Lt. Harris blinked his eyes, the numbers blurred together.  Concentration was fleeting.  All the cups of strong coffee did little to enhance concentration.  He could feel the impending energy crash.

“Focus!”, he mumbled to himself.  Concentrate!  They’re depending on you.

Panic grew within, and Harris struggled, the basic calculations grew difficult as the panic took hold within.  Remaining bridge crew periodically glanced over, sharing looks of concern and despair.  Where are we?

“Lt. Harris,” said Captain Jennings as she approached his nav-console.  “Take a breath.  Come on.  Inhale…”

He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath, with many of the crew joining in the effort.

“Hold…and exhale,” said the captain.  “Again…inhale…exhale.  Work the problem.”

Harris felt a surge of focus and building confidence as followed the breathing exercises.  He opened his eyes, feeling more calmed and focused.  “Thank you, Captain.”

“How’re the numbers looking?” Jennings said, patting him on his shoulder.

“Captain, the computer glitch jumbled everything.  It’s too soon to know root causes, but will need to recalculate.”  He glanced out the viewport, the nebulae a beautiful combination of blues, greens, and browns.  “At best, we can get a general direction and rely on dead reckoning.  At worst,” his voice trailed off.

“At worst?”

“Yes, at worst we’ll use up energy and be no closer to finding our way.  Probably one jump, maybe two, and we’ll be drifting.”  The conclusion crystal clear to everyone.

The weight of the moment built.  The pressure approached critical levels.  Harris felt his heart thump, and breathed deeply again to maintain control.  A dozen eyes were focused on him, their lives, as well as the rest of the crew, depending on his calculations, and to be honest, some educated guesses.  He entered the numbers, checking manually against the computer.  His mouth was dry.

“Got the new numbers in the system, Captain,” Harris said, nodding sharply.

“Thank you, Lt. Harris,” said the captain.  “Helm, set course.”

“Course laid in, Captain,” said Ensign Walker from the console.

“And…engage!”

Harris closed his eyes, hoping and praying that his numbers were good.  Here we go.

For NASA, the 1970s represented a hangover between the glory of the moon lands of the Apollo program, and the doldrums before the Space Shuttle program.  Rick Guidice worked with NASA in the 1970s and created some illustrations for space colonization.  The beauty of these stations is quite impressive, and wouldn’t mind taking up residence there.

Some may say that robots lack the capacity to contemplate the meaning of life, beyond the number 42.  Rusty sat atop the grassy hill, gazing up into the stars as twilight faded into black.  If someone were to see, they would assume he was in deep thought.  If they were human, maybe they’d be dwelling on where we come from or the mysteries of the universe.

Other robots were quicker and more powerful, and Rusty was always last picked for the team, sometimes even left off entirely.  His antenna rings slowed to a halt as his processor idled.  I will be respected, he thought.  He scoured through his downloaded library of self-help and psychology books, but nothing really helped.  They were all human fluff.  Be nice to each other, be supportive, etc…  This is all rubbish, he concluded.

Everything changed in a single discovery, Sun Tzu.  Then von Clausewitz.  Then Machiavellian political maneuvers.  Respect through strength.  Outmaneuvering your enemies on the field of battle and in the political arena.  Being smart.  Using those to your advantage.  Everything reduced to pure strategy, and made sense.  The antenna rings straightened and circled faster as he burned the information to his permanent memory chips.  He had the knowledge, but needed more.

Rusty went shopping.

He reviewed his order a final time.  One charcoal grey mech adapter unit (size up to 10x, strength up to 100x default robot model), with blood red glyph patterns on the torso and arms.  Four detachable rocket launchers, two for each arm, and two for reserve (always need to be prepared).  A GE GAU-8/A Avenger autocannon from surplus A-10 Warthog.  Rusty paused and changed the quantity to two autocannons.  At the prompt, he added an external ammunition container for increased round capabilities.  Lasers!  I need to have lasers, he thought.  Adding a couple of shoulder mounted laser with optional optic tracker could be useful.

Rusty reviewed the order a final time.  His rings stopped in an instant.  I need thrusters!  He browsed and located two angle mounted thruster packs.  Rusty examined the order, and was glad he could finally use his collection of gift cards.

When he clicked the order button, Rusty felt a surge of power.  Respect would be his, whatever the cost.  Through fear or intimidation, it no longer mattered.  The Doomsday clock was advanced to one minute to midnight.

Art:  “Interval”, by Matt Dixon (https://www.mattdixon.co.uk/)

My footsteps echoed throughout the tunnel.  Straining to listen for signs of pursuit, I held my breath, but could only manage a seconds before I felt lightheaded and gasped for air.  I couldn’t hear anything, but knew I only have minutes before the soldiers would come.  I held up my lantern, hoping to see something, anything, but could only see the end endless gray of the granite walls.

I pulled out the tunnel map Dad gave to me.  I didn’t have far to go, at least if I were reading it right.  For a moment, I choked up, remembering when he was taken for interrogation.  Unsanctioned research they said, the usual bogus charge for anyone deemed a threat to the regime.  The pillars were a portal, Dad concluded.  They had to be, and would change everything.  And I was so close now.

I jogged further into the tunnel with renewed purpose.  The walls blurred past, as I continued, seemingly the same texture and coarseness.  I pressed on, focusing straight ahead, searching for a sign.

The path came to a wall.  It ended too quickly I thought, glancing at the map again.  It should have gone on for much longer.  I held up the lantern to the wall, but this was smooth and a different texture than the tunnel walls.  Several holes were in the wall as I moved the light across the surface.  My heart raced as I remembered a diagram from Dad’s notes, and pulled out the bundle of paperwork from my backpack.

The diagram specified a sequence to activate something.  All the holes matched the ones in the diagram.  The holes were the small, but my finger could still slip inside.  I pressed it, meeting an end about half a finger length in. I tried to a better look inside the hole, but my lantern was too weak to illuminate well.

Screw it, I thought, and pressed my finger firmly into the hold that matched the first in the sequence.  I heard a soft click as it pushed in, lighting up green.  I went through the sequence on the diagram.  At the final hole in the sequence, the lights blinked out and the wall began to rumble as the wall roughly slide down into the floor.

The sounds and vibration would definitely attract attention, and I held the lantern into the cavern ahead of me.  The room was circular, with smooth polished walls and floor.  I crept forward towards a column in the center of the room, but quickened my pace when I heard some distant shouting down the corridor.

The column had keys in some ancient language that meant nothing to me, but a large green button stood out.  The universe seems to agree that green is good or to activate something, so I pressed on it.  Lights flickered on the display at the column, and across several screens throughout the room.  Whatever it was, systems were online and humming.

Apparently the system was automated, and came online without any intervention.  Status readouts on the displays were showing several systems to be online and functional, at least as far I could tell.  The column in the center descended into the floor, as lights flickered around an exit on the opposite from where I entered.  Green lights lit along the wall of another tunnel, showing me the way.  I stepped through the doorway and sprinted away from the approaching sounds.

I felt the floor begin to ascend towards the surface.  My lungs burned.  The dead weights that were my legs struggled to carry me further until I reached another wall.  There was a wall similar to the one I used to get to the control room, but this had a single button off to the side.  After activating the button, the wall rumbled down into the floor.

A cold rush of air struck me as I approached the exit.  A bright light lit up the dusk sky.  I heard shouts, both behind me emanating from the tunnel, but from the road as well.  I stepped out, casting my eyes onto the activated twin pillars.  Dad was right.  The pillars were part of a portal system.  In my eyes, the lights were a beacon.

This would change everything.  The regime couldn’t not suppress this.  When I turned around, I saw growing numbers of people gathering up the road at the entrance to the town.  Several were pointing and talking, and some were beginning to move my direction.  A squad of soldiers pushed past, running up the road shouting commands at me.  I looked back at the tunnel and heard the sounds growing too close for my comfort.

I approached the portal, studying the shimmering light.  Punishment was the only thing for me here.  I thought of Dad, and felt his presence.  It was time to go.  I stepped into the portal.

They underestimated me, the poor bastards.  I wasn’t a threat, or so they thought.  I lurked behind the scenes, always unnoticed. Nothing but a raven, pilfering the catch of the warring eagles too busy to notice.

The alphas fought, rolling around in the dirt, incessantly looking for rivals, while a new master wielded the power of the stars.  It was an endless game of beating each other down repeatedly.  In the end, I, alone stood atop the peak, watching and alert.

They glanced up into the sky as the shadows streaked along the surface, rolling thunder as they paraded by.  Power surged in my veins.  When I thought of how easy it was to obtain and change the command codes, I smiled.  Biding my time, learning and paying attention.  All too easy.

I sent a command, and one of the ships peeled off, slowly approaching my position.  Dust spewed into the air as the boarding ramp protruded from the ship.

As I walked up, throngs of people approached, sullen and quiet.  Without a glance, I entered.  The command chair in the bridge was quite comfortable.  Yes, it fit perfectly.

With a simple command, the blood red dawn of a new era began.

The meek may inherit the earth, but the clever will rule it.

Ben Bova’s Grand Tour series is one of the seminal series in modern science fiction.  The idea of touring through the solar system is quite appealing, and Bova’s name always comes to mind when discussing and thinking about how space exploration would occur within the solar system.

“Mars, Inc. The Billionaires Club” caught my eye a while back.  The idea of exploring Mars, is as old as science fiction.  Instead of NASA, or government agencies leading the way, Bova explores the concept of the privatization of the mission to land on Mars.  Written in 2013, it reads as Elon Musk and his efforts to personally lead the way for space exploration, and capitalizes on this concept of bold, daring space exploration outside of government involvement.

This book seems to be more of a work of business fiction than science fiction.  I hoped that it would be similar to his other works, complete with overcoming mission anomalies and setbacks to eventually land the crew on Mars.  Instead, “Mars, Inc.” is more of a book about overcoming financial setbacks and boardroom drama.  For those who expect a pure science fiction tale, this book will most likely be a disappointment.

The protagonist is likeable to an extent, and at least he shows some growth throughout the five year plot.  However, the characters are all cliches.  A strong person of business, relationship challenged, ambitious, etc…  This is pretty much many of the stereotypes at play.  All the stereotypes are in play.  The reporter who starts a relationship with the protagonist only to use him for her story, the office assistant who desires the relationship, the protagonist who fails to see this and if focused on others, the close betrayal, etc…  All lead to a book with little substance.

These shortcoming from a young, inexperienced writer, is one thing.  All of this from a writer as experienced as Bova, it’s quite surprising.

Private companies are on the verge of being able to lead more daring and bold missions and Bova capitalizes on this.  Seeing a way in which a company could come out of the blue to make an Apollo-era NASA bold decision is interesting.

I enjoyed the book to an extent, shortcoming and all.  I would recommend it for those interested in the current SpaceX or Blue Origins of the private space sector, and especially for those who are interested in the boardroom aspects of the company working on this project.

For those who like their science fiction hard and out in space, this is not for you.  The story never captures the “how” for such an endeavor.  Bova does not focus on how the spacecraft will work.  Neither does he focus on how the crew will land.  This book is all about the fund raising with minor focus on the development of the design.  The story could have capitalized on the technical aspects of the mission to give it a little more substance, but this is an unfortunate missed opportunity.

I was able to read it over a weekend, so it’s not a large investment of time.  However, unless you are interested in a merge of business fiction with a science fiction slant, I recommend focusing on Bova’s other works.

I’m also a realist. I look back at my own life, and the things I loved as a child and can see them differently. The lines that made me laugh may only crack a slight smile today. I see the chinks in the armor of what I love, but as we age, we can see the thing that once was. I see the imperfections more than I used to, but it still makes me feel good when I watch it.

I see Luke as too whiny. I have a healthy dislike of anything Ewok. Jar Jar? I’d dress him in a red shirt and send him down to an alien planet with Spock and Captain Kirk in a heartbeat (oh yes, Star Trek & Star Wars crossover humor, and cue the action sequence music). Could have there been more Darth Maul? Hell yes! Is The Force Awakens too much like A New Hope? Yes it is. I didn’t mind the changes to Luke in The Last Jedi. I loved it, and will continue to do so. I try to not take things too seriously.

I see a disturbing trend emerging, and it pains me. I love the franchise, warts and all, and want to see a positive legacy grow. I had no problems with The Last Jedi. All I ask is that everyone respects my thoughts, even if you totally disagree. Remember, it’s not a question of being right or wrong.

I subscribe to many Facebook sci-fi groups, and constantly see the barrage of those who would equate this movie to the dregs of movie making. Or that those who enjoyed it have a problem, or are mindless drones. There are some who will attack someone because they have the audacity to love something that despise.

Conversely, there are those who think that the movie was great and you suck if you didn’t like it. Hate and animosity flows both ways. And we need to work better to stop it. I loved it. Maybe you hate it. Let’s be cool about it and respect each other. Perhaps there are things you love, which I detest. My response to that is simple. If it makes you feel good to believe something, great. Why should I expend my time and energy trying to bring you down or destroy what you love? You may love the Star Wars Christmas special, and I respect your opinion. We should take some time to be optimistic and positive with each other. Take some time to put yourself in their shoes and try to see something from their perspective. Your opinion may shift, or it may not. But at least the interaction will leave good impression.

We just need to be more civil and positive. Let’s try to not bombast those with differing opinions. In terms of sci-fi, and I’m assuming that those reading this post are fans to a certain extent, always remember that we’re on the same team. We come from differing cultural backgrounds and beliefs, but we can all enjoy the wonders of sci-fi. Sometime makes a movie, and whether you love it or not, respect other opinions and try not to attack them. Discuss the pros and cons of The Last Jedi, Solo, or whatever you wish, just be more positive and constructive. It’s through positive interactions and exchanges that will only make the franchise better. If the environment gets so toxic, how will this be helpful? This also applies to sci-fi in general, as well as life. If we only see stories where death threats are made to the director, or an actress abandons social media entirely because of supposed “fans”, it will only undermine things. This behavior should never been condoned.

Just put things into perspective. The Last Jedi isn’t the Citizen Kane of film history, but it’s clearly not the Plan 9 From Outer Space either.

If you are a troll, and only seek to bring down others, or attack because of your own personal failings and cowardice, please stay under your bridge until you grow up and can interact like a respectful adult.

My love of science fiction and fantasy is rooted deep. Star Wars and Star Trek really cemented my love, and have branched forward and backward to enjoy modern tales of space travel and classics that were heavy into ray guns and Martians. I’ll take a robot or a spaceship over anything else, anytime.

Reading is always my first love, but as with many, I enjoy movies and quality TV shows. Although it seems that quality science fiction and fantasy shows fall victim to the guillotine faster than the nobility in the French Revolution. Take The Expanse, a fine quality show suddenly dropped by the SY-FY channel. Luckily it seems to have a second life going for it. At least for now it does, but this is just the latest of many shows falling victim to cancelation or premature endings.

Sure we can sign petitions and rally behind movements to save something from cancellation, and am encouraged to see people motivated for something they love. Sometimes they work out well, but sometimes it seems as though a channel just does not appreciate what it has, or people make decisions are not lovers of the genre.

So what can we do?

We can all do things that are quantifiable. Are you Facebook or Twitter? Follow the pages of the authors and official TV/movie groups. Do you ever get Nielsen rating surveys, fill them out. Make your viewing habits recorded. Executives will want to see data. Is the official Facebook group for The Expanse at a healthy number? At the moment, I see the amount of people who “like” it at 150,000. Compare that to the official NCIS page, which is over 16,000,000. While I do not expect the two to be close to equal, these numbers are quantifiable. What if the Facebook page for The Expanse was at 250,000 or even 1,000,000? These numbers help define the overall interest.

Do you ever buy the DVDs for shows you enjoy? Some will be on perpetual reruns (see NCIS, CSI, Law & Order, etc…) and you never really have to get them, as any given time, some, if not all, are on somewhere. For something you really love, give some thought about buying the season DVDs. Nothing shows the love than buying the content.

There is more support than simply television and movies. Try reading some of the popular novels out there. Maybe pick up a classic from a second hand store sometime. The Expanse is a wonderful series, and thoroughly enjoyed reading them, and recommend them to anyone who loves a good story.

Having a solid science fiction and fantasy genre will only help. Take a swing through the bookstore or library, and support the authors. Not every published author is awash in so much money, they use $100’s as toilet paper or to blow their noses. In fact, many are most likely working regular jobs, and writing on the side.

So watch that TV show or movie, and perhaps pick up the DVD when it comes out down the road. If you like the Expanse, check out the novel series. Love Star Wars or Star Trek? Well, let me tell you that there are many quality books to read to continue to enjoy the universe. Or pick up something new and exciting, and maybe that will be the next big name author who pens a popular series that winds up on the big screen. Buy a T-shirt or two, or maybe an action figure. Go out and get Star Trek uniforms or storm trooper armor if it makes you happy.

At the end of the day, if you enjoy something and you want to keep it going, take the time to show your support. It can be as simple as sending the channel or studio a letter expressing your love of their product. All the little things add up, and when interest appears to be at healthy numbers, advertisers will want to buy time, and executives will be more apt to keep it going and to embrace similar content.

Love live the Expanse! Love live science fiction and fantasy!

Reputations can be fickle.  Years of time and effort spent building one, can be easily undone through poor decisions and actions.  An outburst or negative emotions at the wrong time,  can undermine.  Do not sabotage yourself.

Time spent cultivating relationships, building connections, or improving through education and skill-sets are worthwhile endeavors, critical even.  Investing in these areas will lay the foundation for future successes.  Keep your eyes fixed on the future, but do not forget the little things.  Simple acts can quickly build or erode your reputation.  Think of yourself as a garden, and cultivate and tend to it.  The investment of time will always be worth it.

In my years as a professional, working alongside some who did not possess the ability to control their thoughts and emotions was quite unpleasant.  I have seen negativity that impacted performance, attitude problems that caused disruption among the team, and instances where people running the departments were abusive and berating.  In each of these instances, morale was low, and we experienced unnecessary staff turnover.  Any levels of trust vanished in an instant, and resentment lingered on for years.  For those that stayed, that is.

As a manager, I strive to embrace my inner Mr. Spock.  For those who have watched Star Trek, Mr. Spock represents the level headed, logical nature within each of us.  When the Enterprise encountered unknown and hostile aliens, the crew could count on Mr. Spock to remain calm and analyze the situation.  Captain Kirk may have led the away team or sent the orders to fire the torpedoes, but it was always Mr. Spock who figured out the best way out of the situation.

Simply put, Mr. Spock always remained in control of his emotions, thoughts, and actions.  I try to maintain control, and a solid foundation for the team.  A manager and leader should be reliable and level headed, not just during routine times, but especially in times of uncertainty and crises.

In a professional environment, or life in general, regardless of your title or seniority, keeping control of yourself will help to build your reputation.  Analyze situations and use a logical approach to complete work and projects.  Harness the ability to control negativity and actions that are not constructive.  Even if criticism is warranted, focus on what can be done to improve the situation.   Find an outlet outside of the office and team to vent frustrations if necessary.  Take on the control of Mr. Spock.  Acquire skills, and continue to learn and grow for all things, but keep negativity at bay at all times.

Your reputation will flourish.

You will succeed.

You will be like Mr. Spock.

Live long and prosper.

Captain Borman held a small photo in his hands.  Rhythmic red pulses glinted off the protective surface as the warning lights flared.  It was a young woman holding a young boy.  Borman sighed, remembering when he took the picture after the baseball game.  His throat clinched tight with the memory of this day, and brushed away the moisture pooling in his eyes.

An alarm beeped from his command console, bringing Borman out of his reverie.  It was time, and sent the command to send a final burst to the thrusters.  Someone had to stay behind for the final course change.  Someone had to make the sacrifice.  Like Captain of before, if someone had to go down with the ship, it would be the captain.

Borman watched the telemetry shift on the viewport.  Five miles of the coast…fifteen miles out to see…fifty miles further.  Not realizing he was holding his breath, but felt a fleeting moment of relief when the ship vector shifted further away from the coast.  He read the coordinates a final time.  Impact would be one hundred miles off shore, that would be good enough.  The disaster was averted, well in terms of civilians.  He looked at the green dots, indicating the escape pod speeding away.  Most of the crew would survive, some may even fly in space again, perhaps even captain their own ship.  I pray they don’t have to make the sacrifice. 

He smiled, his final act as Captain would be worthy of the great ones before him.  The ship lurched as the leading edge began to heat and break apart as it plunged into the atmosphere.  His eyes shifted back down to the photo.

Borman was now just a passenger in this final, fiery flight.  His final duty would be as a loving husband and father.  With a quick command, he sent a call to his wife through the communication array.

“Hey, honey,” a soft voice answered a few moments later, resonating through the empty bridge, “Can’t wait until you get home, I’ve been baking!”

Borman cleared his throat, not sure is his voice would fail him.  He wiped the tears out of his eyes.  “Listen, there isn’t much time left…”

“Orbital Decay” by Nick Foreman.