NanoTec: Flight to a Distant Star

(2)03: 2112: Fire Above the Alien Seas

Elleno and Sir-Caller, captain of the Rockmage and the Petramale respectively were all the hype of the local media. Their recent discovery had solved some mysteries, especially that of the intensity of the solar flares, but their discovery had revealed many more mysteries in the process. Where did this ship come from? What happened to it's crew? And, are they still observing? Another big question was where did the derelict ship come from. If NanoTec were the only humans on the planet, then... Why should there be another human ship, not registered with NanoTec be there? Nobody knows why. Nobody. And that is what the GEV fleet is for and will have to find out. 

Saegen stood by his office windows staring out into the endless blue. Sir-Caller and Elleno had been out at sea for nearly a quarter of a native year already and so much news was already coming in. Already two 'alien' wreckages had already been discovered within the given period of time. Sir-Caller had analyzed the material composition of the hull of the wrecks and had sent the data back to NanoTec main base and outpost, Ellenove, named after Elleno for being the first person to plunge head first into the planet's water, set foot and nearly die on the planet's land. It was an honor reserved for him alone.

Saegen walked back to his desk and picked up Sir-Caller's full report. The hull of the alien vessel was a slightly radioactive, highly temperature resistant metal assumed to be armor against energy weapons. It's chemical composition by mole was about 2% Uranium-238, 30% Iridium, 10% Tungsten, 5% Rhodium, 3% Oxygen and the rest was Copper with traces of Iron and Carbon. There was also an unidentified element within the sample that did not match with any spectrometer measurement of any previously known substance or element. Sir-Caller however, was able to extract about 0.5 grams of this unknown element out of the 6 kilogram sample of armor. It took the form of white 'string' or 'fiber'. By estimation, Sir-Caller concluded that this element was about as pliable as steel and would be able to be made into plates like carbon fiber. What was interesting however, was that this substance could withstand any temperature Sir-Caller subjected it to. Well into 10k degrees Kelvin with a Plasma-Vacuum furnace. It was officially named Aestus-343 and affectionately called Neo-Steel or White Steel by the scientists.

Claev burst into Saegen's office. "Hey! Saegen! The scientists did it! We have graphene!"

"Really? Don't pull my leg."

"I swear by my private parts and dignity, I am not joking here. Take a look at this!"

Claev pulled out a mini coffee machine out of his lab coat. It looked greyish-black and by looking at how Claev held it, it was probably very light, less than 400 grams. 

"Graphene coffee machine!" Claev proudly announced.

Saegen stepped forwards and grabbed it out of Claev's hands. He resisted slightly but the machine eventually left his hands. It had a smooth texture to it and was indeed very light. In fact, it was lighter than what Saegen had expected. When shaken, Saegen could hear the rattling sounds of planet grown coffee beans and the sloshing of water within the machine. 

"Not bad... I am skeptical to call it graphene but..."

With that, Saegen threw the coffee machine down onto the ground with all his might. Claev stared wide eyed at Saegen, ready to scream at him until he noticed the coffee machine recoil off the ground and land at his feet. There was not a single scratch or dent. In fact, it looked just as it did before. Claev picked it up, slowly, wiped the few specks of dust off it and stood it upright on Saegen's desk. Saegen on the other hand observed silently, looking half surprised while doing so. Claev pushed a button on the machine and after 10 seconds and a dull hum, out came a shot of espresso in a foldable paper cup. 

"Want one?" Claev timidly asked.

"Take me to the labs." Saegen replied.

Elleno had taken the fleet up north and had already long left the equator. They traveled for about two and a half native months and the fleet was already in the lower to mid temperate zone. Indeed, the planet was huge, diameter five times as long as Earth's and as a result, progress across the oceans was 'slow'.