The CHANGI BULLET

Chapter 2 - South East Asia Space Administration

England is a proud island nation, sitting at the southern tip of the Malay peninsula. One particularly famous person once described it as a pearl, nestling in a sea of green. Never invaded or threatened, it flourished in trade and culture over the centuries, and its people, numbering some ten million, now stand at the centre of technological advance and international finance, with a history of producing great leaders and entrepreneurs. It is the envy of the world.

The main population area is nestled right in the heart of the island, while to the east is the region called Changi, and on that coast stands the sprawling facility known as SEASA, or South East Asia Space Administration. Founded in the year 900, it has flown hundreds of missions into space, adding greatly to mankind's knowledge of science and medicine, but as yet not visited any other world of note, with the nearest planet being some fifty million miles away.

The people of England, Indonesia and the world, might go about their business and lives as normal, only occasionally thinking of the fantasy of relocating to another planet. At SEASA, supported by the governments of England, Indonesia, Russia and France, that idea was well underway. The next mission, aboard the brand-new spacecraft Izzati, would be going further than ever before, in search of that new paradise.

'Our Chief Pilot has just gone bat shit crazy in Batavia. He's out.'

Deputy Director, Leo Dovo, made the statement. Normally he was more reserved with his choice of language. He was intelligent and highly-regarded, even if he was one of those men who was too busy to get a haircut or notice that his eyebrows had become hilariously bushy.

Sitting next to him, Director, John Tian, grimaced at the choice of wording, given that the conference room was highly charged and filled with top government ministers and security personnel from the four main countries involved in the project. Every serious face around the teak desk stared at the Deputy Director.

Englishman, John Tian, was a handsome, sixty-year-old man, with his greying hair swept dashingly straight back over his head. He was the steady face of SEASA that the world had come to know. He took a moment to glance through the big plate-glass windows; in the backdrop, beyond the important men and women, stood the Izzati space rocket, looking like a shimmering grey tower block, standing alone above the deep green canopy of the Changi jungle. The Izzati space program at SEASA had been named after the late Professor Joseph Izzati, the Indonesian father of space exploration. A framed photograph of him hung on the wall behind the shaking head of the worried Russian Space Minister, Nicholas Sergeyev.

English Deputy Prime Minister, Sir Gideon Hall, a pale and gormless looking man in his late forties, nevertheless took everyone's attention when he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, asking, 'So, what you're saying is, we're buggered, then?'

'Not necessarily, Sir Gideon,' replied John Tian. 'The second vehicle, the one to take supplies and the first colonists, is identical to the Izzati. So, the crew of that can be reassigned to the exploration mission.'

'What happened to Mr Allbones?' asked the suspicious Russian Space Minister.

John Tian turned to the big bear of a man. 'It really matters not, sir. We should look forward.'

Gideon Hall addressed John Tian. 'We still have the Chinese survival expert on his way?'

Nicholas Sergeyev snorted at the mention of the Chinese crew member, something he had argued long and hard against.

'As far as we know, sir,' replied Tian. 'He's travelling in his own, celebrity way. We hope he makes it in time for the launch.'

'Well,' continued Gideon Hall, 'It seems to me, that apart from this little glitch in personnel, we are still good to go. Anyone care to disagree with that?' He looked around the table, before proceeding. 'Mr Tian, activate the second team of pilots, if you please.'