Choice Chosen: View the research console…
Research Console
Looking at the console labeled “Research,” you see what appears to be a touch-screen monitor with a few buttons on the screen:
Information:
Mission
The Santa Maria
Crew
Mission Information
When you reach out and touch the screen for mission information, the button on the screen flashes just a moment, but then the screen goes completely blank. Before you can figure out what happened, there is a crackling sound from a speaker above the console, as you hear a voice speaking:
“Mission Information. The mission of the Santa Maria is to take 250 people, all volunteers, from a planet known as ‘earth’ in a solar system in the Milky Way galaxy to a planet known as MR-2413B in solar system 2711-A in the red dwarf galaxy. Once these former residents of earth arrive at planet MR-2413B they are to settle the planet and populate the plant in the name of earth.”
The voice pauses a moment, then drones on in a monotone, “The ship is intended to travel at NLS, or near-light speeds, through the various galaxies. It is estimated that the ship will take approximately 50 earth-years to arrive at the destination planet. Because the average life-span of an earth human is currently 80 years, it was decided to place all the volunteers for the journey in suspended animation, in a cryogenic freeze, for the duration of the trip. Only upon arrival at planet MR-2413B, the residents are to be taken out of their suspended animation.”
“The mission is intended to be a peaceful mission. Authorities on planet earth do not know of any other species that may exist outside their own solar system. If any hostile life forms are detected, a communications probe will be automatically sent from the ship to return to planet earth. At the same time, planet MR-2413B is hereby claimed and will be defended by the planet earth in all ways possible from the day of this ship’s arrival on planet MR-2413B.”
The voice stops and the area is completely quiet once again.
Crew Information
A single speaker crackles to life above the console and a computer-generated monotone voice can be heard:
“The crew of the ship will consist of a captain and five crew members. As the ship’s journey is anticipated to take approximately 50 earth-years, the maximum age of any individual crew member shall be 25 years. The crew members will not be placed into suspended animation and instead will maintain and manage the ship during the 50-year journey. Upon arrival at planet MR-2413B, the crew will retire and be taken care of by the 250-member planetary expedition crew throughout their retirement years.”
After a pause, the voice continues, "Captain Malinza Torfen. Age at start of mission: 25. First Officer Pelin Lorthorian. Age at start of mission: 24. Navigator Tarquin Julent. Age at start of mission: 21. Research Officer Lentarkin Solavarious. Age at start of mission: 21. Chief Medical Officer Eris Toofa. Age at start of mission: 24. Medical Assistant Cindel Bi. Age at start of mission: 18.
Silence fills the air as the voice stops speaking.
Santa Maria Information
Touching the screen for Santa Maria information results in the screen going blank. A voice sounds from a hidden speaker above the console:
“The Santa Maria is a unique, one-of-a-kind class starship. It is an experimental ship that is designed for NLS, or near-light-speed travel. In test voyages, it has reached 94.5% of the speed of light successfully. The first true voyage of the ship is the maiden voyage to planet MR-2413B.”
“The Santa Maria is fueled by a form of Uranium 235 that will degrade during the voyage to planet MR-2413B. Based on the estimated half-life of the fuel, the Santa Maria should have enough fuel to make the trip to planet MR-2413B, and still have a slight bit of remaining fuel. It is not expected to make the return trip to planet earth.”
“Upon arrival on planet MR-2413B, the Santa Maria will land at the pre-arranged coordinates. When the ship lands, the automated landing system will dig the ship into the surface of the planet, burying the bottom portion of the ship, containing the fuel and engine portions. The engines will remain functional as the ship serves as a base location for the new colony. After some period of time, the engines will expire, but by that time the new colony should be well-established on the planet’s surface.”
When the voice stops speaking, silence again fills the large, circular room.
- Go check out the captain’s chair…
- Look at the navigation console…
- View the research console…
- Head up the next ladder…