Trip to Titan
Since I don't really use this thing for anything else, I figure I might as well post my most recent story. It is for my Space and Space Travel class and had to have some scientifically accurate facts in it. Its a fairly pointless assignment really, but I won't complain. This is in the form of news articles, a short narration and then journal entries. Keep in mind that I wrote it all in one go and in one night, with no sleep, so I'm sure there are many mistakes in there so feel free to do whatever. I'm going to sleep.
well, here it is:
August 27, 2054
Early yesterday, the scientific world rejoiced with the spectacular take off of the Infinity-Huygens space craft. Inside was the precious cargo of 11 astronauts, all destined to spend years of their life in travel and in residence on Saturn’s moon Titan. These astronauts include, but are not limited to Roger McClellan; son of the late Samuel McClellan, the sole survivor of the ill-advised DC8 space fiasco in 2026. The Infinity-Huygens is equipped with the same space travel technology as the successfully manned mission to Mars in 2022, and the unsuccessful mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa in 2034. This Mini-Magnetosphere Plasma Propulsion was altered from its original design in the Europa mission. Initially the bubble-like magnetic field that surrounded the space craft was opened just after escaping earth’s atmosphere, then discarded after reaching the planet. The M2P2 starts as a small magnetic field that is then filled with a plasma of nitrogen. It eventually is inflated to a diameter of 40 km. The plasma that fills this balloon of magnetic energy protects the crew of the spacecraft from the Sun’s radiation. This plasma filled balloon then is pushed by the solar wind. The solar wind is a constant stream of hydrogen and helium plasma ejected from the Sun’s upper atmosphere. It has an average speed of 450 km/s and fluctuates between 250 and 850 km/s. The differences between these two speeds can cause electrical storms that, on earth, will knock out power grids. The M2P2 deals with this obstacle by having a backup magnetic source that activates to increase the stability of the bubble when a high energy storm draws near. Soon after the second magnet is activated, more plasma is injected into the bubble, insuring the protection of the crew and equally important the electrical equipment onboard the Infinity-Huygens. The first use of this technology was in the Mars mission and the discarding feature was later deemed not efficient enough to be realistic for longer missions. It was instead altered to be packed away and released again as needed. In the Jupiter mission, during the first re-packing phase, the equipment to create the bubble was irreparably damaged. The Infinity-Huygens mission is estimated to take four years to arrive at Titan. This long in space travel may raise eyebrows with many; however, the M2P2 acts just like the earth’s magnetosphere by absorbing most energetic and harmful photons from the sun. Another layer of ionized particles around the outside of the ship continue to protect the crew from ultraviolet radiation. The spacecraft is also equipped with a small car-like vehicle that is known as the “Tumbler” by the crew. The Tumbler has an enormously efficient nitrogen powered engine. Titan’s atmosphere, being composed primarily of nitrogen will be the primary fuel source for this vehicle as it carries the team from landmark to landmark on the surface of Titan’s icy crust. The process which makes the nitrogen engine so efficient is the nitrogen running through a mercury plasma. This engine and its sister that will be housed on board is probably the most important bit of equipment to the mission, as both will supply the power for the habitat the astronauts will be staying in for an extended period of time. The Tumbler is airtight and capable of being submerged in liquid methane, as it is believed there are lakes and perhaps even seas of methane on Titan’s surface. In addition the Tumbler has a central cylinder that the wheels are connected to. This central cylinder is separated into three sections, each attached to two wheels, and rotates as the surface below it changes. Around this cylinder are three chambers, one for the crew, one for samples that are picked up from the Titian surface and one general equipment storage bay. This design makes it very difficult for it to be flipped. While it cannot maneuver in liquid it can release ballast attached to cables so that it can float. With a projected landing date of December 17, 2057, researchers and space enthusiasts alike hold their breathe in preparation for the first space-base on one of the Jovian Planet’s moons.
August 28, 2054
Yesterday, the team of astronauts aboard the Infinity-Huygens had the first victory of what is hopefully many in their trip to Saturn’s moon Titan. They broke orbit and the M2P2’s magnetic field successfully deployed with no problems or hitches. With a cheer from the cabin the Infinity-Huygens sped off on the assigned route towards Titan. Ahead of them is a four year trip in the confines of their space craft, during the middle of which they must rig the sail of M2P2 to slow them down from their speed in order to arrive at Titan within manageable maneuvering speeds so as to pack away the plasma and magnetic field generator and land without incident or injury. Our hearts go with them on this journey.
April 14, 2056
Some of you may remember in late August of ’54 when the Infinity-Huygens space-craft took off from Earth on its 4 year journey to Saturn’s moon Titan. The Infinity-Huygens used the M2P2 technology which uses a magnetic field to sail on the solar winds. Last night, the magnetic field was altered so as to slow the craft down on its way to Titan. Infinity-Huygens is scheduled to arrive into Saturn’s orbit in a little less than two years and then spend a short while maneuvering to land onto Titan. Hopefully the crew of the Infinity-Huygens will have no problems in the years ahead in order to make huge leaps in human knowledge and technology.
September 18, 2056
Tragedy struck today when a small meteor slammed into the Infinity-Huygens, the spacecraft traveling towards Saturn’s moon Titan, causing an unknown amount of damage but knocking out communications with the craft. Scientists are working around the clock to come up with some other way to connect with the team of astronauts aboard the now isolated voyage. This won’t necessarily put the mission in jeopardy, as the craft is self sufficient and fully capable in fulfilling the rest of the mission by itself, but it will just be a long while till we have any more concrete data from the Infinity-Huygens. Through telescopes and other probes we have in the area we can monitor their progress and determine if there is still life aboard the spacecraft, but as of now we have no direct communication.
July 22, 2058
Today the scientific community detected the first signs of life from the Infinity-Huygens since the spacecraft was hit with a glancing blow by a small meteor in mid-September of 2056. This blow disabled their communications with Earth and they have been without outside support since then. Today the craft initiated the first pre-planned maneuvers in the landing process for docking with Titan’s surface. We know of their movements from the Castor-Pollux telescope, habitually looking at the Gemini constellation, but in this state of emergency it has been turned to keep track of the wayward spacecraft. In a few days, if all goes well the space craft will disappear from Castor-Pollux’s view underneath the surface of Titan’s nitrogen cloud atmosphere. It is a joyous sign for the scientific world, and brings hope that, while we have no information now, when the Infinity-Huygens returns to Earth it will have a wealth of scientific information. Here is to hoping.
August 3, 2058
Today, the Infinity-Huygens disappeared beneath the atmospheric surface of Saturn’s moon Titan, since its disappearance from radio in 2056, we have had no direct contact with the spacecraft. The only source of information on what has been going on inside the Infinity-Huygens is the pictures we have obtained from the Castor-Pollux. This is the nearest telescope to the Saturn moon system. While no concrete estimate of the time the astronauts should be living on the surface of Titan has been made, a general idea of two to three years has been made till they re-emerge from the nitrogen gas of Titan, this is the time it will take for the spacecraft’s nitrogen engines to make enough excess fuel to escape Titan’s orbit and then release the plasma sails of the M2P2.
May 8, 2063
Today is a sad day in the scientific and civilian world alike. It has now been given up hope that the crew of the Infinity-Huygens has been declared lost in space. No direct communication has been received from them since September 18, 2056. the last sign of life detected from the Infinity-Huygens was on July 22, 2058. On August 3, 2058 the spacecraft disappeared from our detection and there has been no sign of them since. Their projected date of departure, even given the longest model for the mission, was last year. So, with a heavy heart, the scientific world has pronounced the mission a failure. Not to give up hope, a team has already begun planning a new mission to Titan. It will be a simple go in and come back, based completely on the assumption that the Infinity-Huygens landed successfully and gathered information about Titan in the years that we had no contact with them. A projected date of April 2065 has been made for the Infinity-Recovery mission. It will use the same technology with the expected changes that our advancement in science warrents, with a crew of about 5 which is smaller than half the size of the crew of the original Infinity-Huygens crew.
June 23, 2064
New advancements in space travel technology have been made, allowing the crew of future missions to places outside of Earth’s orbit to be lowered dramatically. The space world is reveling in the advancement of gravity drives allowing spacecrafts to create their own gravity, and while this gravity does not equal Earth’s it is a large percentage greater than any previously achieved gravity. Also, with this new gravity device, the amount of maintenance that needs to be done on the equipment for the mission is much less than what was needed before the gravity device. This advancement, in itself, decreases the cost of a manned space flight. With this newly developed technology NASA is able to make many of its missions that are already in planning to be cheaper in cost and easier in planning. A flurry of new ideas have been planned and put into motion mat NASA, these ideas had previously not been possible because of either the expense or the sheer lack of man power. The most immediate of these plans involves the Infinity-Recovery mission. The time table of this launch has been shortened to next year, sometime in March.
June 13, 2065
Today the Infinity-Recovery spacecraft escaped Earth’s gravitational pull and its M2P2 device sped the craft on its way towards the Saturn moon system. In 2068 the space craft is scheduled to touch down shortly on the moon Titan, recover whatever data it can from the original Infinity-Huygens Titan Station and then disembark as soon as the planets re-align so as to fulfill the journey back to Earth as quickly as possible. All in all it is predicted to be a relatively short and easy trip.
November 26, 2068
Deep space has again been conquered but man’s scientific prowess. The Infinity-Recovery spacecraft has detected the Infinity-Huygens Titan Station and only after a day of orbiting Saturn’s moon Titan the spacecraft has descended into the nitrogen haze that is Titan’s atmosphere. Within the week the Infinity-Recovery should re-emerge and start its journey back to Earth, with its precious cargo of information gathered by the Infinity-Huygens.
When the Infinity-Recovery spacecraft re-emerged from the nitrogen atmosphere of Titan, editors of the science newspapers and civilian newspapers alike gathered around and discussed what to do with the new found information. What was discovered in the original mission site was a dead space station. Bodies were strewn here and there as though they died doing menial chores or even sleeping. Except for one body, this corpse had bludgeoning marks to its head. It was Roger McClellan, arguably the most experienced of the crew, he was laid out in the storage room in a composed manner, indicating that he was killed well before the rest of the crew died. In addition the Tumbler was missing from the station and the sister Nitrogen Engine was seemingly sabotaged. The body count showed that two crew members were missing. While a plethora of scientific information was recovered from the site, there was only one article of evidence was recovered that might hint as to what had actually happened on the distant moon. This piece of evidence was the journal of Anne Claire. With almost all of the pages either scribbled over with nonsense, scratched to illegibility or torn completely out, the only pages remaining are those following this. What can be immediately made out is that it was started on September 18, 2056, the very day that the Infinity-Huygens lost communication with Earth…
September 18, 2056
This is the journal of Anne Claire onboard the Infinity-Huygens spacecraft. We are on a mission to Saturn’s moon of Titan. We will arrive in two years and plan to stay on the surface of the moon for at least three years. We will gather data from surrounding physical land marks and the atmosphere in general. We will collect samples from the surface at different levels, the different levels will be achieved by the use of a drill and collecting rock samples from different locations around the blast radius of a crater. Yesterday we lost communication with Earth. That is why Samuel McClellan, the unofficial leader of our crew instructed me to keep this journal, so we could keep the human factor of this mission. I am to “write down the feelings I am going through as well as whatever scientific findings I find relevant”. I suppose since I’m doing this anyway I might as well start out by saying I think that “Cap’n McClelly” is a sexist bastard. Instead of giving me some sort of real job aboard the Infinity-Huygens he assigns me to keep this journal.
December 22, 2056
There was another fight today in the dining room, it was between Terry and Max. This time I witnessed all of it. How could I not? It started as soon as I entered the room. I would swear that it stared because of me, I mean, I entered, they shared a look and then both moved from their meals, ran into each other and then the fight began. These are beginning to become irritating, it seems like every day there is another fight.
February 12, 2057
Terry was killed today in a fight. I’m not being let know who killed Terry, they are afraid it would make me hysterical. Personally I think not knowing is just as bad or worse. I also think that it was that bastard Samuel. I’m sure he is always looking at me when I’m in the room with him. I wonder if its because someone was getting depressed because of Valentine’s Day… its hard to tell with men. I’m not really like them.
November 3, 2057
Damnit damnit damnit. Max took apart the second nitrogen engine, not the one in the Tumbler, but the extra. Supposedly in efforts to salvage needed pieces to fix the communications with Earth. Of course it didn’t work, and it was against specific orders from Captain McClellan not to. Honestly if they can’t follow his orders about that then what good is his newfound ‘rank’. It makes no sense to me why they need a hierarchy in the ship.
November 8, 2057
I wonder what place I have in this hierarchy… I wish there had been more women on this ‘voyage’. Its odd being the only one.
March 10, 2058
I think Max was watching me change today, even at the best of times it is creepy here, but I really wish the Captain would take care of this problem.
July 22, 2058
Today we initiated the first maneuver in our Titan landing sequence. Normally I would be in a great mood, but it seems some of the men have taken to playing practical jokes on each other, and their most current one was to steal my underwear and dress one of them in it while he was asleep. I’m not overly appreciative, plus I’m not sure I got it all back.
August 3, 2058
Well as long as I’m keeping this stupid journal I might as well make some good out of it. We entered the atmosphere of Titan today, as we knew before it is composed primarily of nitrogen. We passed through a cloud layer that was more of a thick fog the thinned to a haze. Because if the thick upper atmosphere very little sunlight reaches the surface of Titan so it seems we will be stuck in a perpetual darker than dusk. However, with our various radars and other sensors that the men haven’t bothered explaining to me we are apparently able to detect a methane lake near our landing spot, so that’s one bit of good news, we wont have to travel far to test out the Tumbler. Another bit of expected information is that it is negative 300 degrees Fahrenheit, definitely need to remember to not go outside… ever. Too damn cold for me. Anyway, it seems as though my help is needed in bring us down, a rare occurrence that I am needed, I might as well make the most of it.
October 11, 2058
I caught one of them watching me today, I’m not sure which it was, I think it might have been the Captain or Max. I have to admit though, I think I’m beginning to understand what it is they want, and I can’t say I’m comfortable with it. I think the Captain has his own ideas for me as he gives orders to the rest of the crew to go and research and collect data, but I stay in the station and wait. What am I waiting for. What are they waiting for?
November 22, 2058
Look at them, working working working, I can’t understand it, they aren’t working they are watching me, staring at me, its sick, its awful whats in their eyes. They are going to ruin the mission.
December 20, 2058
I can feel them at night, all watching me, they have my underwear, they have taken more than I had, I don’t know how they did it but its all gone and more. The Captain isn’t any help, he is even worse than they are, he whips them into a frenzy only to keep them at bay and even join them in their tempted gazes.
December 27, 2058
Christmas passed, I’m not sure how, but it did. They are getting worse by the day. Sometime I’m sure I can feel them behind me ready to .. I dare not think what they are ready to do at this point. Maybe it’s the point that I should be worried about. The Captain is the cause of this
January 3, 2059
There haven’t been many fights lately. They are saving their strength, saving their violence, but for what? Could it be for me? Are they saving it up for me? They don’t dare. No. The men don’t. but the Captain, the Captain dares anything he wishes. He is all powerful here. He likes it too, he wants to stay here where he is in command. They are going to use me to stay here. I’ll let them stay here, no, I’ll enable them to stay here. I have to hurry, this isn’t going to work how does one escape a planet?
January 7, 2059
I almost made it out, but the Captain caught me. I was so close to making it out the space station and off our little planet. That Captain. He watches me all the time now, he claims he leaves during my showers.. but I know him. I know his like. I can sense his eyes on me in the bathroom, in the shower, in the dressing room, I can’t get away from him, I have to get out that’s the only way to escape.
January 8, 2059
I was even closer, I had made it into the airlock and one set of doors had closed, but the Captain over rode the system before .. before.. ahh he caught me. Hes locked me in a room now, I don’t know where. I would if the men had ever taught me anything, shown me something instead of staring at me all day and all night. If they had worked instead of watched I would know where I am. This was their plan the whole time that’s why they didn’t work me.
January 12, 2059
Watching me. Its so dark, they have my underwear. Captain. Behind it. Behind me. He has all of it. Even my own. I need it back to get out. Somehow they know my plan. Max. Max is guarding my door. Door Max. A max is always there, alone, or not alone, there is always one. The Captain though. I have to escape, but they will catch me with their car. Max destroyed one, and they thought I didn’t work then, oh I was watching, I was watching how he broke it. He took it apart with the metal piece. With the.. parts. And overloaded it with gas, because the gas came out into my face, it was altered nitrogen though. I inhaled it after max broke the engine, but I hid it from them, they still don’t know I was there and know how to break their power.
This was the last entry.
well, here it is:
August 27, 2054
Early yesterday, the scientific world rejoiced with the spectacular take off of the Infinity-Huygens space craft. Inside was the precious cargo of 11 astronauts, all destined to spend years of their life in travel and in residence on Saturn’s moon Titan. These astronauts include, but are not limited to Roger McClellan; son of the late Samuel McClellan, the sole survivor of the ill-advised DC8 space fiasco in 2026. The Infinity-Huygens is equipped with the same space travel technology as the successfully manned mission to Mars in 2022, and the unsuccessful mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa in 2034. This Mini-Magnetosphere Plasma Propulsion was altered from its original design in the Europa mission. Initially the bubble-like magnetic field that surrounded the space craft was opened just after escaping earth’s atmosphere, then discarded after reaching the planet. The M2P2 starts as a small magnetic field that is then filled with a plasma of nitrogen. It eventually is inflated to a diameter of 40 km. The plasma that fills this balloon of magnetic energy protects the crew of the spacecraft from the Sun’s radiation. This plasma filled balloon then is pushed by the solar wind. The solar wind is a constant stream of hydrogen and helium plasma ejected from the Sun’s upper atmosphere. It has an average speed of 450 km/s and fluctuates between 250 and 850 km/s. The differences between these two speeds can cause electrical storms that, on earth, will knock out power grids. The M2P2 deals with this obstacle by having a backup magnetic source that activates to increase the stability of the bubble when a high energy storm draws near. Soon after the second magnet is activated, more plasma is injected into the bubble, insuring the protection of the crew and equally important the electrical equipment onboard the Infinity-Huygens. The first use of this technology was in the Mars mission and the discarding feature was later deemed not efficient enough to be realistic for longer missions. It was instead altered to be packed away and released again as needed. In the Jupiter mission, during the first re-packing phase, the equipment to create the bubble was irreparably damaged. The Infinity-Huygens mission is estimated to take four years to arrive at Titan. This long in space travel may raise eyebrows with many; however, the M2P2 acts just like the earth’s magnetosphere by absorbing most energetic and harmful photons from the sun. Another layer of ionized particles around the outside of the ship continue to protect the crew from ultraviolet radiation. The spacecraft is also equipped with a small car-like vehicle that is known as the “Tumbler” by the crew. The Tumbler has an enormously efficient nitrogen powered engine. Titan’s atmosphere, being composed primarily of nitrogen will be the primary fuel source for this vehicle as it carries the team from landmark to landmark on the surface of Titan’s icy crust. The process which makes the nitrogen engine so efficient is the nitrogen running through a mercury plasma. This engine and its sister that will be housed on board is probably the most important bit of equipment to the mission, as both will supply the power for the habitat the astronauts will be staying in for an extended period of time. The Tumbler is airtight and capable of being submerged in liquid methane, as it is believed there are lakes and perhaps even seas of methane on Titan’s surface. In addition the Tumbler has a central cylinder that the wheels are connected to. This central cylinder is separated into three sections, each attached to two wheels, and rotates as the surface below it changes. Around this cylinder are three chambers, one for the crew, one for samples that are picked up from the Titian surface and one general equipment storage bay. This design makes it very difficult for it to be flipped. While it cannot maneuver in liquid it can release ballast attached to cables so that it can float. With a projected landing date of December 17, 2057, researchers and space enthusiasts alike hold their breathe in preparation for the first space-base on one of the Jovian Planet’s moons.
August 28, 2054
Yesterday, the team of astronauts aboard the Infinity-Huygens had the first victory of what is hopefully many in their trip to Saturn’s moon Titan. They broke orbit and the M2P2’s magnetic field successfully deployed with no problems or hitches. With a cheer from the cabin the Infinity-Huygens sped off on the assigned route towards Titan. Ahead of them is a four year trip in the confines of their space craft, during the middle of which they must rig the sail of M2P2 to slow them down from their speed in order to arrive at Titan within manageable maneuvering speeds so as to pack away the plasma and magnetic field generator and land without incident or injury. Our hearts go with them on this journey.
April 14, 2056
Some of you may remember in late August of ’54 when the Infinity-Huygens space-craft took off from Earth on its 4 year journey to Saturn’s moon Titan. The Infinity-Huygens used the M2P2 technology which uses a magnetic field to sail on the solar winds. Last night, the magnetic field was altered so as to slow the craft down on its way to Titan. Infinity-Huygens is scheduled to arrive into Saturn’s orbit in a little less than two years and then spend a short while maneuvering to land onto Titan. Hopefully the crew of the Infinity-Huygens will have no problems in the years ahead in order to make huge leaps in human knowledge and technology.
September 18, 2056
Tragedy struck today when a small meteor slammed into the Infinity-Huygens, the spacecraft traveling towards Saturn’s moon Titan, causing an unknown amount of damage but knocking out communications with the craft. Scientists are working around the clock to come up with some other way to connect with the team of astronauts aboard the now isolated voyage. This won’t necessarily put the mission in jeopardy, as the craft is self sufficient and fully capable in fulfilling the rest of the mission by itself, but it will just be a long while till we have any more concrete data from the Infinity-Huygens. Through telescopes and other probes we have in the area we can monitor their progress and determine if there is still life aboard the spacecraft, but as of now we have no direct communication.
July 22, 2058
Today the scientific community detected the first signs of life from the Infinity-Huygens since the spacecraft was hit with a glancing blow by a small meteor in mid-September of 2056. This blow disabled their communications with Earth and they have been without outside support since then. Today the craft initiated the first pre-planned maneuvers in the landing process for docking with Titan’s surface. We know of their movements from the Castor-Pollux telescope, habitually looking at the Gemini constellation, but in this state of emergency it has been turned to keep track of the wayward spacecraft. In a few days, if all goes well the space craft will disappear from Castor-Pollux’s view underneath the surface of Titan’s nitrogen cloud atmosphere. It is a joyous sign for the scientific world, and brings hope that, while we have no information now, when the Infinity-Huygens returns to Earth it will have a wealth of scientific information. Here is to hoping.
August 3, 2058
Today, the Infinity-Huygens disappeared beneath the atmospheric surface of Saturn’s moon Titan, since its disappearance from radio in 2056, we have had no direct contact with the spacecraft. The only source of information on what has been going on inside the Infinity-Huygens is the pictures we have obtained from the Castor-Pollux. This is the nearest telescope to the Saturn moon system. While no concrete estimate of the time the astronauts should be living on the surface of Titan has been made, a general idea of two to three years has been made till they re-emerge from the nitrogen gas of Titan, this is the time it will take for the spacecraft’s nitrogen engines to make enough excess fuel to escape Titan’s orbit and then release the plasma sails of the M2P2.
May 8, 2063
Today is a sad day in the scientific and civilian world alike. It has now been given up hope that the crew of the Infinity-Huygens has been declared lost in space. No direct communication has been received from them since September 18, 2056. the last sign of life detected from the Infinity-Huygens was on July 22, 2058. On August 3, 2058 the spacecraft disappeared from our detection and there has been no sign of them since. Their projected date of departure, even given the longest model for the mission, was last year. So, with a heavy heart, the scientific world has pronounced the mission a failure. Not to give up hope, a team has already begun planning a new mission to Titan. It will be a simple go in and come back, based completely on the assumption that the Infinity-Huygens landed successfully and gathered information about Titan in the years that we had no contact with them. A projected date of April 2065 has been made for the Infinity-Recovery mission. It will use the same technology with the expected changes that our advancement in science warrents, with a crew of about 5 which is smaller than half the size of the crew of the original Infinity-Huygens crew.
June 23, 2064
New advancements in space travel technology have been made, allowing the crew of future missions to places outside of Earth’s orbit to be lowered dramatically. The space world is reveling in the advancement of gravity drives allowing spacecrafts to create their own gravity, and while this gravity does not equal Earth’s it is a large percentage greater than any previously achieved gravity. Also, with this new gravity device, the amount of maintenance that needs to be done on the equipment for the mission is much less than what was needed before the gravity device. This advancement, in itself, decreases the cost of a manned space flight. With this newly developed technology NASA is able to make many of its missions that are already in planning to be cheaper in cost and easier in planning. A flurry of new ideas have been planned and put into motion mat NASA, these ideas had previously not been possible because of either the expense or the sheer lack of man power. The most immediate of these plans involves the Infinity-Recovery mission. The time table of this launch has been shortened to next year, sometime in March.
June 13, 2065
Today the Infinity-Recovery spacecraft escaped Earth’s gravitational pull and its M2P2 device sped the craft on its way towards the Saturn moon system. In 2068 the space craft is scheduled to touch down shortly on the moon Titan, recover whatever data it can from the original Infinity-Huygens Titan Station and then disembark as soon as the planets re-align so as to fulfill the journey back to Earth as quickly as possible. All in all it is predicted to be a relatively short and easy trip.
November 26, 2068
Deep space has again been conquered but man’s scientific prowess. The Infinity-Recovery spacecraft has detected the Infinity-Huygens Titan Station and only after a day of orbiting Saturn’s moon Titan the spacecraft has descended into the nitrogen haze that is Titan’s atmosphere. Within the week the Infinity-Recovery should re-emerge and start its journey back to Earth, with its precious cargo of information gathered by the Infinity-Huygens.
When the Infinity-Recovery spacecraft re-emerged from the nitrogen atmosphere of Titan, editors of the science newspapers and civilian newspapers alike gathered around and discussed what to do with the new found information. What was discovered in the original mission site was a dead space station. Bodies were strewn here and there as though they died doing menial chores or even sleeping. Except for one body, this corpse had bludgeoning marks to its head. It was Roger McClellan, arguably the most experienced of the crew, he was laid out in the storage room in a composed manner, indicating that he was killed well before the rest of the crew died. In addition the Tumbler was missing from the station and the sister Nitrogen Engine was seemingly sabotaged. The body count showed that two crew members were missing. While a plethora of scientific information was recovered from the site, there was only one article of evidence was recovered that might hint as to what had actually happened on the distant moon. This piece of evidence was the journal of Anne Claire. With almost all of the pages either scribbled over with nonsense, scratched to illegibility or torn completely out, the only pages remaining are those following this. What can be immediately made out is that it was started on September 18, 2056, the very day that the Infinity-Huygens lost communication with Earth…
September 18, 2056
This is the journal of Anne Claire onboard the Infinity-Huygens spacecraft. We are on a mission to Saturn’s moon of Titan. We will arrive in two years and plan to stay on the surface of the moon for at least three years. We will gather data from surrounding physical land marks and the atmosphere in general. We will collect samples from the surface at different levels, the different levels will be achieved by the use of a drill and collecting rock samples from different locations around the blast radius of a crater. Yesterday we lost communication with Earth. That is why Samuel McClellan, the unofficial leader of our crew instructed me to keep this journal, so we could keep the human factor of this mission. I am to “write down the feelings I am going through as well as whatever scientific findings I find relevant”. I suppose since I’m doing this anyway I might as well start out by saying I think that “Cap’n McClelly” is a sexist bastard. Instead of giving me some sort of real job aboard the Infinity-Huygens he assigns me to keep this journal.
December 22, 2056
There was another fight today in the dining room, it was between Terry and Max. This time I witnessed all of it. How could I not? It started as soon as I entered the room. I would swear that it stared because of me, I mean, I entered, they shared a look and then both moved from their meals, ran into each other and then the fight began. These are beginning to become irritating, it seems like every day there is another fight.
February 12, 2057
Terry was killed today in a fight. I’m not being let know who killed Terry, they are afraid it would make me hysterical. Personally I think not knowing is just as bad or worse. I also think that it was that bastard Samuel. I’m sure he is always looking at me when I’m in the room with him. I wonder if its because someone was getting depressed because of Valentine’s Day… its hard to tell with men. I’m not really like them.
November 3, 2057
Damnit damnit damnit. Max took apart the second nitrogen engine, not the one in the Tumbler, but the extra. Supposedly in efforts to salvage needed pieces to fix the communications with Earth. Of course it didn’t work, and it was against specific orders from Captain McClellan not to. Honestly if they can’t follow his orders about that then what good is his newfound ‘rank’. It makes no sense to me why they need a hierarchy in the ship.
November 8, 2057
I wonder what place I have in this hierarchy… I wish there had been more women on this ‘voyage’. Its odd being the only one.
March 10, 2058
I think Max was watching me change today, even at the best of times it is creepy here, but I really wish the Captain would take care of this problem.
July 22, 2058
Today we initiated the first maneuver in our Titan landing sequence. Normally I would be in a great mood, but it seems some of the men have taken to playing practical jokes on each other, and their most current one was to steal my underwear and dress one of them in it while he was asleep. I’m not overly appreciative, plus I’m not sure I got it all back.
August 3, 2058
Well as long as I’m keeping this stupid journal I might as well make some good out of it. We entered the atmosphere of Titan today, as we knew before it is composed primarily of nitrogen. We passed through a cloud layer that was more of a thick fog the thinned to a haze. Because if the thick upper atmosphere very little sunlight reaches the surface of Titan so it seems we will be stuck in a perpetual darker than dusk. However, with our various radars and other sensors that the men haven’t bothered explaining to me we are apparently able to detect a methane lake near our landing spot, so that’s one bit of good news, we wont have to travel far to test out the Tumbler. Another bit of expected information is that it is negative 300 degrees Fahrenheit, definitely need to remember to not go outside… ever. Too damn cold for me. Anyway, it seems as though my help is needed in bring us down, a rare occurrence that I am needed, I might as well make the most of it.
October 11, 2058
I caught one of them watching me today, I’m not sure which it was, I think it might have been the Captain or Max. I have to admit though, I think I’m beginning to understand what it is they want, and I can’t say I’m comfortable with it. I think the Captain has his own ideas for me as he gives orders to the rest of the crew to go and research and collect data, but I stay in the station and wait. What am I waiting for. What are they waiting for?
November 22, 2058
Look at them, working working working, I can’t understand it, they aren’t working they are watching me, staring at me, its sick, its awful whats in their eyes. They are going to ruin the mission.
December 20, 2058
I can feel them at night, all watching me, they have my underwear, they have taken more than I had, I don’t know how they did it but its all gone and more. The Captain isn’t any help, he is even worse than they are, he whips them into a frenzy only to keep them at bay and even join them in their tempted gazes.
December 27, 2058
Christmas passed, I’m not sure how, but it did. They are getting worse by the day. Sometime I’m sure I can feel them behind me ready to .. I dare not think what they are ready to do at this point. Maybe it’s the point that I should be worried about. The Captain is the cause of this
January 3, 2059
There haven’t been many fights lately. They are saving their strength, saving their violence, but for what? Could it be for me? Are they saving it up for me? They don’t dare. No. The men don’t. but the Captain, the Captain dares anything he wishes. He is all powerful here. He likes it too, he wants to stay here where he is in command. They are going to use me to stay here. I’ll let them stay here, no, I’ll enable them to stay here. I have to hurry, this isn’t going to work how does one escape a planet?
January 7, 2059
I almost made it out, but the Captain caught me. I was so close to making it out the space station and off our little planet. That Captain. He watches me all the time now, he claims he leaves during my showers.. but I know him. I know his like. I can sense his eyes on me in the bathroom, in the shower, in the dressing room, I can’t get away from him, I have to get out that’s the only way to escape.
January 8, 2059
I was even closer, I had made it into the airlock and one set of doors had closed, but the Captain over rode the system before .. before.. ahh he caught me. Hes locked me in a room now, I don’t know where. I would if the men had ever taught me anything, shown me something instead of staring at me all day and all night. If they had worked instead of watched I would know where I am. This was their plan the whole time that’s why they didn’t work me.
January 12, 2059
Watching me. Its so dark, they have my underwear. Captain. Behind it. Behind me. He has all of it. Even my own. I need it back to get out. Somehow they know my plan. Max. Max is guarding my door. Door Max. A max is always there, alone, or not alone, there is always one. The Captain though. I have to escape, but they will catch me with their car. Max destroyed one, and they thought I didn’t work then, oh I was watching, I was watching how he broke it. He took it apart with the metal piece. With the.. parts. And overloaded it with gas, because the gas came out into my face, it was altered nitrogen though. I inhaled it after max broke the engine, but I hid it from them, they still don’t know I was there and know how to break their power.
This was the last entry.