CHAPTER 1

"Moonbase Alpha Status Report, May. 25th, year 25, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. We have no real idea of the actual date on Earth so, after realizing that we needed to mark the years that have passed for us here on the moon, we have made our own calendar of sorts. We use the same days and months as Earth, but we have marked the years starting with the first January after Breakaway. The children, of course, are better at remembering than we are. We built a small school on level J, near the Medical Center when Jackie Crawford was old enough and we now have 30 students. We have 49 children in all and Sally Harrington is due any day now. We are also proud to announce that Bill and Annette Fraser's daughter Francis is expecting her first child. This will be our first grandchild born here on Alpha.

We have discovered a new solar system and hopes are again high with the expectation of a habitable planet. We have determined, so far, that our trajectory will pass us extremely close to several planets in this sector. Commander Koenig has sent our first reconnaissance mission to investigate the first planet that we will pass by, to see if it can sustain life."

Helena turned the recorder off, took a deep breath, smoothed down her tunic and headed for Command Center to check on the condition of the pilots.

As she walked down the corridor, she passed the school room. The door was open and she stopped to listen to the history lesson that was being taught. The children ranged in age from 7 to 16 years and they were learning about the nuclear explosion that had hurled the moon out of Earth's orbit.

Helena continued on her way. She remembered that day all too well.

As she entered Command Center and took her seat, Commander John Koenig came up and stood behind her. "How's Carter and Fraser doing out there?" he asked.

Helena turned slightly to face him. "Their pulse and respiration is normal. Bill's blood pressure is up slightly, but that's to be expected, considering they're getting closer to the planet." She smiled as he put his hand on her shoulder. "He's like a kid in a candy store every time we start looking at new planets."

Koenig walked back to his desk laughing. "Aren't we all!" He punched a button and turned on his monitor.

"Launch area 2." A young female lieutenant answered the call.

John smiled at her. "Lieutenant Carter, prepare a refueling Eagle for Eagle 4's return."

"Yes, Commander, Eagle 7's on the pad and its pilot is ready to board."

"Very good, Lieutenant. Have the pilot board and wait for my signal to launch. Koenig, out." John turned off his monitor and turned to Sandra. "Show us long range video from Eagle 4, Saun."

"Yes, Sir." She punched several buttons until she received a picture from the Eagle and then transferred it to the large monitor on the wall for all to see. Koenig stood and came around his desk to stand behind Tony Verdeschi.

"Maya, what do they have on the planet so far?" Koenig said as he took a small step toward her desk.

As he waited, all eyes turned to Maya with expectation on their faces.

Maya bit her lower lip as she punched several buttons in succession and typed up a formula. "All that I get Commander, is that it's approximately 10,000 kl. in diameter and I read oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. I still can't determine the quantity or the ratio of each...yet." She continued to type and manipulate her computer, trying desperately for a more accurate reading.

Koenig walked down the center isle of Command Center, hands on his hips, letting the air out of his cheeks slowly. "How much longer, Saun, until Eagle 4 will start giving us something useful?"

"Five more minutes, Commander." She said.

"Five minutes that are going to feel like an eternity!" Tony quipped. The officers' nervous laughter floated around the room. The silence after was almost deafening.

"Eagle 4 in range in 30 seconds." The room itself seemed to hold its breath while Saun counted down. "5...4...3...2...1. In range, Commander."

"Maya, give it everything you've got, girl." John said as he walked toward her desk.

Maya's fingers moved faster than they ever had before. "Methane is 10%, carbon dioxide is 50%, hydrogen is 30% and oxygen is 10%. Insufficient atmosphere to support human life." Everyone in the room seemed to sink back in their chairs and their countenance dropped.

Commander Koenig rested against Maya's desk, his head bowed. Then he stood and turned to face the others. "Well, there are plenty more planets in this sector to investigate. We'll just keep on scouting until we find one that's suitable." Koenig walked back to his desk and sat down.

As he was about to call Eagle 4 back, Helena called to him. "John, I'm picking up large mineral deposits on the planets' surface. Quartz, magnesium, beryl and titanium. We could at least mine this planet for minerals that we're low on."

John Koenig sat and thought only a moment before setting everyone to work. "Saun, recall Eagle 4. Tony, tell Lieutenant Carter to launch the refueling Eagle. Maya, I want you and Tony to go down to the planet and mine whatever you can before we pass out of range; meet Eagle 4 and take Carter back with you. Helena, I would like you to go along just in case they need a physician."

Helena stood and walked to Koenig's desk. "I'd like to send Linsey Mathias. She needs the field work and this would be an easy assignment for her to get her feet wet." John's brow furrowed. "Do you think she could handle it if things got rough?"

Helena leaned into his desk. "She's had her Phd. and Doctorate for two years now and she'll need the training if we ever hope to have her take over as Chief Medical Officer." Koenig concurred. "Maya," he stopped her at the doorway, "Dr. Linsey Mathias will be taking Dr. Russell's place on this mission."

"Yes, Commander." She acknowledged and headed down the hall to the travel tube.

Maya went to her quarters to change into a pair of pants. As she walked in the door, she noticed that the sitting room area was once again in need of cleaning. She sighed loudly and picked up a few of Tony's things as she passed them. Putting them into the closet as she entered the bedroom, Maya couldn't stop the giggle that passed her lips. Eighteen years of marriage and she still wasn't quite used to sharing a place with Tony.

She was fixing a bag of her own tools to take on the mission, when the door to her quarters flew open and a young Psychon woman, dark auburn hair falling wildly down her back, ran to Maya and grabbed her by the arm. "Mother," she spoke hurriedly, "I just heard that you're going on a recon mission for rocks and stuff!"

Maya smiled at her daughter, knowing what the next question was. "Yes, Antonia, your father and I are going down to the planet to collect minerals."

"Please may I go?" The inevitable question.

"No; and you already know the reason so don't bother to ask me why." Maya replied.

"But Mother, I need the field work just as much as Linsey Mathias does." She argued, vainly.

Maya put her bag over her shoulder and put her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "Doctor Mathias is 5 years older than you and you have yet to train in a pressure suit. There's no atmosphere, it would be foolish for you to go without proper training." She touched her daughter's cheek with her hand and swept a stray hair out of her eyes. "You're so close to finishing your schooling. Then your final base training begins. Patience, Antonia. I know it's difficult at fifteen, but you must try."

Antonia pulled away from Maya and threw herself into a nearby chair. "I already know how to do just about every job on this base. The last part of this training is too long and tedious." She rose from the chair and followed Maya to the door. "This is the only thing left for me to do!" Then she added sarcastically. "I could always go to hydroponics and be a plant if that would help."

"Don't be silly, you know that you can't transform into anything non"human." Maya replied with a hint of a smile in her voice. They reached the door as it slid back to reveal Tony.

"Are you ready?" He held his hand out to Maya. She took it and crossed the threshold into the hall.

"Please, Father may I..." Antonia got no further. "No." Tony used his comlock to shut the door and, hand in hand, he and Maya walked to the launch bay where they boarded the Eagle.