The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3) Read Online Free PDF

history of mankind. “
    A new age is about to begin doctor. Humanity will soon turn towards space again.
    The NASA scientist looked at the president with eyes that showed joy.
    “Mr. President that will require a lot of research and time, the ship will have to be a lot bigger than anything we ever built and …”
    “I know doctor. That is why you will also have the help from the private sector in this project. All the companies that have built smaller spaceships for taking people in space will be involved. “
    The NASA scientist looked surprised.
    “I thought that this will be regarded as a national secret.”
    The president smiled.
    “I wish it was that easy. You are well aware that the secret is already out. The information the probe sent was received not just by NASA but by millions of other agencies and everyone who is searching the net can find it. We managed to hide it so far but that won’t last. By allowing the civilian sector and private companies to be involved we will limit the damage.
    What I want to know from you is how long will it take for the ship to be build.”
    Paterson scratched his head and thought for couple of minutes. The rest of the people in the room looked at him with looks that would put a Spartan to shame for his indiscretion. But he paid them no heed. The President only smiled. He saw the chief executive of NASA smiling as well. They both knew that the doctor never liked politics and always hated coming to Washington. His dreams and true passion lay exactly in the field he was offering him. He was the lead scientist in the Long Shot project. He was the one that insisted on the program and did everything in his power to acquire the funding for it. And he was the right man for this job.
    “With the help of the private sector and if there are no financial setbacks I think that we can have a ship in fifteen to eighteen months.”
    The other people in the room looked at him. The President just smiled.
    “Very well I expect a report about the project as soon as possible.”
    “You’ll have it sir. And thank you.”
    The President looked at the scientist and then at the rest of the men in his office. He smiled and turned.
    “That will be all gentlemen.”
    After this all the people exited the room. The president turned his gaze towards the sky. He knew that no matter what happens from now on the civilization was about to change. He knew that they won’t be able to keep this a secret for very long. Thousands of telescopes were looking at that part of the sky and sooner or later someone else would also notice the strange objects that orbited the dwarf planet on the edge of the solar system.
     
     
    5 May 2017 19:00 hours
    Kennedy Space Center 
     
     
    Paterson looked at the pile of documents that were thrown all over his desk. He felt tired. The past month he was in constant trips to Washington and back, he went to the meetings with the members of the private sector that were involved in to the project. But even after a whole month he still had no idea how to build a ship that was going to be fast enough and strong enough to reach its destination and come back.
    “I just can’t see how we can do it. I mean we can’t even build a ship that can take a crew to Mars and they want as to build a ship that will take them to Sedna.”
    The comment came from Mike Stafford. The old scientist was nervous. But that was understandable. Everyone, not just in this room but everyone involved in NASA could feel the pressure. They all knew what was expected of them. And they all knew the potential gain from the discovery.
    “I don’t think that we can’t do it. It will be expensive, it will be hard but it’s not impossible. I mean for god sake we planned to launch a ship to another star, four light years away. If we could do that than I don’t see why we can’t do this.”
    Sharon looked at the other scientists. The tall blond scientist was one of the biggest supporters that Paterson had since he