ASTRO S2 - Part 5: Death on Deimos, Extreme Plans, Nari in Danger E-Book

Martin Wintersberger

• Herausgeber: Astro Entertainment
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 66

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Three rescue missions — one uncertain future! In Volume 5 of "ASTRO – Space Station 236", the Mondians face three perilous rescue missions. Meanwhile, Lilly secretly battles a rogue AI that threatens the balance of the universe. The characters drift toward an uncertain future as Astrolabius embarks on a personal quest that leads him and the mysterious Li on an unexpected journey. An adventure filled with courage, determination, and surprising friendships.

Leseprobe

Authors: Manuela Wieninger · Martin Wintersberger

Cover and Illustrations: Midjourney

astro-entertainment.at

This work, including all its parts, is protected by copyright. Any use outside the narrow limits of copyright law is prohibited without the written consent of the author and is punishable by law. This applies in particular to reproductions, translations, microfilming and storage and processing in electronic systems. ASTRO and all persons appearing therein and their names, all actions, circumstances and laws of nature are fictional. Any resemblance to living or dead persons or fish is purely coincidental and unintentional..

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Copyright © 2020, 2025 Martin Wintersberger

First English Edition 2025 – Based on the 2021 Austrian release

Published in Austria by ASTRO Entertainment e.U.

Based on an idea by Martin Wintersberger

Translated from German with DeepL

All rights reserved

ISBN 978-3-99119-056-1

SEASON 2

SPACE STATION 236

Episode 13: Death on Deimos

Episode 14: Extreme Plans

Episode 15: Nari in Danger

»THE MOON IS JUST THE BEGINNING!«

EPISODE 13DEATH ON DEIMOS

Marvin Winter carefully steered Don Boss's former shuttle to its rendezvous with the Challenger fleet. He stretched his back and rotated his head. Despite his fatigue, his mind was racing. He wanted to reach the fleet before Captain Blum gave the order for the transport ships to land on Deimos. Captain Blum had promised Marvin that they would remain in orbit for twenty-four hours after the fleet arrived on Deimos. Then he would let the ships land and lead the mission on Deimos himself. But the correct positioning of the ships was crucial to the success of the mission. Marvin had specific ideas. The containers would form the outer boundaries of a habitat, the transport machines would be installed inside, and the crew would be able to move around without space suits. It was a plan that would have a positive impact on the success of the mission.

The unexpected encounter with the Brotherhood of Wolves had cost Marvin valuable time and nerves. The wolves were inscrutable and unpredictable. He hoped that Viktor would come to terms with the Brotherhood and perhaps even form a friendship or at least an alliance. He found it difficult to forgive himself for putting Marvin Astro in danger, and it weighed heavily on him that he should have listened to Lilly. Now he had to trust that Astrolabius had arrived safely at the Lunar Station. Radio contact was still impossible.

For forty-eight hours, Marvin's eyes had been checking the shuttle's displays every minute. He had switched off the autopilot because it was only flying at about fifty per cent of maximum speed. That was too slow for Marvin. If he persevered, he could reach Deimos in half the time. His eyes were burning and his back was aching, but the safety of the crew and the success of the mission were too important.

He couldn't stop thinking about his wife and how courageously she had taken on her task without knowing the outcome of her mission. Lilly was working feverishly on a solution to bring the corporation's artificial intelligence under control. Somewhere out there, the AI was reproducing itself. Over and over again. No one knew where that would lead. Marvin felt a shiver run down his spine. In the middle of his thoughts, an approach alarm suddenly sounded. A small dot flashed on the radar screen, rapidly approaching the centre. Marvin changed the shuttle's course slightly upwards as the alarm fell silent again shortly afterwards. It wasn't the first time. He had to stay alert, but his eyelids were getting heavier and heavier, as if they were weighted down with lead.

Marvin studied the displays in the cockpit. No signs of other shuttles or foreign objects. He tapped the dashboard with his left index finger and hummed a tune to himself. Was he just imagining all this? If he collided with a meteoroid at top speed, there wouldn't be much left of him or the shuttle. The proximity alarm sounded again, but there was nothing to be seen. No dot on the radar screen. Marvin flinched in alarm. Fatigue had overcome him and he had nodded off briefly. Micro sleep. He bounced up and down in his seat, breathing heavily in and out. No dot on the radar! He had been dreaming. But the alarm continued. Was he still dreaming? He let out a cry and slapped his cheeks. No flashing dot! Marvin panicked and shut down the main engines. Inertia would keep the shuttle moving for a long time.

Confused, he looked around, finally realising that it wasn't a radar alarm. It was the gravity alarm. At last! Marvin had reached Deimos! The desert planet was rapidly approaching and stretched out before him in all its glory. Relief washed over him; he had reached his destination. He rubbed his face with both hands, ran his fingers through his hair and straightened his uniform. Then he located the fleet and set normal thrust.

‘Challenger One to Challenger Two, come in.’ No response. Marvin cleared his throat; he hadn't spoken for days and his vocal cords felt scratchy. ‘Challenger One to Challenger Two, come in, do you hear me?’ There was a crackle on the other end, then a voice: ‘This is Challenger One, come in.’ Marvin breathed a sigh of relief. ‘I'm glad to hear you! This is Marvin Winter, please put Captain Blum on the radio! Over!" Marvin steered towards the convoy and could soon see the ships orbiting Deimos through the cockpit. Compared to the huge desert planet, they were tiny and barely visible.

‘Captain Blum is not on board, sir.’ Marvin shook his head in confusion: ‘What do you mean, he's not on board? Come in.’ There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. Marvin grew impatient: ‘This is Challenger Two, Marvin Winter. Speak up! Come in!’ "Captain Blum has already landed on Deimos with the first group. Come in!‘ ’Bloody hell!‘ Marvin exclaimed, then threw the radio onto the dashboard. He was too late. Lack of sleep and anger at the situation were not a good combination for his manners. He closed his eyes to collect himself. With trembling hands, Marvin picked up the radio again: ’Where is the bridge set up? I'm coming on board. Send me the data for the docking manoeuvre, over.‘ ’Understood, sir. The mission bridge is set up on Challenger Three. I'll send you the orbital data, over.‘ ’Understood. Prepare all scans concerning the landing area of Captain Blum's crew. Time is of the essence, stand by. Challenger Two, over!"

The on-board computer received the orbital data and Marvin manually corrected his approach before reactivating the autopilot. According to the computer's calculations, the approach and docking manoeuvre would take just under two hours. Marvin wanted to use this time to get some sleep. He simply lay down in the narrow aisle of the shuttle and fell asleep immediately.

The autopilot leisurely steered the shuttle in a wide arc behind the fleet to reduce speed. Then the shuttle cautiously approached Challenger Three, which maintained its geostationary position in orbit around the landing zone.

When the shuttle docked with the transporter, a jolt went through the ship. The outer lock brackets locked into place, forming a passageway. Marvin jumped up, quickly stood up and rubbed his eyes. Then he walked through quickly, a crew member was already waiting for him. ‘Good afternoon, sir! My name is Pete. Did you have a good trip?’ Marvin looked into the face of a young man who smiled broadly at him. Marvin's mood was at rock bottom. He was tired and his body ached. Nevertheless, he forced a smile as he headed for the bridge. Pete hurried after him.