In Search Of Elysium

Chapter 16

Becoming spys

Kathy and her crew readied Cloe, for the trip to Elysium. Linda and Laska reviewed instructions for their space walk to change the telecommunications satellites. Kathy and Cody moved the ship through the hanger doors. After a shrill whine and a whoosh they were half-way to Elysium.

"I can't get over that take off," said Kathy. "It is so exhilarating."

"I know what you mean. Do you know where the satellite is?" Cody asked. He knew the dangers of a space walk, and could tell a lot was riding on him and Kathy handling their ship safely.

"Cloe has the coordinates set and we will be within reach of the first satellite in a few minutes," Kathy replied.

She looked at Linda and asked, "Do you have any questions about what you need to do? I know it would have been nice if we had more time to prepare."

Linda laughed and said. "When have we ever had time to prepare? Lately, everything happens at once."

Laska put his arm around Linda's shoulder and said, "We are ready. Linda is just a little nervous because of our last mission at the base."

"Yes, and there better not be any dead people hanging around this satellite. That's all I will say," Linda said.

Gara Barzel, the youngest new crew member helped Linda and Laska into the exit chamber, then closed the door. On Kathy's signal, he opened the exit and made sure the tether cords were secure.

Linda and Laska floated toward the satellite, tools attached to their uniforms. When they reached the satellite, Laska worked for several minutes and removed the control unit.

He looked toward Linda, "OK, your turn, Dear. If you hold the new unit on, I will attach it with these bolts. Make sure it lines up to those marks and bolt holes." They worked together as a team, almost reading each other's minds, and finished in less than twenty minutes.

They completed the remaining two satellite modifications with the same ease, and there were no problems with the space suits and the tether cords held as they returned to the ship for the final time. Linda exhaled a sigh of relief when the exit door closed and the chamber door opened into the ship.

Then they heard the other crew members clapping their hands and cheering as Gara Barzel helped them remove their space suits

"That was a great job," said Kathy. "Now we can get down to Elysium and place all these spy things."

* * *

The first government installation to be receive a bug was in the capital, Olysiarta, a huge ornate cathedral with hundreds of offices on both sides. This was the headquarters of the church-government and their evil police. The government, run by ten so-called gods, elected a leader each year, and when one of them died, the others chose a replacement. Composed of members of just three families, nepotism ran rampant when choosing their fellow gods. There was no justice or legislature, only the god-police. These officers wore black, hooded uniforms like a monks' robe. The material bullet proof, and under their hooded robes were weapons for use against anyone suspected of not worshiping the gods. They were the police, judge, and jury of all disputes. If caught, your life and future was in their hands.

Kathy questioned Cody what it meant to be invisible. "If we are invisible, will I be able to see you and the controls? Or am I getting this wrong?"

Cody laughed. "We will not be invisible, as in transparent. The skin of our ship can be turned into a television screen. Using cameras to capture everything around us, the image is projected on the opposite surface of the ship. If you look up from the ground at us, you will see the sky on the bottom of our ship. To you, we will not be visible."