Dead Satellite

                                                            Dead satellite:   


                                        Contest - Fantasy - Space adventure:


          "Houston control," a pause in the com ensued. His eyes danced over the enormous console of flight control instruments, the digitized date calender read 03 14 12 in a soft amber hue. Earth's horizon filled the co-pilot's windows, a soft haze of soft water blue told of her protective atmosphere.

"Mayflower, this is Houston control"

"Roger Houston control, we are prepared for roll maneuver."

"Mayflower, you have a go for roll maneuver." Even in the slight static of microwave telecommunication the woman's voice blared of her soft mellow tone of baritone. "Roll to sixty degrees port and align with the capture rings."

"Affirmative Houston control, engaging starboard directional thrusters now!"

          Earth slowly dipped below the windows, blackness of space informed him of his desolate venture. A gleam of white light drew in from the top windows and vanished, the sun's reflection from a nearby vessel was the only evidence of another object in the cold expanse.

          The console monitor came to life, preprogrammed rockets stopped the roll, a black and white image of a large satellite filled the screen. Black reticle dashes are the only visual guide to alignment, four rings affixed along the sides extend outward.

"Houston control, prepared for Y plus thrust, we are aligned."

"Affirmative Mayflower, begin capture thrust maneuver."

          Care taken to keep the satellite's center mark within within the cross hairs his fingers indexed the preprogrammed command on the console keypad. A gentle boost felt, the image slowly grew in the clear screen. A faint glow of light appeared around the satellite, a star shimmered.

"Aborting command Houston control, an anomaly has appeared." His finger depressed a red button to the right of the pad, the image stopped moving further into the screen.

"Mike, did you see anything?"

"I saw a glare of light, all instruments are normal. Were not ejecting any gasses." The co-pilot leaned forward, his black hair blended with the void outside.  His dark brown skin the only evidence of his existence against the window, dressed in the all white NASA suit and strapped tightly to his seat.

"Mayflower, advise of the anomaly, all systems appear nominal."

"Houston control, hold one."

"Any ideas Mike? Did you see what I saw?" Tom asked with a hint of confusion, three years of training and five flights before, he'd never experienced such a glare before. His large eyes peered upward into the upper windows, a hint of yellow filled his whites.

"Tom....something isn't right here. I just saw three stars shimmer as though we were separated by an atmosphere."

"I saw one shimmer when the glare appeared." Tom examined the viewing window above him.

"There, two o-clock port side. That star vanished and reappeared."

"Got it Tom, you better call it in, you're the captain on this trip."

"Houston control, we are experiencing flashing stars up here, Mike and I witnessed the anomaly more than once. We also detected a glare of light around the satellite on approach."

"Affirmative Mayflower, we are monitoring all cameras at this time, hold position."

"Affirmative Houston control."

          Mike had been on two flights, one was cancelled during launch and the role maneuver turned their path into a lengthy trajectory that landed them back at Canaveral three hours later. He's already had his moment of in flight hazard training indoctrination and this was now only a weird moment of reflection. All systems appeared normal, the satellite dead and all fuel expended leaving no means for it to jettison any material into space.

"Mayflower, we are going to abort the mission temporarily, we have detected this anomaly and you are now advised to retreat from the satellite to your previous location. We want to expand the view of the cameras."

"Affirmative Houston control, aborting mission temporarily. Will retreat to previous location, 2,000 meters Z minus."

"Affirmative Mayflower, you are now authorized to index abort and go to manual control thrust maneuver if necessary."

"Affirmative Houston control, backing away now abort is indexed." His hands held the Cadillac control and his right thumb depressed a small button along a series of like buttons. Feint rocket bursts heard along the top of the shuttle as they ignited from pressurized hydrogen gas.

"Z minus 2,000 meters and hold:." His hand's released the Cadillac control.

"Houston control, we are now in previous position. What would be our next move over?"

"Mayflower, hold position while we evaluate."


          Tom stole another glance at the radar screen, only the satellite appeared on the Doppler image.

"Mike, we have nothing to indicate foreign objects floating about."

"I'm glad to hear that, I wonder if they'll let us go up for a look?"

"We may get a chance, I didn't see anything in the view screen at this angle to suggest exterior damage to the satellite. There's another one to starboard this time. This is too large an area to emanate from the satellite, loose debris would be detected.

"Mayflower, we would like you to make a couple maneuvers."

"Affirmative Houston control."

"Mayflower, reverse thruster's to 1,000 meters, Y thrust to level off with the satellite and begin orbit."

"Affirmative Houston control, ascending to level platform to satellite after reverse thrust of 1,000 meters." Cadillac in hand his index finger powered the reverse thruster. A series of white puffs appeared before the cockpit windshield. Within seconds a cylindrical object with gold wings took form through the top windows. Slowly the satellite moved into the view of the upper portion of the windshield. The capture rings appeared no more than flattened plates protruding outward along the bottom.

"Mike, another star just flickered above my window, were at the target distance and still seeing this."
          Tom looked the satellite over, Mike pulled out a crew serve camera, a boxy device that resembled a boom box without speakers. Aimed at the satellite he began taking images with increased magnification.

          The small screen brought the image in very close, screw heads visible he panned along the length. No holes, no burn marks and no protrusions appeared. Only the gleaming white body appeared in the full color screen. UNITED STATES AIR FORCE identification burst into view, bold black letters traced by along the pan. The solar array mounting arms were secured, no damage of any kind appeared, stopped viewing when no more of the craft could be examined.

"She's intact from this angle." Gently he released it and allowed the camera to float freely between himself and the console. 

          Tom began to bring the shuttle upward alongside the dead satellite, repeated bursts of gas passing through lines and igniting. The satellite slowly descended within the windshield.

          Mike burst out with a desperate plea. "Hold position, hold position!"

          Tom nearly panicked from his co-pilot's horrified reaction, glanced upward, space no longer visible.

          To his shock a craft of unusual design suddenly appeared meters from the top of the shuttle.

          Just as Mike responded verbally, "What in the world is that?"

"Mayflower, this is Houston control....are you reading us over?"

His voice held firm, fear still found its way into his nervous system.

"Affirmative Houston control, do you see what we see?"

"Affirmative, Mayflower, are you in trouble?"

"Houston control, not at this moment. We are holding position. This is not a recognized ship of any nation we know."

"Mayflower that is affirmative, we are just now detecting it on radar, advise you to descend from this vessel and not appear hostile."

          Mike and Tom gaze into each others eye's, both express a sense of fear and excitement. Fear of the unknown, excitement to be the first humans to officially capture a UFO on video, in space and it remained in place.

          Carefully he depressed a new button and the shuttle began to descend from the gargantuan vessel. Its surface completely flat, no protruding objects appeared. Unable to obtain a better view in order to understand its true shape and size, radar only indicated an endless wall of returns.

"Houston control, are you able to get a reading on the size of this vessel?"

          Mike craned his neck into the upper window in hopes of seeing anything toward the rear or a side view, the vessel went on endlessly.  "I don't think we pose a threat Tom."

"Mayflower, we are reading from NORAD a vessel that spans twenty miles in circumference. We strongly suggest you allow more room."

          Mike and Tom gazed upon one another once more. "They must be kidding!" Mike said with astonishment.

"Houston control, up here I don't think we can go anywhere, if this thing wants it has us now. Hold one Houston control, a single light is appearing."


"Mayflower, we see it too, we are monitoring."

          Mike quickly recognizes something familiar, "Dot, dash....morse code." Both men quickly grab pen and pad.

          Mike began writing letters as he identified each signal.

W e h a v e b e e n w a t c h i n g y o u a d v a n c e a n d f e e l i t i s n o w t i m e t o c o m  m u n i c a t e.
          Quickly he formed the letters in more discernable reading.

"We have been watching you advance and feel it is now time to communicate."


                                                                                                                                                                                                               Word count 1,559