Deep Space Settlement - 7. DSS Chapter 7

Each settlement has a central community area, that includes the kitchen and storerooms, a dining room, and recreational lounge, at each end, there are two separate living areas, with 12 - twin bed cabins, and there are two ablutions areas, with storage tanks to store all waste, so it can be removed and treated.

Another building contains the power station and the desalination plant, with water storage tanks outside. Everything was quickly set up and operational by the time the sun was setting, and even the Canadian submariners were impressed at how fast it all came together.

With 18 Sahndrol personnel at each settlement, there was plenty of space to accommodate the 6 Canadian Navy personnel who were being assigned to stay, and with the ok from Commander Adamson, three would go over to Horseshoe Island and three will remain on Arrow Island.

Although I was using the mini-shuttle as my work base, I did take up using one of the cabins for accommodation as it was much more comfortable, and before turning in for the night, I called the other settlement, to check that everything was alright, before calling the Earth base near New Zealand.

“I am glad that you called sir, I have Lord Lenegan on hold, and he wishes to speak to you,” the officer on duty in the communications centre said, and Lucas groaned before asking to be connected. ‘Good evening My Lord, how are things on Ganymede” Lucas said. “Very well thank you, my friend, and I heard you make that groan, is everything ok?” Quinn asked.

“Sorry about that sir, I am just tired that is all. As you have probably been informed, we discovered a new group of islands, appearing out of the water after a large ocean earthquake, located just over 1000 kilometres east-north-east of Bermuda, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

A Canadian submarine arrived early this afternoon, and about an hour later a USAF plane flew over us for the second time today, but this time we had the Canadian flag flying up a flag pole, and we now have the Sahndrol flag also flying, since then, we have two settlement established, and we have done a full survey of each of the five islands, which all have been named” Lucas reported.

“That is good to hear, now what are your thoughts about use for this island, and what other resources do you need?” Quinn asked, “Well sir, as you know, I was preparing to have the Earth base relocated to Bermuda, and possibly the United Nations Headquarters too, but I have a slight snag on that one, as the area I thought would be ideal, has some environmental issues, left from when the US Navy had a base on that site.

Now I am considering having it here on this group of islands, the northern island has a long flat area on top of hill, about 6 metres above sea level, that would be ideal for an airport, with a 5,260-metre long runway, which is more than enough for any large aircraft to land on, including the largest cargo planes they have here on Earth” Lucas replied.

“Very well, we have new material here that will be ideal for that, it is sort of rubber and asphalt combined compound, that is strong and flexible, able to withstand any weight and pressures, and any heat up to 400 degrees Celsius.

The good thing about it, is that it can be made into long lengths rolled up for easier transportation, what is the width of that area?” Quinn asked, “720 metres sir, but I think that just half of that width, at 360 metres will be sufficient for the main runway, and the taxiway, can be half of that width again, at 180 metres Lucas replied.

“Very well, expect a large cargo ship to arrive there in about 4 days’ time, allowing for some time to have it cut to size and loaded onboard the ship” Quinn announced, “Thank you, sir, that will make a big difference,” Lucas said, and after a short chat on other matters the call ended, and Lucas headed over to the settlement to get some sleep.

For the next two days, both teams of Sahndrol settlers were kept busy with planting all the seedlings that they had brought with them, plus the next lot that arrived the next day, with most of the planting being done on Arrow and Horseshoe Islands.

When all of it was completed, an early evening shower of rain helped to water the 3000 new trees, shrubs and ferns that had been planted. AS the submarine crew were preparing to leave, the Commander stepped towards Lucas.

“Sir, I recently received a message from our Embassy in New York, apparently the North Asia Space Consortium’s attempt to establish a Lunar base on the Moon has failed, and what they have built there so far has been abandoned,” the Commander said to Lucas who smiled.

“Thank you Commander, that has made my day, safe journey to where ever you are heading,” Lucas replied, as he watched the dinghy make its way back to the submarine. An hour later, Lucas was relaying the news to the Academy on Mars, so it could be passed onto Ganymede, as the mini-shuttle didn’t have a strong enough signal to reach as far as Jupiter.

Over the next two weeks, activity on the islands was full-on, with the laying of the runway, taxiways and parking apron on Durham Island, the construction of a permanent Air Traffic Control tower, that is only four levels high, with administration offices on the ground and first floor, plus a security centre, staff lounge facilities and a gymnasium on the second floor, and the air traffic control centre on the top floor.

Other buildings constructed on the island, include 12 bungalows, that have 4 bedrooms and two bathrooms each, plus 4 bungalows, with two bedroom and one bathroom, for accommodating staff, a bungalow that contains kitchen and dining facilities, a recreational lounge and food and supplies stores, plus four large aircraft bunkers, each able to hold three fighter aircraft and one helicopter, and a maintenance bunker and storerooms.

There is also a Power and Desalination Plant and water storage tanks behind the control tower, to keep everything operational on that island, and a 200-metre long jetty to allow for smaller boats to moor there,.Lucas had given Commander Adamson a letter to be forwarded to Canadian Air Command, offering the Royal Canadian Airforce the chance to establish a small base on Durham Island, with a no-cost lease of 12 years, with a number of conditions.

On Arrow and Horseshoe Islands, the temporary accommodation was replaced with two bungalows, identical to the four-bedroom bungalows on Durham Island, along with a lounge and dining bungalow with kitchen and storerooms, and another bungalow for general use, for meetings and planning, along with a bunker hanger for the three mini shuttles to be stored in, on Horseshoe Island.

When the day came for the return of the submarine, everyone was surprised when a Frigate flying the Canadian flag arrived, shortly after 0900 hours. Lucas had returned to the island two days earlier, after spending 6 days back at Earth base near New Zealand, and he was on the main beach of Durham Island when two boats arrived full of Canadian Officers’ and men, with some being Naval and others being Airforce.

“Ambassador, Commander Adamson sends his best wishes, I am Commodore Hartley and this is beside me is Air Commodore Rankin. We have come in response to the message that you sent back with Commander Adamson, may we have a tour of your facilities please” the Naval Officer said to Lucas.

“Certainly gentlemen, please follow me. The jetty is to allow ships and boats with a draft of no more than 3 metres to come in, which I believe is too shallow for your Frigate” Lucas began.

“We now have a full-size airport, with a control tower that contains an administration centre, Communications centre, security facilities, and staff lounge and gymnasium, a solar power station, and freshwater desalination plant with storage tanks, as well as 4 Officer bungalows to accommodate 8, and 12 general crew accommodation bungalows to accommodate 48.

Also, on Durham Island, is 4 aircraft bunkers, a maintenance bunker and fuel storage tanks. This is the only island for defence use, the other islands, Arrow to the west, Horseshoe to the east, have small settlements for the United Republic of Planets staff, they have their own accommodation and facilities.

The last two islands to the south, Tsunami and Quake Islands are to remain out of bounds to be kept as a nature reserve, for local sea and birdlife, that may choose to nest there” Lucas said.

“Well, this is far more than we expected to find, and we were expecting us to build our own facilities” the Air Commodore responded, “No sir, it is all that you need, no additional buildings are to be built on the islands, and if you want more buildings, they will be built from Sahndrol materials and building crews.

Just make a request to the Island Superintendent over on Horseshoe island, and I will be notified, no matter where I am, which could be either at the current Earth base near New Zealand, the Space Academy on Mars or at the Capital City of Ganymede near Jupiter” Lucas replied.