally allowed to start the mission they had been planning for more than a year.

Tuan suggested that the first machine-shop replicator in operation on the planet be programmed to produce high-altitude hydrogen balloons that carried a small-scale replicator aloft to convert carbon dioxide into ozone and graphite. The fusion battery that powered the airborne replicators would account for most of the weight.

Each balloon could only produce about 68kg of ozone and 26kg of graphite per day. Meaning it would take one about 5,000 years to create an ozone shield around Azahar. The reality was that the ozone would be converted to diatomic oxygen by the ultraviolet rays almost as fast as it was produced. But if one of the small airborne replicators could be launched every two days, then the task of creating an ozone layer could be accomplished in a bit under twenty years if the UV-B rays were not zapping the ozone molecules by the billions every day. However, with enough oxygen in the upper atmosphere, the planet's violent electrical storms would be creating ozone from the oxygen as fast as the ozone was broken down by the radiation.

Celeste told Nguyen that he was pissing into the wind, but he figured that every little bit helped. It would be a while before they had the capacity to install one of the big terraforming atmosphere processors. Every little bit they cut the UV-B would mean that much more productivity they could get from algae and vegetation.

Constance scoffed at the waste of resources. She was certain that the free-floating balloons would be more of a navigation hazard than they were worth and the project was shelved.

The projections for creating a breathable atmosphere were looking grim. McKinsey appealed to Kozlowski. "Captain, we can only build things so fast with the equipment that was brought on Copernicus. I'm sure we can have a dome, anchorages, and some other infrastructure in place before an Aurora-class transport can arrive, but some things that would really speed up terraforming are bacteria and vegetation that can tolerate the current atmosphere. Stromatolites might be encouraged to grow in the shallow bays where their cyanobacteria would have some protection from the intense ultraviolet radiation bombarding this planet."

Kozlowski agreed to include the request for biological specimens that converted carbon dioxide into oxygen in his supraluminal report to Fleet Headquarters at Dothan. But, experience told him that the transporter's AI wouldn't allow such contaminants aboard their ship.

With the colony core, habitat pods, and an industrial replicator in operation on the surface, and three replicators in service on the orbiting station, there was little reason for Copernicus to hang around. The operational equipment far exceeded the base minimum that was originally established. The spare pod was reattached to balance the ship and configured as a banquet hall for the last gathering before the crew made their final preparations to return to Haru for the pods that they had left there. One of the three shuttles was even parked in a small bay configured in the spare pod, more as a toy for the aspiring pilots than for any foreseen necessity.

"We don't want you to go," Roni told Frank as Kim nodded with tearful eyes. Frank Kozlowski was a year younger than the two girls, but they had been working, playing, and studying together for four months. That was almost a lifetime to twelve- and thirteen-year-old kids.

Captain Kozlowski sighed, "I hadn't thought about this part. It's not likely that any of us will ever see one another again. I don't suppose you'd allow Kim and Roni to come with us?"

Constance hesitated, but Tuan was quick to say, "Not a chance. I may never see my son again and couldn't stand being separated from Kim as she matures into adulthood."

Constance was shaking her head even before she caught the look of panic manifesting on Aswani's entire body. "You may have to find a family or two at Dothan who's willing to tag along."

Kozlowski shot down that idea when he explained, "With the six radio-telescope pods reattached we'll only have one spare pod, and we may need it as an expansion of the gym. We may even swing by Earth during our calibration check flyby for some plants and turn part of this pod into a hydroponics garden. I never realized how much I'd miss green things."

As the final preparations were being made for the trip to Haru the following morning, they received new orders. The first part ordered Captain Kozlowski to bring Copernicus to Haru and again rendezvous with Asimov. They were then ordered to return to Azahar with a small botanical research team.