KYLE''S P.O.V, at the Carlin space agency main hanger building.
After the disappearance of the EX-5, most work at the agency has been halted. The production of the EX-6 spacecraft had also been stopped.
Meanwhile, most of the workers, including myself Have been left with nothing to do. This is a good thing for me, as this leaves me with time to execute my plan.
The plan itself you may be asking is rather simple. I will be “Borrowing” the adastra. Then I will be using the spacecraft to recreate what happened with the EX-5.
There are some problems that I have address first. First off, the adastra was spacecraft built for testing. It was used to see how viable warp technology was. Second, it hasn''t flown in over 15 years.
The next issue is that the adastra isn''t powerful enough to recreate what happened. In order to do that, I would have to yet again “borrow” the hyperspace cell meant for the EX-6 and put it into the adastra. This would in theory give it more than enough power.
Then I would also have to do all of this without anyone knowing. Its definitely not an easy thing to accomplish, but my bets are it''s possible.
I head down to the hanger corridor where the adastra is located.
I unlock the door heavy metal doors to the hanger and quietly slip inside.
It''s dark in the hanger, and the only source of light streams in through cracks in the outer hanger door. Fumbling with the wall beside me, I find the switch and flip it.
‘Click click click’ the lights power on and illuminate the hanger.
In the middle of the hanger, lies the adastra covered in a large dusty tarp.
I walk over to the adastra and grab the tarp with both hands.
With as much strength as I could muster, I slowly pull the tarp back off the craft. I cover my mouth as a cloud of dust rises out from the tarp.
Free from the covering, the adastra shines in the hanger lights.
While it wasn''t modern or had all the new technology that the EX-5 had, buy the adastra would have to do.
The craft was very similar in shape to the EX-5. The only major difference was it was a quarter smaller and meant to be flown by a small group of engineers.
I walk over to a small cart in the hanger that had a couple of flashlights and other items. I grabbed a flashlight and went back to the adastra''s entry hatch. I grabbed the small handle on the netry hatch and twisted; the hatch popped outwards and out of the way.
A small ladder was mechanically released downwards. Due to my short height I had some trouble getting onto the ladder. After pulling myself up the ladder, I made my way inside the adastra.
Inside the craft it was pitch black. Once I turned on the flashlight, it became much easier to see. A thin layer of dust coated every surface. Looking around I found a couple log books and manuals, I''ll definitely be needing these.
Instead of extra seats and room for cargo, there are large computers used for processing data. This could prove itself to be great for learning about the gravitational phenomenon.
Going past the computers, I move forward to the front of the cockpit, and look up to the overhead panel. I turn on both breakers for the onboard batteries… nothing happens.
The batteries must be shot, but it shouldn''t be that hard to pluck some batteries off the EX-6''s production line.
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I go back to the ladder and climb down. Because the batteries are dead, I can use ground power to check the systems on the Adastra.
Attached to one of the hanger walls is a large coiled up cable. This is a large power cable that can be connected to the adastra to provide it with power.
I go up and unhook the cable and drag it across the hanger towards the craft. Once I get to the wing, I drop the cable and start searching for the port to connect the cable.
After a bit of searching, I find the port under the wing. I put the cable into the port and twist it, locking it into place.
This should now be providing the spacecraft with power. This isn''t a permanent solution, but it lets me check the electronics in the adastra.
Once again I struggle my way up the ladder leading into the spacecraft.
With two fingers, I switch on the ground power connection switch located on one of the controllers panels. To my relief, the whirring of computer fans fills the cabin.
numerous interior lights turn on, lighting up the dark interior. I sit down in one of the seats underneath a suitable reading light. I grab one of the logbooks and open it to its last entry. Adastra decommissioning flight logged on day cycle 29275. Over 15 years ago.
The logbook had some other information within it. Looking through the maintenance section, I didn''t find anything unusual. It was in perfect working order when it was retired. Heh, maybe this will be easier than I thought.
I continued going through the logbooks and other various manuals, learning more about how to operate the adastra.
At some point I decided to check my watch. Flipping my wrist over, I read my watch.
10:13 PM.
“Shoot, it''s later than I thought-” I whisper to myself.
I scurried my way back down the ladder and ran across the hanger to the door. I peaked my head out, but the hallway lights were off. Looks like I was the only person there.
Seizing this opportunity, I decided to get the batteries for the adastra while nobody was here.
Flashlight in hand, I began my walk to the assembly building.
During the walk, I didn''t encounter any security guards. This is great for many reasons, Forst off I obv6 I won''t get caught, Secone, if I ever tried to fight a security guard I''d probably get myself dropkicked.
The trek to the assembly building went uneventful.
After arriving at the assembly building, it wouldn''t be that hard to find the batteries. Since the production of the EX-6 had been stopped, most of the parts used in the construction were still unopened in their boxes. Hanging up from large trusses, the gray and paintless EX-6 sat, still waiting for its wings to be attached.
Up on one of the platforms surrounding the unlisted craft, I found the large square batteries that I could use.
The only problem was that the batteries were heavy. Incredibly heavy as it turned out. This shouldn''t have been an issue but I don''t have anyone to help me, and I''m also just not a very strong protogen.
But sitting tucked away under some boxes, I saw a pallet jack I could use to wheel the batteries to the adastra''s hanger.
With some monumental effort, I managed to load 2 batteries onto the pallet jack.
With a push, I went back on my way to the Adastra. The walk, once again, was uneventful. But things quickly changed once I got up to the doors leading into the hanger.
One of the double doors was left cracked open. I knew it was shut when I went to get the batteries, which means someone is probably in the hanger.
Right now I can probably walk away and not be fired for tampering with company property. Or… I could simply walk into the hanger and try to get whoever is in there to get on my side.
With how much is at risk, I''m just going to… you know what, screw it. Without thinking, I swing open the door and charge into the hanger.
Standing tall in the middle of the hanger, I saw Conrad admiring the Adastra.
“What- what are you doing in here!” I call out to him?”
“Kyle?” He turns around surprised, “what are YOU doing? You don''t actually plan to use this thing do you” he says, gesturing at the adastra.
“It''s my only option,” I respond back, “I''m not going to let my friends die in whatever dimension they sent themselves into!”
Conrad sighs, “Look, you are going to kill yourself doing that”
“Well I don''t care if it means I''ll be the only person doing something about it” I call back at him, clenching my fists.
“Don''t act like I don''t care about them,” he says, “My own brother is gone, and I never got to make things right with Avera.”
“Well then if you care, don''t get in my way” I tell him as I head back to the door.
“I''m not” he yells out across the hanger, “I''m helping you.”
I stop walking and turn around.
“You are what?” I called back.
“You will fail doing this yourself,” he says, “but you have a chance if you have some help”
He does have a good point as much as I don''t want to admit it. Having help in this could be incredibly useful.
“Okay” I say, “do me a favor and don''t tell anyone about this, including pruitt”
“Yeah yeah I know, a plan as dumb as this won''t be popular with my dad..”
“Good,” I say, “now help me install the batteries.”
1 HOUR LATER
clack! the cover to the battery compartment pops back into place.
“So how do you expect to get this to create a strong enough warp bubble to leave our dimension?” Conrad asks as he loads the old batteries onto the pallet jack.
“I''m going to use the hyperspace cell meant for the EX-6 and use it in this” I say, pointing at the adastra.
“Is that even compatible with it? That''s a 15 year gap in technology.” He says, expressing his concern.
“Don''t worry,” I say to him, “I looked and they are compatible, but…”
“But what?” He says Agitated.
“But there is still a good chance we will blow up-” I tell him.
“Ya know, I really do hate rocket science sometimes, even though it''s my job” he says, “Things always try to blow up”
“In this case blowing up won''t be an ideal option” I jokingly say.
“Well in 2 weeks we''ll have the answer” He says.
2 weeks. That was the agreed on amount of time that it would take to get the Adastra flight ready. We still haven''t figured out the amount of food that we would need to bring, or how we''d keep this little mission under wraps.
Looking back at the time, it was approaching midnight.
“Yyyawwwnn–” Conrad says, “gah.. im tired, we gotta some sleep.”
“Yeah, enough has been done for today.” I say.
The both of us grab our belongings, and we make out way to the door.
I stop and look back at the Adastra one more time. This is it. This is going to be how I save my friends, using some old forgotten spacecraft.
click click click- the hanger lights shot off in series, leaving the entire hanger pitch black.
“Don''t forget to lock it next time” Conrad says, already on his way halfway down the hall.
Getting my keys, I take them out and lock the door. I turn and make my way down the hall towards the door to the parking lot.
Once I get outside, I''m immediately hit with a breeze. It feels good I must say after running around doing things all day.
I spotted Conrad in his car already leaving, and he gave my a quick wave as he drove by.
I too made it to my car, and started my drive back to Michael''s house.