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Sunrise National Space Center, 0820 Hours.
Ikaika took deep breaths, then looked at the controls infront of him and at Carolina and Corona, who were sitting beside him. They would be the first Setznans in space if the launch was successful. Aboard the SSN Enterprise, which was loaned to Setzna by Emberwood Coast, the Engineering workshop module sat behind the crew in the cargo bay.
“T-minus 60 seconds to launch” Corona checked the piloting and navigation systems. Ikaika took one last deep breath and checked life support and communications.
“Enterprise, this is Sunrise, all systems green?” blared over the intercom.
“Sunrise, this is Enterprise, all systems go” Ikaika checked one more time and then turned off the radio.
“Copy that Enterprise, see you in a bit” The channel cut and the counter was at 40 seconds.
“T-minus 30 seconds” Twenty more seconds went by.
“T-minus 10 seconds” The rocket boosters roared to life and the sound of the engines filled the cabin.
“T-minus 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, lift off of the Enterprise Space shuttle confirmed” The Enterprise cleared the tower and shot up into the air, the shuttle well on it’s way to Myriad station.
A plume of smoke was left behind by the rocket boosters and after a few minutes, the shuttle cleared the atmosphere. Ikaika and Corona looked at each other, smiling with joy and pride.
(OCC: I have finally finish everything! I am now back into the RP!)
The Tripartite State watches the Enemy closely while preparing their launching of the Space Station. . .
Several hours after the Chudo was safely away, the storage module was ready as well. Packed to the brim with food, and carrying only minimal crew who would join the construction team, it readied for launch.
Watching from a nearby building as the module had final preparations made, Minister Luka Dreykov poured two glasses from a bottle. “You know, my dear,” he commented to his nearby wife, “I do believe that this is the most expensive Wodka in Stratarin.”
Klara Dreykov looked him in the eyes skeptically. “How long have you had that bottle?”
The module was being primed as they spoke. The crew began readying itself. T-60 seconds.
“Actually,” Luka commented as he corked the bottle, “the General Secretary himself gave it to me when I became a Minister. So… eight or nine years.”
T-50 seconds
Klara raised an eyebrow. “You really want to drink it now? There could be occasions more special than this in store, you know.”
T-40 seconds
“Two spacefaring Strataric vessels launching in the same day?” Luka playfully clucked his tongue. “My dear, you need to take a chance once in a while.”
T-30 seconds
“Hmph. Well, I suppose you’re right.” Klara looked off into the distance for a moment. “What are your plans for the rest of the day?”
T-20 seconds
“The moment, my love. Enjoy the moment. This is a historical occasion, after all.” He handed her one of the glasses. “Would you join me by the window?”
T-10 seconds
The couple walked up to the window. Despite her seemingly indifferent attitude, Klara was actually quite excited. They looked towards the module, seconds from launching.
T-5 seconds, 4, 3…
The Dreykovs toasted.
2, 1, we have liftoff!
Watching in awe while both took a brief sip, they gazed at the module as it gloriously began to venture into the sky.
“Make a wish,” Klara softly breathed under her breath.
Her husband looked down at her, smiled, and said, “I have all I want right here.”
She blushed, cast her gaze downward, and brushed a stray hair out of her face. Luka gently guided her chin back towards him with his hand.
And they kissed.
Executive Residence, 8th & F Street, Downtown Aura.
Emberwood Coast, 2310 Hours, 12.9.2016
Standing on her balcony at night, Nimona couldn’t help but think back to Chance Syng’s famous hymn from the first Emberitian launch.
As Myriad flitted past in its accelerated orbit, she began to sing softly. The city listened distractedly, the trees turning to listen but the cars continuing to meander to their destinations far below.
“So far, the stars look from here on Urth,
Where we stay and search, and scan above for stairs,
To rise and leave behind our place of birth,
And go forth, to the land aloft that has no air.”
Coraline wandered out and put one arm around Nimona, who leaned against her and continued to sing as she peered past the wispy clouds overhead.
“We walk then run, the heavens’ rightful heir,
To no end we pursue the limits of the sky,
Each grasping for a chance so pure and rare,
To get a view seen but in a bird’seye.”
The president kissed her wife and sang the third verse with barely a whisper.
"We spread our wings to go and boldly fly;
So high above- we live and breathe to be,
To see our home, dyed blue and green;
To float in space, to be unbound and free.
The two turned and left the outside sky alone, and as they went inside, Nimona hummed the last verse and recited the words in her head.
Before our day is done and we are gone,
Our most sacred goal is to go beyond.
She made a mental note to go visit Syng tomorrow.
High Ecliptic Orbit, Urth
2316 Hours, 12.9.2016
The Endeavor was only 10,000 kilometers from the station when it first got visual contact. Cali sighed as she saw the ship, as big as any ever to fly above Urth as far as Emberwood Coast had built. It had a pair of ICF engines, as well as four ion propulsion plates. Currently it wandered on the latter, a soft blue glow emitting from the four grated exhausts at the ship’s stern. The plan was to start exploring other planets with it, and she’d be the captain. And yet…
She turned over an looked at her… “roommate” November, who was fast asleep facing away from the viewport.
Wasn’t this just a fling? Why was she so distraught at the thought of leaving Nova?
She’d think about that later. For now, she had to get ready to receive the Endeavor. She floated up and over Nova and silently left the compartment to go get a snack.[edit_reason]Added space part[/edit_reason]
High Ecliptic Orbit, Urth, 0259 Hours, 12/9/16.
“Oer the gelid waves of galactic streams, Set course for the fixed star of Centuri…” Lieutenants Ikaika and Corona both sang a version of the SMSDF Naval March, which they tweaked the lyrics to fit space travel. Carolina grinned, amused by her two crew mate’s excitement. About 12.3 kilometers away, the two officers stopped singing and then checked everything once again and readied themselves to dock with Myriad.
“This is SSN Enterprise, requesting permission to dock with Myriad Station. How Copy?”
“Affirmative Enterprise, this is Myriad, permission granted”
“Copy, all crew standby for dock, blue alert. Proceed with caution” Ikaika flicked the communications button and then pumped his fist. He looked out the window and saw the Endeavor and the Columbia already docked with Myriad.[edit_reason]Needed to fix radio procedure words[/edit_reason]
“…Permission Granted. Proceed to port 2C. Good to have you.”
The Enterprise appeared in the viewport next to the kitchen, and Cali looked up to see a shuttle move past on RCS. She set down her breakfast and pushed down to the airlock to greet the crew.
Enterprise docked at 2C and Corona opened the airlock. Ikaika and Carolina followed Corona into the airlock, which he pressurized and then opened the second door.
“Lieutenant Kai Corona at your service” He said to the woman waiting behind the door.
“Lieutenant Ikaika Ramirez, SNSA and SMSDF. Reporting on station”
Carolina introduced herself last, “Carolina Nishimura, SNSA. Thank you for having us as apart of the crew. We’ve brought the Engineering Module with us to install on the station.”
“Admiral California Alsitair, ECSEA and ECNF, at your service.” Cali offered her hand to the newcomers.
“Oh, you’ll want to keep your voice low. Most of the people here sleep around now.” She said, and began to float around the station to give a tour.
Ikaika and Kai’s military instinct kicked in once they heard the word Admiral. They magnetized their boots and stood at attention as they saluted Cali while Carolina shook her hand. The three then followed her through the station.
High Ecliptic Orbit, Urth, 0306 Hours, 12/9/16.
The shuttle Chudo had almost reached its destination. Artyom was barely able to contain his excitement, whereas Kazimir didn’t even attempt to contain his indifference.
“Attention!” the pilot called back. "Myriad is in sight. I repeat, Myriad is in sight.
Kazimir scoffed. “Ooh,” he sarcastically remarked. “Shiny.”
Artyom said nothing, so entranced was he. Though not the most elegant construct he had seen, nor the largest, Myriad Station was certainly the most beautiful.
The pilot contacted the station as the Chudo traveled ever closer. “This is SKK Chudo, requesting permission to dock. How Copy?”
A seemingly endless moment passed.
“Affirmative Chudo, this is Myriad, permission granted.”
Artyom let out a short cheer as he heard. Kazimir raised his eyebrow in annoyance.
“Chudo, please stand by to dock at port 2D. Welcome to Myriad.”
“Received, Myriad. Standing by.”
“Chudo, please roll ninety degrees and dock. Admiral Alistair will be there to greet you.”
Pad 87.5 of Caek Space Station, Ingenlap Island, Mexregional Archipelago, Eastern Mexregiona, United States of Mexregiona, Atlantia, Urth, 1200 Hours, 12/9/2016
“Iz hiiigh nooon!” Creighton blared, obviously spiked from the chemicals flowing in the air around him.
Ascendancy is the second Mexregionan rocket to be flown into space, not to mention the first to be manned. There was always a joke around the Space Center that the country should’ve had people up in space years ago, but the government was too busy dodging legal daggers. MASTeR has had years of experience when it came to propulsion, and NOTER has, arguably, the most highly defined trajectory system in the whole Western Hemisphere. These two organizations, having being practically the same body since their creation, have been criticized for goofing around and wasting millions of the national budget, but both Mister Leaders (being Spatials*) have always pushed the importance of the conglomerates. Now, it seems, they actually have a use.
The shuttle’s launch has been scheduled for tomorrow, and is to be manned by Van Kingsman (male human), Deep Sky (male Altalandian*), and Grace Johnson (female human).
At Launch Pad 87.5, there was a bustle of preparation, and, of course, the occasional chemical-high scientist. The Caek Space Center (A.K.A. the CSC) is infamous for letting out the fumes of their rocket fuels and other delicious atrocities. After all, that’s just the Mexregionan way.
Luckily, the center, due to the heavy pollution in the area, is known to replant massive forests in Mexregiona and, sometimes, foreign countries. If they didn’t do this, the Terrans would’ve burned the place down by now.
*The two main political parties of Mexregiona are the Spatials and the Terrans.
*Altalandian, which is separated into Northern, Southern, and Central, is a race of the USM. (They are what you would imagine Modern Native Americans are.)
((I’ll probably add more in the future, I have to go right now.))
Approximate Earthling Version of Ascendancy Rocket:
[spoiler]http://roberthood.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/FW_ship_2_large.jpg
[/spoiler]
Contrary to the shuttle contained inside the spoiler, the Ascendancy is a one-time contraption; it will carry Mexregionan astronauts to Myriad, and then carry them back to Urth, preferably landing on a runway rather than an ocean. The rocket contains a module that will connect to the station, effectively adding both an extra area for habitation along with a completely new room for experimentation and food production (if found to be effective within Urth’s polar orbit). These rooms, although yet to be officially decided, will most likely contain the three Mexregionan explorers along with their plants and tools. The three are trained for a confrontation with the Hegemon, along with the directing of disarming it. NOTER is playing it safe this time; it is not feeling in the mood to be held responsible for the possible destruction of the Urth and/or Olune.
The assembly between the Mexregionan modules will be simple, as MASTeR has taken care to make sure that both rooms are downdated to fit on the station. Kingsman and Johnson will be responsible for the docking, while Deep Sky will maintain communications with the CSC and Mister Leader II and Co. From there, the three will go through safety procedures, attach the rocket, and then carry on with social festivities. Experimentation hours will be strictly enforced in the Mexregionans, as this is the first true time that the USM has had a chance to dilly-dally in such affairs.
Also, Deep Sky will be credited with being the USM’s first person in space; Altalandians founded the nation in prehistoric times, and they are going to be the first to push into the Final Frontier. It is to be a gesture of peace to the friendly, seasoned race of the country.
“This launch will, no doubt, be a great achievement for our country,” Kingsman comments, “and I am highly honored to allow Depski, excuse the nickname, to be the first of our kind far beyond the clouds.”
Louisianaia, Insulmin, Insulmag, Ingenlap, Ferterra, Newsheanland, the Arch Islands, the Century Islands, Insulae Minores, Dupliciminoriinsula (the Barren Islands), Isle Multae, and the Western Aequatorial Islands, not to mention all of the other divisions of Mexregiona, are desperately awaiting such a momentous occasion.
“Chudo, please roll ninety degrees and dock. Admiral Alistair will be there to greet you.”
“Confirmed, Myriad.”
With those words, the Chudo complied with Myriad’s instructions, rolled, and began the docking procedure. After it was complete, the officers magnetized their boots, stepped into the station, and snapped at attention.
“Lieutenant Commander Kazimir Toporov, security officer, reporting for duty, Admiral.” Kazimir recited, back ramrod straight.
Artyom’s slightly less formal introduction followed. “Lieutenant Artyom Vetrov, engineer, at your service. And may I say, Admiral, it’s a pleasure to be here.”
Pad 87.5 of Caek Space Center, Ingenlap Island, Mexregional Archipelago, Eastern Mexregiona, United States of Mexregiona, Atlantia, Urth, 0745 Hours, 12/10/2016
“Alright, guys. You’re off in 15 minutes. Copy?”
“Copy that, Bolten.” Van Kingsman said through his mic, oblivious to the strange calm he was feeling. Johnson had given him a pep talk in the board room earlier that morning, as in, like, four o’clock. Deep Sky, being himself, had been busy reviewing all of the codes, analogies, formulas, procedures, signals, and everything else you could imagine at that time; he wasn’t the type of guy to need a talk like Kingsman did. Deep Sky was a peculiar man.
Kingsman stalked down through the behemoth of metal and cables, willing himself for launch. Johnson was already on the rocket, for some reason, and the Altalandian was on his way. From Van’s deductive reasoning, he assumed that he should be making his way there, too.
Kingsman speedwalked down the corridor, surrounded by coaches and colleagues alike. To be honest, he didn’t know what made him special compared to all the other experienced people out in his field. I’m just here for the heck of it, aren’t I? he thought.
“You’re going to do great, Lanky,” Gary Wilson said, nudging him on the shoulder in a ‘lucky’ way as he passed by.
“Thanks, Gary. And all of you guys. I’m so grateful for all you’ve done for me. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Ah, shut up, Lanky, don’t give us that Mister Leader crap. Save that for when you’re on the station.” Noah Dwight was still a little salty due to his not being picked, but Kingsman knew he was trying to be amusing with the smile on his face. He wasn’t very good at it at times.
Kingsman shot a wide dazzler to all the men and women around him, said his goodbyes, and boarded the rocket with his suit on.
Johnson and Deep Sky jerked around to catch a glimpse of their coworker, being very happy to see him. You see, the three didn’t have much family; these were their best friends. Best friends in space.
Nobody said anything to each other, preferring to stay quiet at this time; they had already went through this stage of the theater in their minds beforehand, and had mentally decided that it was best to develop their psychic equilibrium while in the launching phase.
The three Mexregionans whispered dully to Mission Control at CSC, confirming reports and triple-checking stats. CSC, from there, would transfer information to both Mission Control at Dropdatderp and Mister Leader II at Insulmin City. These two groups, from there, would make contact with the general population; schools had closed, postal services postponed, and Flor-Marts shut down in their ambitious wait for launch. Hope for scientific progress gleamed in the eye of every child. Their were going to be a lot more astronaut-aspirants in the future.
“Five minutes till launch, Deep Sky.” Mission Control stuttered.
“Copy that, Mission,” Deep Sky replied hoarsely.
Deep Sky was in the front seat of the rocket, being the quote-on-quote credited man, Johnson right behind him. Kingsman was, quite comfortably, relaxed into his arrangement further away from the two. Launch in five minutes, he thought. How informal.
Launch was imminent, and everyone prepared. Pad scraped of debris. Trees planted in Sydonia. Deep Sky in front. Johnson, middle. Kingsman, back. How nice. Conditions optimal. Communications connected. Trajectory implemented. Auto-pilot, uh, reliable.
Launch imminent. Family’s here. All of it. Fun times ahead. On a rocket. Lots of fun.
Launch imminent. Great. When will I get back? Never, you say? If you say so. That can’t be right, can it?
Ascendancy roared. Mexregiona rejoiced. They were going. Gone.
Still have to get through the G’s, though.
As soon as Endeavour locked in, the livable space onboard doubled. The massive shuttle-looking ship almost glowed with its state the art magnevoltaic hull, which gleamed silvery-white when it caught the sun. Cali ached to get aboard it, this would be her first assignment lasting lounger than a few months. She’d have a whole year in space, everything she’d ever dreamed of and more.
And yet…
Ascendancy maneuvered through the atmosphere, shifting and shuffling, making all three passengers quite sick to the stomach. Turns out, after all the time on that gravity-simulating chair, the rocket’s spatial turbulence was still a pain to them.
Waiting nearly seven hours on the metal box, Deep Sky, the first Mexregionan and Altalandian in space, Johnson, the first Mexregionan female human in space and second in all, and Kingsman, the lousy first Mexregionan human male in space, third in all were within sight of Myriad. It hadn’t been that long of a wait. In fact, the trio had a little less than three days of training for orbital experience, but those hours were precious. Combined with their knowledge, basically being the scholars of their time, and those sickening hours of tests, tubes, and simulations, they were capable of becoming the ongoing most-hastily-prepared-astronauts-of-Urth. Three days. Quite a feat.
Deep Sky bellowed to his mates, “It’s about time we got here.”
“Yeah, I know,” Kingsman replied. Johnson was occupied with the communications with the USM at the moment. The task had turned into the usual space-time dishwashing chore.
“I think we’re going to have a great time in this place,” Deep Sky said. “Meeting such seasoned professionals like these will be a show if there ever was one. I’d even go out on a limb and call it the greatest soap opera since Nova Trekkie.”
Kingsman chuckled. “Depski, you’ve always had a way with language, Altalandian or not.”
Before Deep Sky could reply, Johnson called out to the two conversing men. “Contact is imminent. I’d recommend going through the procedures before we have both a collision and Mission Control up our butts.”
Faces hardened at the comment. Everybody would have to work together as to not screw this up. The comrades didn’t want themselves to be another Hegemon above the nations of the world.
((Prepare for some new roommates.))