Lost in time Chapter6

[Ed Man]

Eye in the Sky
Chapter 6

Josh took the glider over to Dan’s house and picked up the other three recruits and their things gave them the last chance talk and headed for the field and slowed the glider to a hover position and stated. “Sarah we are ready to transport.” Josh could hear two of the passengers take a gasp and then the questions. “Where are we? What just happened? But this time the doctor was there to escort them to medical.

[Josh] “If you would go with the Doctor everything will be explained to you in a few minutes.” Josh walked over to the command center the two Pilots jumped up with a salute when they seen Josh.
[Josh] “At ease Men lets keep it casual for now.”
[The ranking Pilot] “Yes Sir we’re ready to deploy the satellite on your command.”
[Josh] “There are a few more people that we’re waiting on lets do visual observations of the deployment area till they get here.”
They had found a small asteroid already in orbit and the plan was to transport the satellite above it and transport the asteroid into a crate for safe keeping.
“Sir we have a 15 minute window of opportunity left or we have to wait for the next window in 12 more hours.”
[Josh] “Alright lets start the tracking and targeting procedure the weather conditions are in our favor.
The clouds will give us plenty of cover but I still want a 1/10 of a second substitute time just to be safe.”
Josh noticed Dan had made to the control room. Sarah told Josh in his ear peace Mensch was about to transport down.
[Josh] “Sarah will you bring Dan up to date on Mr. Galen. Dan if you would please go and escort Mr. Galen here we will be going in 7 more minutes. Sarah place a live picture off the satellite feed on two main monitors so we can see the first pictures.”
Josh looked out to see Dan leading Mensch to the control room. Josh watched closely when they stopped a few feet from the door until Dan gave Mensch a hug and smiled and opened the door to the control room for Mensch.
[Josh] “Come on in we’re about to launch.” A countdown was running on the two monitors as they watched it hit 1 then live pictures filled the screen. They were cheering and clapping as the live video filled the monitors one aimed at the planets surface and the other out into space.
[Josh] “We have smaller but very powerful tracking cameras for the surface and deep space. Sarah place some views on the other monitors from space and planet side.”
Everyone watched in amazement as a close up picture one digit of the ID number of a cross country flight filled the screen then panned out to show the whole ship until a cloud masked the view.
Josh explained that on a clear day you could read the fine print of a paper laying on the ground like it was in your hand.
Then the monitor showed a zoomed in picture of a distant galaxy. And then a picture of a small asteroid revolving around the next planet in the solar system.
[Dan] “I could set and watch this all night. What’s next?”
[Josh] “We wait till we see what’s out there and if it’s clear and safe we place one to watch the gate and watch it for a while and place two or three more to get a full view of the system. Then if it’s safe and clear we send a ship out and see what happens then we wait on the pirates or the resistance fighters to show up.
Our next stage is to send out scanners across the country to check for hidden bases, mysterious power sources or materials. We have thought of several different ways of getting this done and the best so far is delivery trucks and a changing package address. They will carry the package around with them all day then see it’s the wrong town and its moves on to another town and starts over. It will take a while this way but it’s the easiest and most efficient way to get it done. If the boxes get lost or stolen we will place a safeguard system in them so the inside will disintegrate leaving them nothing.”

[Mensch] “When are you going to start that and how many boxes?”
[Josh] “We already have ten in play and I would like to send out hundreds but I’m concerned that if we send out to many it will attract attention to them so I plan on sending out a total of fifty.”

Time slipped away quickly as they watched the monitors until Dan suggested they go to the cafeteria and eat.
[Dan] “We know Mensch is going to be busy what are you doing tomorrow Josh?”
[Josh] “I have a early morning delivery for the shop. Mensch I asked Mary to come back in morning to do some odd jobs will you keep her busy till I get back I want to use her as a grounds and lawn keeper for the shops and house. She needs a job and we need a lawn service.”
[Mensch] “That sounds good to me she did do a good job on the packing lots and grounds. What if she turns out to be trouble?”
[Josh] “Mensch you’re the boss pay her and sent her away. I’m just trying to help someone in a predicament I don’t want any trouble makers.”
[Dan] “So do we meet up here the same time tomorrow?”
They all agreed as they finished there meals and went home.

Josh was about to go to bed till he had a question. “Sarah how many people can we afford to pay to work in the Complex?”
[Sarah] “15 to 20 as the economy grows more or I can increase the trading limit but that would attract attention big money trades are automatically flagged.”
[Josh] “No keep it like it is, lets shoot for 10 and see how that works. I’ll try and pick out four more people tomorrow to contact good night Sarah wake me if anything comes up.”

As soon as Josh opened his eyes the next morning he asked Sarah. “Has the satellite spotted anything?”
[Sarah] “Not yet I have marked points of interest to check on the next orbital pass.”
[Josh] “Start getting the Pilots flight ready and fighter trained using the sims. Give them all some basic military training skills and teach them how to operate and fire standard weapons. And it would probably be a good ideal to instruct them in space traveling and basic spaceship controls and functions.”
[Sarah] “I’ll get started with the training now.”

[Josh] “How is the cloaking device and energy weapons adsorbing armor and shielding research going?”
[Sarah] “I am still working on them. Light reflection was the easy thing to get done I’m having a real problem with hiding anything from the sensors.”
[Josh] “I thought you were going to use the scans of the special lockbox to work from?”
[Sarah] “I have tried but the records were not very helpful.”
[Josh] “The pistols I have are close to the same materal I’ll leave one here for you to examine maybe that will help ID the meteral.”
[Sarah] “What if during the research you lose the cloaking ability on the pistol?”
[Josh] “I wouldn’t like it but I still would have the other do what you have to do we need a cloaking device. Do we have the room to build a ship the size of the Neptune in the bays?” [Sarah] “No”
[Josh] “Start building a bay to the north of the main complex big enough to build capital ships in and start building four more large spider constructors to use. When the research is finished I want to build a ship a little bigger than the Neptune.”
Josh headed out in the delivery van to make a nother bogus pickup and delivery. He set the ship on auto pilot as he looked over the pilots Sarah had listed. Josh woundered how Sherry was doing and how much he missed her. And how was Cutter and the Neptune crew doing and all his friends were they still looking for him? Josh thought how crazy the thought was they didn’t even exist yet. But he still missed them and wanted to get back. The friends he had made in this time what happens to them when he leaves?
Josh knew the people and planet were destined to be destroyed but when? How much time did he have to figure out how to get himself home? While taking as many of these people with him as he could to his time and a new life.
The morning trip went by quickly for Josh as he landed the van and pulled up to the dock to be unloaded.

[Mensch] “How was your trip?” [Josh] “I had a good flight how’s business?”
[Mensch] “We’re still busy but it’s eased up from yesterdays run. Do you want to get some lunch? I‘ll have one of the men take the van to the garage and finish unloading it.”
[Josh] “That sounds good lets go to the house and eat.”
[Mensch] “Ok but lets eat out on the back deck. You been running wide open for days now take a few hours for yourself and injoy the pleasant weather and sunshine then get back to it.”
[Josh] “All right but just a little while.”
Josh and Mensch had there lunch out on the deck as the breeze coming up from the meadow keep them cool. Josh watched as the grass swaying back and forth with the wind as he ate his lunch. The sight and breeze reminded Josh of a time when he was a child as his thoughts raced back to when his family stayed a week in a house near the ocean. Josh set with his eyes closed looking out over the field remembering how he had loved the time at the beach.
[Mensch] “You all right Josh?” [Josh] “I’m fine this all just reminded me of a time in my childhood.”
[Mensch] “It’s nice out here but I need to get back I’ll see you later.”
[Josh] “Wait I’ll walk back with you and get the van and park it by the house for the next run. I’ll be downstairs working if you need me.”
Josh went to talk to the new recruits about their pay and the new pilots he wanted. The group decided to work for a forth of what Josh was going to offer them and asked that he offer the new people the same.
They explained that everything they needed or wanted was supplied and the pay was like a bonus to them. That in the real world it took every thing they made to survive.
They all sat down and worked out a pay scale to go by that they liked and when it was finished Josh had enough to take on a much larger work force closer to the number Josh wanted for the base.

It was about time for the next satellite to be deployed Dan and Mensch were there along with the rest of the group. None of them had ever seen a gate and they wanted to see the first pictures.
The pilots were on duty for the second deployment. “Sir we are ready and waiting for your orders.”
[Josh] “Now remember there will be a delay in receving the pictures because of the distance. Just give us a 10 sec. count and mash the buttton pilot.”
The pilot counted down and mashed the button as everyone watched the screen waiting on a picture.
Then the picture showed on the screen of the camera centering up on the Gate.
One screen showed a wide view of the Gate while the other was a close up.
[Josh] “Ok people everyone take their station and start looking.”
The one camera was fixed on the gate but the other camers were starting on a grid search of the area. Tonight everyone had a job to do as they all sat looking over fragments of the video zooming in on every little spot they seen looking for a station or ship.
Josh had reached his cut of point and started helping Mensch and when he was done they helped Dan finish up before they left. Sarah had already screened the pictures and had moved the cameras on to a more detailed look at the area. The others were about done while one remained on duty at all times watching the screens. Each would take a turn watching in four hour shifts around the clock.
Josh knew the next thing they needed was more help the larger work force had just became top priority and Dan and Josh were each going to meet different groups tomorrow after lunch.
Josh was going to see some of the pilots he had picked out and Dan was contacting some military personnel.
Every one on there list was single and had been injured and were disabled and had somehow seen one of the spaceships making them perfict candidates. If all went well the team would have 12 new members to help out in the next two or three days.

The next day Dan hit the jackpot when he went to interview one of the candidates on his list he found a group of eight people living in a old condemned apartment building. They had telescopes on the roof, radio scaners tuned to rescue, police and military bands. Three were disabled military and the other five were people they had joined up for the same purpose. Stop the abductions!
Dan gave them all a PDA and a test after the test was over Josh went to meet the group and offer them a opportunity to join up. The group agreed to sign up if their leader a disabled Captain could inspect the Base.
Josh took the man to the field in the glider and brought the ship to a stop hovering. “Sarah transport us to the base.”
[The Captain] “What just happened? Where are we? Are you the enemy?”
[Josh] “Calm down Captain you’re at the base and we are on the same side with the same goals we are not your enemy. Please come with me and let me give you a quick tour.”
Jost gave the Captain a quick tour leaving the spaceships, satellites and control room out of the tour.
[Josh] “What do you think of the base?” [Captain] “I’m in where do I sign?”
[Josh] “Come with me to meet the Doctor and get your ear piece and PDA and then we need to get you back and pick up the rest of your group.”

After the Doctor put the ear piece in the Captain he started asking questions interacting with the PDA.
Josh and the Captain took the van on the return trip to get the others and there things.
Josh had done recruited four of the pilots before Dan called and Dan had recruited two before he meet the group. The six of them were already at the Base getting started and the rest would make a total of 14 new people in one day.
Several days later the cloaking research had mad a major breakthrough giving them the ability to secretly place satellites anywhere they wanted. The first one to be replaced was the gates after deploying the new one they locked onto the first one and transported it back to the base. Then the next were placed around the planet giving them full coverage of the planet. Then three more were placed in space to get a better view of the system.
The new armor was stronger and more resistant than anything known and a new shield improvement would adsorb part any known energy weapon blast converting it into energy for the ship.
The drones were converting the spaceships over with the new advancements and building four new heavy assault fighters and a newly designed fast four man cloaking reconnaissance fighter for extended tracking and surveillance missions. The main shipyard had began working on the new capital ship Josh wanted.

A special cloaking Carrier with a point to point jump drive was being built to carry four fighters made to look like a average military fighter but with better weaponry. So the next time a spaceship showed up to abduct people they were going stop them using military look a likes. Tag the ship and follow it back to its base with the new recon fighter and gather as much information as they can then plan there next move.

The small explorer class fighter was finished with the refit and ready to go so Josh took Dan and three other pilots on their first space flight.
[Josh] “Base can you see anything?”
[Base] “No Sir we have your position and are looking right at it but no ship or evidence of anything I would say the cloak is a success. Turn off your tracker and engage the stealth mode and move to a new location.”

[Josh] “Ok men we are turning off some of the systems strap in and hold on.”
Josh moved the ship off to a new position and slowly came to a stop and set waiting on the base to try and find them.
[Dan] “Josh have you ever had to stay in space for a long time?” All of the team members knew Josh was from space and the Pilots were all ears waiting on an answer.
[Josh] “Yes a long time ago and it wasn’t fun.”
[Base] “Commander we have scanned and looked over the prearranged area you have completely disappeared from all scans and sight. We are turning on the new scanner enhancements. Sir we have you at these coordinates can you confirm our readings?”
[Josh] “You have us right on the mark turning stealth mode off. I am going to give each of the passengers a chance to fly this bird before we come home. I’ll be tacking up the pilots and assault teams first anyone else who want to take a space flight can put their name on a list and I’ll take them up.”
[Base] “Roger that Commander I’ll be looking forward to it. I’ll hang the list on the control room bulletin board I’m sure it will be full when you get back.”
Josh took everyone on the list up for a two hour flight. Two of the personnel waited to sign the list until three of the flights returned back alright. It took Josh a few days to give them all a ride but when he was finished everyone felt a little more like a team.

[parameter]

More haste, less speed!
Josh is doing the right thing by trying not to attract unwanted attention, in case it precipitates the very cataclysm he is trying to avoid. Has a feel of tension that something could go wrong at the slightest chance..


I like the way he is thinking! Keep up the good work Ed Man.