NanoTec: Flight to a Distant Star

(2)02: 2112: Blue Horizon

This isn't Earth anymore. NanoTec is now where no man has ever been before. The first successful manned interstellar flight. Two years have passed since their fateful landing on the unknown world and so far, like the European colonists in North America, have only explored the coastline and the area around it in a rough 10 kilometer radius. This is where and when they push further. Extend their reaches and go beyond the blue horizon.

Elleno sat at the foot of his habitation module. The water levels had receded and left the sand on the continental "plateau" slightly damp. It was low tide, probably something to do with the planetary geothermal or tectonic activity which Saegen had not quite pinned down yet. The habitation module on the other hand had been reinforced with collapsible aluminium frames and silvery sheets as protection against solar flares. Sir-Caller walked up to Elleno.

"Sir."

Elleno looked up and nodded. "Done your research?"

"Yes sir. My project on the native flora and fauna is going well. Heck, the big trees taste like bacon."

"What?!"

"Ah, never mind sir."

Sir-Caller sat down next to Elleno. He stretched and yawned.

"Remember how it was like when we first got here Joe?"

"Of course sir. I mean that was only just over a year or two ago..." Sir-Caller's voice trailed off.

Year 2110: The first few months of NanoTec's landing were really hectic. The planet's weather fluctuated a lot and everyone found it difficult adapt every time it did. One day it can be sunny and a hurricane could sweep by the next. The ever so frequent solar flares every fortnight or so would knock out all unsaved data, documents and communications networks for hours. Much effort and hard work was lost, not to mention the few computers thrown out of the window lost due to raging scientists. That was when the inflatable habitations were given their aluminium and silver upgrades. It gave respite to the scientists and engineers, raised morale even though they did not even work at all.

On launch, there was about 120 thousand young men and women on board. A handful of not more than 200 people were unable to board the ship in time and was left behind. They most likely perished in the coming fire. During atmospheric re-entry, a cryostasis sector broke off and fell out of the skies. Another 20 thousand lost. Among those 20 thousand were important crew such as geologists, pilots and maintenance officers the rest had to make do without. Someone had to do their job, be it well or not. Progress was trudgingly slow. 

A day on the planet was about 26.2 Earth hours long and a year was about 488 Earth days long. Every hour was pretty much the same. The engineers would be busy constructing more permanent structures in the place of the inflatable ones, looking at graphs, spreadsheets, blueprints and listening to Saegen's rubbish. The scientists on the other hand would be looking at more graphs, more spreadsheets, taking more precise readings on the geology of the planet, failing to develop new technology and this time not listening to Saegen nagging but Claev on his behalf. It was that boring and repetitive. 

Elleno sighed and got up. "I guess you are right Joe. Days were tough then... Too bad that old friend of mine didn't make it."

"Which one?"

"The security officer of sector 4. His name escapes me."

Sir-Caller nodded silently. 

"By the way, have Saegen and his rows of clowns come up with a name for this planet yet?"

"No sir. But Claev seems to have an idea. 'Serra' in Latin means 'saw' in English as in, I saw something. We saw this planet first... So the name may pivot around that."