The world as I see it

With the ESR/HSC updated with the new restart parameters it is time to test them out. I put my helmet back on and secure it to the suit collar. Reaching down I turn the life support pack on from standby. “Computer. Command. Switch to backup power, Override Code: Charley Zero Nine” I hear the Command and Control circuit breakers click over to the Battery Bus as the computer responds “Done.” “Computer. Command. Begin Restart Protocol Alpha One.” “Commencing Ship Shutdown for Fusion Restart. Propulsion: off-line, Communication: off-line, Navigation: off-line, Life Support: off-line. All major ships systems are idle. Ship ready for restart attempt.” Again I scan the status board to confirm the computer's report and as expected all the systems are off-line. For a second time 'today' I press the Green Button. The computer begins its running status report: “Fission Reactor coming on-line.” That's right, I had to shut it down when I did the programming. “Fission Reactor

“Loading Emergency Restart System Development Tools” The main screen comes to life as a tactile keyboard folds out of the console. The ERS/HSC is an embedded micro-controller with five basic sections. The first is the processor itself with 128 bit address bus. Second is two terabytes of RAM to run all the applications. Third is the System ROM which holds the core Real Time Operating System code base. This is used to keep all the various operations in check. Fourth is the Programmable ROM, or re-writable permanent memory. There are four sets of these, one pair each for the ERS and the HSC and their parameters. This will allow for the update of the parameters without having to worry about accidentally changing the working code in that specific sub-system. The final section is the Input/Output controller that handles the simple user interface and all control and monitoring of the ship's power and drive systems. This window will show you the expected power utilization curves ba

“So what else does this book say about fusion reactor restart failure?” I open the manual up to where I was and continue reading. Since you are reading this, the restart must have failed. If you have not done so already, ask the computer to run an analysis of the restart attempt and suggest improvements. There are many factors in starting or restarting a fusion reactor. Among them is fuel temperature, magnetic containment field density and size, impulse frequency, charge and angle of impact. These factors have been parameterized in the ERS and can be modified with the development tools on the main computer. When the analysis is complete have the computer bring up the development tools with the command “Invoke ERS Development” The syntax of this command is different from any others to help prevent accidental activation of this tool suite since it could damage the systems beyond your ability to repair them if used improperly. As with the reset protocol you will need the override cod

“James, Time to wake up. Your alert criteria have been met!” Great, just enough time to not feel rested and it is time to get up. Isn't that always the way? “Computer, I am awake.” Grabbing the H2IK manual, I flip over to the reactor restart section. The restarting of the fusion reactor is a very power hungry process. It can take all of the power in the cells, though in the tests there was always at least one cell still charged at the end of the cycle. You will need to be in your suit and on internal life support. I put my helmet back on and secure it to the suit collar. Reaching down I turn the full pack on from standby. Tell the computer to switch to backup power. This will require the override code: Charley Zero Nine. Once that is done tell the computer to begin Reset Protocol Alpha One. “Computer. Command. Switch to backup power, Override Code: Charley Zero Nine” I hear the Command and Control circuit breakers click over to the Battery Bus as the computer responds “Done.

I sit and watch the power cells charge and the diagnostic run. So far the computer has asked that Life Support, Navigation and Communication to be switched to the main bus. The Power Cells are charging nicely, even with the increased load. There are only three more to go before the Battery system begins charging. Life support checks out so I can remove my helmet and turn off the suit pack. I decided to swap them out and leave the second one on standby while the original pack is being recharged. That way if I have to take life support off-line I will have a full pack to run on while I'm working. With Navigation on-line, the computer begins an analysis of the star patterns in the sky to figure out where in space the ship actually is located. Communications began a scan of all normal channels looking for any signals right after it was activated. With the computer now doing diagnostics and the power sub-system charging, there is not much to do, so I turn my attention back to the

The screens clear and a video begins playing in the center display. I see myself on the monitor. “Hello James, this may come as a complete shock to you, but you are no longer in the solar system. You just made the first successful Hyper Shunt Transfer of a human being. In fact, if my, um your calculations are correct, you should be somewhere near or in the Alpha Centauri System. Please be sure to do a full scan of the region and archive it before you leave. It would mean so much to everyone back here.” OK, HSDU, Hyper Shunt Drive Unit. That makes sense. By how did I get to Alpha Centauri? That is over four light years away. That must be one heck of a drive unit. “The Hyper Shunt Project is a faster than light (FTL) drive that forces a wormhole shunt between two locations in space. The initial small scale test using a fixed generator and just pushing the test probes through, while successful in the near instantaneous displacement of the subject, resulted in total computer syst

Yes, you heard it hear first. I am trying to write a novel this month. I got a late start, but I am going to keep plugging away at it.