Dreams of Jupiter

The Adam Paradox

A/N: Round three entry about colonization, use of quotes mandatory.  Quotes appear in bold in the text.

A flat holo-screen appeared in the darkness with a shimmer of light before a schematic of large circles, lines and measurements took shape on its flawless face.  As the last line of glowing red intersected with the largest of the circles, they began to move in a slow dance around each other.

"Jovan Traffic, this is the Saratoga.  Our trajectory calculations are complete and we are ready to initiate the final portion of the Sedna Project.  Please clear our approach vector at the coordinates we submitted in our proposal."

"Saratoga, this is Jovan Traffic.  We have cleared your approach vector and put all graviton monitoring stations on standby.  Please advise your scrumblers to vacate the target area and allow for formation of our cordon."

"Vacating the scrumblers now, Jovan Traffic.  You are go to set up your cordon."

"Thank you, Saratoga.  And you are go to initiate your final phase."

"Thank you, Jovan Traffic.  We are initiating in five, four, three, two, one ... go!"

A shudder went through the chamber in response.  Then a slender figure was stepping out of the shadows to stand close to the holo-screen, now revealed to dominate the chamber, stretching from the floor to the ceiling nearly three metres up.  It was also a good ten metres across, providing a stadium view of the schematic slowly unfolding on its surface.

Against that light and motion, the slender figure was a slice of shadow, standing with hands clasped behind its back as it watched the schematic move for a long moment.  Then it was reaching out to lightly tap the screen at eye height.

Instantly a second image appeared in a square nearly as tall as the figure stood, this one filled with the darkness of space.  Hanging in that darkness was a ruddy, ice-covered dwarf planet around which a north to south ring, like a vertical metal halo, had been built.  The halo was large enough to be visible from a distance despite the ball's obvious size, making it a massive construct.

"Tycondaroga," the figure said in a low, yet feminine voice, revealing itself to be the one who had spoken to Jovan Traffic moments earlier.  "We have been cleared by Jovan Traffic for Sedna's final transition into Jupiter orbit.  Initiate start-up on all graviton compensators."

"Roger that, Saratoga," a voice said out of the darkness.  "Compensators are going hot in three, two, one ... engaging."

The figure nodded in satisfaction as a ring of lights appeared on the vertical halo surrounding the ruddy globe.  At the same time one of the circles on the schematic began to flash, a curving line connecting it to a location beside the largest circle on the board.

"Compensators at 75 percent, 80 percent, 85 percent ... we are seeing gravity flux, Saratoga," the voice from the Tycondaroga reported.

"Roger that, Tycondaroga.  Move your tether ships into position," the figure commanded and watched as symbols representing the tether ships moved into formation around the flashing circle on the schematic.

"Saratoga, this is the Canterbury," a new voice spoke from the darkness.  "All scrumblers are aboard and we are beginning the mass transfer to Sedna's old orbital position."

"Acknowledged, Canterbury," the figure said with another nod.  "The Tycondaroga has initiated graviton compensation and flux has begun to build.  As soon as we have forward motion along the plot, move into position and begin offloading your accumulated mass."

"Roger that, Saratoga.  We are standing by for your signal as we move into position."

The figure made a gesture with her left hand and a second, vertically rectangular holo-screen appeared in that direction, this one also as tall as she was.  It misted into a frosty background against which several shapes representing starships appeared, along with names, function, and position within a fleet.  At the top was the Saratoga, a muscular-looking craft designated as command and control.