The Blue People of Cloud Planet Read Online Free PDF Page A

multi–ringed planets and smaller orbs circled around an intensely red star.
     
    ‘Excuse me, General,’ interrupted Scott, ‘are these computer simulations?’
     
    ‘No, they are real time because what you don’t know is that 25 years ago we sent high speed ion engine probes to each of these constellations and they are now returning distant but clearly definable images.’
     
    The General now moved the pointer to a small planet with a strange looking ring structure. ‘This planet is approximately 140 million kilometres from Seren and its infra-red and x-ray analyses show significant water, ice and oxygen. The ring is not dust or small rocks like Saturn but composed entirely of water, so we think this is a cloud collar, which is most unusual.’
     
    ‘Are these the most recent pictures and how old are they?’ asked Steve.
     
    ‘Good question, and no they are not the most recent. They were received 15 years ago and subsequently focussed our attention towards investigating this planet. I will tell you later about the programme to build two, yes two star ships and the development of Mars Base which is, in fact, dedicated to Project Omega.’
     
    The astronauts sat speechless at this revelation.
     
    ‘So that explains the extreme security when we shuttled to Mars?’ queried Olivia, ‘I thought it was going to be a duplicate of Moon Base.’
     
    ‘Yes, this project was only privy to the World Council and a handful of senior personnel at Mars Base. Now I want to show you two events that completely changed our plans and timescale for Omega.’
     
    ‘The images we received 10 years ago started giving a much clearer picture of Cloud Planet as it became known,’ continued the General, ‘and we could discern the unusual ring more clearly with seas and ice caps to either side.’
     
    The picture above them now changed to a planet of striking white and blue with a collar of cloud around the equator.
     
     ‘A beautiful sight isn’t she and can you imagine our euphoria when we started picking up small points of intense light around the equator?’ The excitement in the General’s voice was palpable as the display then showed these pinpricks of light in the cloud.
     
    The silence in the room was broken by Olivia, ‘Are these points of light real or an aberration caused by signals passing through such vast distances?’
     
    ‘Good question and one which we constantly tested ourselves. However, over the next year, and as we got closer, these light specks increased in intensity and smaller ones started appearing alongside the stronger sources. And don’t forget we couldn’t monitor the planet for long periods of its ‘year’ – about 10 of our months - as our probe couldn’t always see its day side.’
     
    ‘Are you saying that there were no pin pricks of light on the night side of the planet?’ contributed Angus. ‘So they could merely be reflections of the planet’s sun?’
     
    ‘Yes, but look more closely, what do you see?’
     
    ‘Why, there’s a pattern!’ cried Scott, ‘They seem to be in equally spaced lines along the equator – how can that be?’
     
    ‘Exactly!’ agreed the General, ‘Now, can you see why we got so excited?’
     
    ‘But General,’ Olivia persisted, ‘you said two events occurred but you’ve only described one.’
     
    ‘Yes, I’ve left the best to last and this occurred 5 years ago,’ he paused and the silence could be cut with a knife, ‘look up now!’
     
    The astronauts stared up and there were audible intakes of breath as one of the stronger points of light started blinking......
     
    –off – on – off – on – off – on– off – on– off – on -
     

Chapter 7
     
    Message from Space
     
     
     
    The astronauts exchanged excited looks, ‘what does it mean?’
     
    ‘It means we are going to have a look!’ the General replied and waited for the penny to drop.
     
    ‘You mean we are going to this star!?’ Scott responded, ‘How can