Authorial Magazine - BookExpo + BookCon 2019 Edition

procedures. I wish to observe the process
from the bridge.”
“Of course.”
“And it is better if you depart as
swiftly as possible. As you know, your
competitor has already departed.”
“We’ll go as soon as we can. I’m anxious
to see your world.”
“Very well, but bear in mind that your
ability to return to our world for a
second visit depends entirely upon the
outcome of this mission.”
“Yes…”
“Then I shall take up no more of your
time. You have your instructions.”
Blake snorted at that final comment but
said nothing until the Martian woman
and those with her were gone.
“The queen has spoken!” Blake said
sarcastically.
“She has, and she’s right,”
Nathan replied.
“So what? Is she in charge now?”
“No, but we do need her, and this is a
diplomatic mission, so try to be careful
with what you say.”
Kor-Neev was the only Martian present.
The others had either remained on Earth
or returned to space via a Martian vessel.
“Let’s get to the bridge,” Nathan said.
The ship was the size of a naval
destroyer. After studying the schematics
extensively, Nathan had a pretty good
idea where the bridge was, so it did not
take him long to get there. He went up
to the top of the corridor and opened
the door with the appropriate number,
then he passed through a much smaller
corridor and with doors along both
sides and spaced widely apart. This
hallway was lined with railings on both
sides, and men were moving in both
directions. The official protocol was to
travel on the right.
Some of the men were still wearing
space suits, but others were in uniform.
The uniforms were of a new variety
designed specifically for operation in
space. They were black and white, with
an American flag patch on the arm.
If the mission was a success, then a
space service would be created along
with a fleet.
The door to the bridge was rather large,
and it was round and heavy like the
pressure hatch of a sea vessel, in fact
in many ways the design principles
throughout the ship were similar to that.
The door was open, so they were able to
pass through with ease.
On one side of the door was a plaque
commemorating the construction of the
ship, and on the other side was a picture
of former president Teddy Roosevelt,
for whom the ship was name after. The
bridge itself was oval in shape, and in
front was a series of long thin windows,
which were capable of being shuttered
but were open at present. The walls
to the left and right were lined with
computer equipment and readouts.
The captain’s station was in the very
center of the bridge, and consisted of
a large heavy chair which could swivel,
and a periscope which could be used to
safely view the area directly in front of
the ship. There were scopes affording
different views at a number of other
stations around the bridge.
To Nathan it was all very impressive
and seemed like a miracle. He was
surrounded by the culmination of the
history, genius, and hard work of his
fellow citizens, and this was only the
beginning. Eventually there would be
colonies in space, and private sector
travel between different worlds as
airplanes traveled between different
countries on Earth.
Nathan sat down in the captain’s seat
and strapped himself in as others around
him continued to work. He coordinated
with the bridge officers and other
portions of the ship as the remaining
crew was brought aboard. Kenneth and
Blake left the bridge after some time
and went to their respective stations.
For Kenneth, it would be the primary
computer deck towards the center of the
ship, and for Blake it would be the main
engine room.
When it came time to begin the final
departure proceedings, Nathan flipped
a switch on the control panel next to
his chair and lifted a microphone. He
depressed the side and called Kor-Neev
to the bridge. His voice was blasted
across the speakers which were in every
room and corridor of the ship, and
he could hear the sound echoing. He
winced slightly in discomfort at the
loud scratchy sound of the call, but it
was effective. Two minutes later Kor-
Neev arrived on the bridge, but she did
not sit down.
She propelled herself from point to
point, hovering at different stations.
At one point she hovered over Nathan,
gripping the back of his chair. Some
of her long fingernails poked into his
shoulder from time to time, but there
was nothing he could do about it. When
it came time for the ship to depart,
she strapped herself in, and remained
strapped in for over an hour as the ship
had to reach its cruising speed before
the crew could safely move about. In
fact, one of Nathan’s duties was to
notify the crew any time there was a
change in speed.
They were moving at incredible speeds
which had never been reached before,
and which probably could not be
reached safely on Earth, certainly not
with a vehicle the size of the Teddy
Roosevelt. But if one only looked
forward, it did not seem like they were
moving. However, when one looked
through one of the scopes facing the
Earth or Moon, it was possible to
observe their movement.
When Nathan announced that they had
reached their cruising speed, and that
seatbelts could be unfastened, there were
many sighs accompanied by the clicking
of buckles.
“That will be all for now,” Kor-Neev said
as she unbuckled her seatbelt and kicked
up from the floor.
AUTHORS PRESS
“Thoughts?” Nathan asked, immediately
regretting the question.
“Potentially adequate,” she replied.
“Given your current level of
development and innate abilities.”
“Potentially?” one of the crew asked.
“Indeed,” Kor-Neev said, turning toward
the man who spoke. “Adequacy will be
determined in hindsight pending the
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