The Thor Heyerdahl and the other ISVs had finally landed on Pan. It had taken the ships hours to slowly approach the North pole of the small moon and finally land on it. Pan’s gravity was nearly non-existent, so the ships had been carefully lowered directly on the icy surface.
The crews had swarmed out to secure their crafts on the ice with hooks and special rope. After that, the cargo of all four ISVs had been unloaded and also secured on the surface of the moon, in a safe distance to the ships.
“Mira, are you still watching them?”
Mira looked up from the blanket she was laying on to the other catgirl and nodded.
“Yes, its fun to watch them... look at all the things they brought here. That must be hundreds of tons of cargo. And they said that this is only a third of their total building material.” Mira smiled. “I wonder if we are allowed to look at the things they will install in their space station.”
“I would not bet on it” the other catgirl replied, “most likely they got strict rules that we are not allowed to touch their toys. There are still quite a few people in Europe that don’t like us.”
“But they are here... this looks like a full hardtech expedition, but they hired us to help them.” Mira said thoughtful, “someone really clever was involved in the planning. Just look at youtube how many people from Europe saw Maico’s video!”
Her ears twitched as she looked out of the window. “They stopped working and going towards the elevator! Quick, we have to get to the airlock.”
The elevator was a cabin with a Mass Effect drive the catgirls had built last week. It provided an easy way from the surface of Pan to the airlock of Jenga, which was floating a few hundred meters above the icy moon. The catgirls had discussed landing Jenga on the surface but had decided against it.
Eric Hunt was satisfied with the day. They had managed to unload all the ISVs and secured their cargo on the surface an hour earlier than projected by the planning team on Earth. Now everyone could get a meal and a good night of sleep.
“Everyone of the Thor Heyerdahl inside?” he asked and waited for the replies, “then lets move upwards so we can enjoy some full gravity again!”
He pressed a big button with the label ‘up’ and with a small twitch the cabin began to float upwards. Slowly but steadily the gravity within the elevator began to increase.
“A floating elevator with artificial gravity... I am not sure if I want to take a look at it or if I want to cry that we are not allowed to use this tech at our base” Masuno Soetsu, the engineer of the Thor Heyerdahl said.
“Do not forget this Quirk thing we were told about” Eric Hunt replied, “this Handwavium might be a shortcut for a lot of things, but it is not completely reliable!”
“Reliable enough that we trust this elevator” Sarah Meier noted. “Cannot be that bad.”
“If this elevator would fall, it would take hours until we hit Pan” Eric returned.
There was a loud BING as the elevator finally stopped, clearly hearable through the vacuum.
“Upper level, mind your feet!” a female voice announced and the door opened.
The group quickly left the elevator and entered the airlock in front of them. It took another another three tours of the elevator to get the crews of the other three ships up to the space stations airlock. Finally everyone was inside and the pressure door closed behind them. A hissing noise sounded all around them as the air rushed back into the room, then a green lamp light up on the wall.
Eric Hunt checked the display of his spacesuit, it showed an atmospheric pressure similar to Earth. He unlocked his helmet and took it off while the inner door of the airlock slowly opened.
As the door gave way, they suddenly heard a loud applause. On the other side of the door was a large crowd of catgirls, clapping excited as the ESA and JAXA astronauts entered their space station for the first time. Two of them were holding a large poster.
‘Welcome to the frontier... what took you so long?’ Eric Hunt read and grinned as one of the catgirls approached his group.
“Hello, I am Cathy,” the catgirl said. “I welcome all of you to Jenga, its a pleasure to see you here at Saturn.”
“Thank you... Cathy” Eric replied, “in the name of this missions crew I thank you for your hospitality.”
“If you want, I will show everyone the Module we have arranged for you, it is directly to the right of this airlock. It has a small room for each of you and a few small conference and meeting rooms.” Cathy explained, “We have a large kitchen and cafeteria here on Jenga where you can get your meals. If you want you can eat with us there or carry them to your rooms, it isn’t far.”
“That sounds great” Eric replied, “you most likely know that the typical flat of an ESA or JAXA astronaut during the mission is a lot smaller!”
“Yes, I know” Cathy said and laughed. “Oh, and I have to introduce you to Cortana and Serina.”
Just as she spoke the name, the translucent image of two women appeared left and right to her in mid air.
“Good evening Mr. Hunt, I am Cortana, the cybernetic intelligence of the space station Jenga.” Cortana introduced herself, “if you have any request or question and do not see a catgirl, just call me, I am present in all of the corridors of Jenga. If you want to talk to me within a room, use the intercom at the door to call me.”
Eric Hunt blinked a few times but didn’t managed to reply anything.
“And I am Serina... I am the collective mind of the Exocomps here on the station, the small flying drones you already might have noticed. If you need something repaired, changed or built in your Module, just call me and I will see what the catgirls and me can do for you.”
“Thank you, we will remember it” Eric Hunt said. “I think most of my crew would like to change clothes and use a washing room. Maybe we can meet later in your cafeteria?”
“Yes, of course” Cathy answered, “but don’t forget your bathrooms also have a shower with hot water!”
This made Eric Hunt smile.
‘Full gravity, a large cafeteria with real food and hot shower? I have to gratulate the people on Earth who organized this mission when I get back’ he thought.
“Just one thing, I am just curious” he finally asked, “I have seen the poster, is it that special that we managed to get to Saturn? I mean, the Nobu Shirase has been here months ago.”
Cathy grinned.
“Oh, thats not about Saturn. Mira is talking about your science and engineering achievement. I looked like Europe had been slacking off with their space tech for years, it is good to see you pushing forward again!”
The crews had swarmed out to secure their crafts on the ice with hooks and special rope. After that, the cargo of all four ISVs had been unloaded and also secured on the surface of the moon, in a safe distance to the ships.
“Mira, are you still watching them?”
Mira looked up from the blanket she was laying on to the other catgirl and nodded.
“Yes, its fun to watch them... look at all the things they brought here. That must be hundreds of tons of cargo. And they said that this is only a third of their total building material.” Mira smiled. “I wonder if we are allowed to look at the things they will install in their space station.”
“I would not bet on it” the other catgirl replied, “most likely they got strict rules that we are not allowed to touch their toys. There are still quite a few people in Europe that don’t like us.”
“But they are here... this looks like a full hardtech expedition, but they hired us to help them.” Mira said thoughtful, “someone really clever was involved in the planning. Just look at youtube how many people from Europe saw Maico’s video!”
Her ears twitched as she looked out of the window. “They stopped working and going towards the elevator! Quick, we have to get to the airlock.”
The elevator was a cabin with a Mass Effect drive the catgirls had built last week. It provided an easy way from the surface of Pan to the airlock of Jenga, which was floating a few hundred meters above the icy moon. The catgirls had discussed landing Jenga on the surface but had decided against it.
Eric Hunt was satisfied with the day. They had managed to unload all the ISVs and secured their cargo on the surface an hour earlier than projected by the planning team on Earth. Now everyone could get a meal and a good night of sleep.
“Everyone of the Thor Heyerdahl inside?” he asked and waited for the replies, “then lets move upwards so we can enjoy some full gravity again!”
He pressed a big button with the label ‘up’ and with a small twitch the cabin began to float upwards. Slowly but steadily the gravity within the elevator began to increase.
“A floating elevator with artificial gravity... I am not sure if I want to take a look at it or if I want to cry that we are not allowed to use this tech at our base” Masuno Soetsu, the engineer of the Thor Heyerdahl said.
“Do not forget this Quirk thing we were told about” Eric Hunt replied, “this Handwavium might be a shortcut for a lot of things, but it is not completely reliable!”
“Reliable enough that we trust this elevator” Sarah Meier noted. “Cannot be that bad.”
“If this elevator would fall, it would take hours until we hit Pan” Eric returned.
There was a loud BING as the elevator finally stopped, clearly hearable through the vacuum.
“Upper level, mind your feet!” a female voice announced and the door opened.
The group quickly left the elevator and entered the airlock in front of them. It took another another three tours of the elevator to get the crews of the other three ships up to the space stations airlock. Finally everyone was inside and the pressure door closed behind them. A hissing noise sounded all around them as the air rushed back into the room, then a green lamp light up on the wall.
Eric Hunt checked the display of his spacesuit, it showed an atmospheric pressure similar to Earth. He unlocked his helmet and took it off while the inner door of the airlock slowly opened.
As the door gave way, they suddenly heard a loud applause. On the other side of the door was a large crowd of catgirls, clapping excited as the ESA and JAXA astronauts entered their space station for the first time. Two of them were holding a large poster.
‘Welcome to the frontier... what took you so long?’ Eric Hunt read and grinned as one of the catgirls approached his group.
“Hello, I am Cathy,” the catgirl said. “I welcome all of you to Jenga, its a pleasure to see you here at Saturn.”
“Thank you... Cathy” Eric replied, “in the name of this missions crew I thank you for your hospitality.”
“If you want, I will show everyone the Module we have arranged for you, it is directly to the right of this airlock. It has a small room for each of you and a few small conference and meeting rooms.” Cathy explained, “We have a large kitchen and cafeteria here on Jenga where you can get your meals. If you want you can eat with us there or carry them to your rooms, it isn’t far.”
“That sounds great” Eric replied, “you most likely know that the typical flat of an ESA or JAXA astronaut during the mission is a lot smaller!”
“Yes, I know” Cathy said and laughed. “Oh, and I have to introduce you to Cortana and Serina.”
Just as she spoke the name, the translucent image of two women appeared left and right to her in mid air.
“Good evening Mr. Hunt, I am Cortana, the cybernetic intelligence of the space station Jenga.” Cortana introduced herself, “if you have any request or question and do not see a catgirl, just call me, I am present in all of the corridors of Jenga. If you want to talk to me within a room, use the intercom at the door to call me.”
Eric Hunt blinked a few times but didn’t managed to reply anything.
“And I am Serina... I am the collective mind of the Exocomps here on the station, the small flying drones you already might have noticed. If you need something repaired, changed or built in your Module, just call me and I will see what the catgirls and me can do for you.”
“Thank you, we will remember it” Eric Hunt said. “I think most of my crew would like to change clothes and use a washing room. Maybe we can meet later in your cafeteria?”
“Yes, of course” Cathy answered, “but don’t forget your bathrooms also have a shower with hot water!”
This made Eric Hunt smile.
‘Full gravity, a large cafeteria with real food and hot shower? I have to gratulate the people on Earth who organized this mission when I get back’ he thought.
“Just one thing, I am just curious” he finally asked, “I have seen the poster, is it that special that we managed to get to Saturn? I mean, the Nobu Shirase has been here months ago.”
Cathy grinned.
“Oh, thats not about Saturn. Mira is talking about your science and engineering achievement. I looked like Europe had been slacking off with their space tech for years, it is good to see you pushing forward again!”