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Can identical quadruplet girls, each with a psionic ability, combine with triplet boys to save the world?

Enterprise

Chapter 2 ~ Alpha

By Ariel Montine, Edited by Holly Logan

"Like Alice, I try to believe three impossible things before breakfast."

- Dr Who "The Five Doctors"

· #1, My triplet brothers Andrew and Archie uncover a catastrophe that's being hidden from the public involving a huge asteroid on a collision course with Earth within the next week.

· #2, Archie is dead, after trying to follow the plan that my brothers,along with psionic identical quadruplet girls, had schemed up to produce enough force to deflect the asteroid.

· #3, The five of them, with me to replace Archie, are bound to the ISS, aboard the secret military shuttle Enterprise launched from Vandenberg SLC -6, away from interference on Earth’s surface to once again try to deflect the Asteroid

So here I am, Alan Denver, sitting on the flight deck of the Space Shuttle Enterprise trying to remember that when the radio check comes thru, I'm supposed to respond ‘MS2’. Besides me is my brother Andrew who is designated ‘MS1’. Andrew is the most to blame for Impossible Thing #3 happening. Andrew copied the knowledge of a male shuttle pilot, and passed it to the two of us and copied the knowledge of Dr Shannon, the Capcom at MCC Houston, for the girls.

Okay, you can give the US Government an assist for impossible thing number 3 happening. Vandenberg had used the Space Shuttle Enterprise for Launch checks of their Shuttle Facility (Just as it had been used at KSC prior to the first shuttle flight). The public outcry in the wake of the Challenger disaster had been to scrap the Vandenberg Shuttle program and send Enterprise to the Smithsonian on Nov 18, 1985.

What had actually been done was to camouflage the secret shuttle program by seeming to convert SLC- 6 for Titan IV flights and sending a replica Enterprise to the Smithsonian, then converting Enterprise to be both the largest (carrying 8) and most advanced second generation shuttle. So, the existing Military Shuttle Enterprise, which was ready for launch already, was able to give us a ride to the International Space Station Alpha.

"Vandenberg Launch Control … T- 5 minutes and counting, final audio check."

"Commander" responded the person we knew as Col. John Robinson, whose real identity had been kept secret from us.

"Pilot" the person we knew as Major Don West responded. His real identity was likewise unknown to us.

"MS1" called my brother, Andrew. His psionic ability allowed him to summon and manipulate knowledge. I also held a telepathic connection with him that sometimes allowed us to chat mentally. I had a greater affinity with him than either of us had ever had with Archie because it seemed that both of us were fundamentally different than we appeared. Archie and I had started out having the same type of emotional/ social psionic powers. However, somehow, forces were at work in me that were changing the nature of both myself and my abilities.

"MS2" I called. Technically, by virtue of the knowledge that I now had, I was also flight engineer. 'Major West' assured me that he could handle any of the flight engineer functions and for me to concentrate on saving the world. .

"MS3" shouted Adella Akins, the first of the quadruplets. Her psionic ability was to summon and manipulate gravity. She had been cautioned by those in charge to conserve her powers for the attempt on the asteroid and to let Enterprise transport us to Alpha, the International Space Station. That was except for the miracle she had to provide to transfer Enterprise from a polar orbit to the station orbit.  She had held back the grief, caused by her boyfriend, Archie's death, because it served the greatest good to complete the task that Archie had started.

"MS4" her sister Aquata shouted almost as loudly. She, with her sisters, was seated four in a row on the mid deck. She had the psionic ability to summon and manipulate weather. She too had been cautioned to save her strength but there had been no need because the weather at Vandenberg was picture perfect for launch.  Andrew, beside me, perked up when he heard her voice since he was enamored of her.

"MS5" Atina, the 3^rd sister responded . She had the psionic ability to summon and manipulate cryonics. It was I who perked up at the sound of her voice.  She was the first person that I had been able to share my secret.  I felt like I could face the world in complete truth with her by my side. She held her sister's hands next to her for good luck as she passed the time before launch. She looked over at her sister who was the last to respond.

"MS6" Arista spoke quietly. She had the psionic ability to summon and manipulate plasma. She had an aristocratic air about her so she was aptly named. She could not claim superiority on looks, because each of the girls were identical in their beauty.  She and Adella shared not having their boyfriends with them but Arista's boyfriend was alright.  Jean Luc was at a social event in Paris.

"Internal Comm., Isolate all MS." I announced flipping the proper switches to have a private word with my brother and the girls without disturbing the busy commander and pilot. "MS2, What do you all think about this?"

"MS1, I, for one, am glad that you are coming along with us, Alan. I figure that our chances of coming back alive from this have just tripled."

"MS4, I'm overwhelmed with the way we were rushed down here after we owned up to what we tried to do. I am glad that it seems that they are right that low earth orbit is the greatest distance we can chance leaving earth and have our psionic powers work. I would be a lot less happy if we were on a space ship with a collision course with that asteroid."

"MS6, I'm really sorry that Archie died, Alan and Andrew. If we can make this succeed by learning from our first attempt then perhaps he can have an even greater legacy than he has now by us saving the world."

"MS3, I watched Archie try to overpower our combined strength in order to turn it to his will. In a synthesis of so many disparate parts, a more feminine approach seems to be what you might like to do. "

"MS5, Are we there yet? " Several seconds of giggling followed thru the comm.

We continued chatting among ourselves until the Commander retook control of the communications for the Shuttle. "Commander to Crew! Launch protocols! Visors down! Get ready for lift off!"

We all locked the visors of our helmets down and checked again that the airflow was sufficient. How in the world would any of us be ready for lift off? I drew upon the knowledge given to me that this was something that could be done. It had to be done, for the sake of all the people of the planet Earth! I was ready only because I had to be ready, but it did not prevent a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as the time approached.

"Vandenberg Launch Control, T minus 10, 9, 8, Ignition sequence start 3, 2 ,1, Liftoff of space shuttle Enterprise and the shuttle has cleared the tower."

"MCC Huntsville. Enterprise is go for roll program!"

"Roger, roll!"

The Shuttle completed its roll and continued spaceward. I remembered now that Misson Control Center (MCC) Huntsville had been assigned payload duties which could have been absorbed into the MCC Houston ISS Control after Spacelab quit flying. It still existed so that the Huntsville MCC could be used as a cover and resource for Shuttle Enterprise flights.

"Enterprise, go for throttle down"

"Roger, throttling down"

"Max Q" "Roger Max Q" Max Q is the area of maximum dynamic pressure and the throttling down was supposed to help Enterprise stay in one piece flying thru it.

"Enterprise, Go for Throttle Up!"

"Roger, Throttle up!" I breathed a sigh of relief. That meant all was well, since this was the last MCC call that the crew of the ill fated had Challenger heard. I drifted in a dreamy state as Enterprise continued to climb for orbit. I was coping with the G's using the knowledge that I had been passed. I knew to listen for certain calls, since that meant some bumps in our ride.

"Enterprise, Go for SRB sep!"

"Roger, SRB sep" the commander called as he triggered the explosive bolts that released the spent Solid Rocket Boosters, which would turn and tumble to the water below, where the ships would retrieve them in the ocean.

More calls let us know of further flight milestones, but I was waiting for weightlessness to occur.

"Enterprise, Go for Main Engine Cut off"

"MECO" We all became weightless as we began to fall around the world. One last detail remained and we could start to approach ISS.

"Enterprise, Go for ET Sep"

"Roger, ET Sep" And the external tank separated from us, as the Colonel deftly got us out of the way .

The girls unfastened their restraints and stowed the mid deck seats. My brother and I heard giggles of delight coming from the mid deck section, so we decided to release our restraints and go flying as well. We all got out of our space suits and into our standard issue NASA flight coveralls.

"Enterprise from MCC Huntsville, Go for CBD Open!"

"Roger, Opening CBD!" The cargo bay doors were opened letting in the light as we viewed the shuttle bay from the windows at the rear of the flight deck.  Revealed in all of it's glory was Spacelab which appeared to have its secrets very well hidden.  Concealed inside Space Lab was a torpedo launcher that we would use to send Archie's ashes out into space after saving the world, as he requested.  We extended the shuttle docking system and deployed the KU Band Antenea.  Enterprise was now configured for orbital operations.

"Enterprise from MCC Huntsville, Go for OMS burn!"

"Roger, OMS burn nominal" A blast from the Orbital Maneuvering System thrusters propelled us toward our rendezvous with Alpha,

"Enterprise Alpha, ETA 57 minutes"

"MCC Huntsville, we copy, ETA 57 minutes, thank you." We had been informed that our estimated time of arrival at the International Space Station Alpha was 57 minutes. I could not believe there was any way we could arrive there so quickly.

Launching from Vandenberg in what amounted to a 2nd generation shuttle allowed us to use a polar orbit and a more direct intercept, which was why Enterrprise now had ISS in its sights. Little wonder that I was surprised, since the ordinary shuttle launch from KSC scheduled docking on Day Three when the shuttle had finally caught up with Alpha along the same orbit. Nevertheless, it appeared that the Major was beside himself with the dificulty to turn quickly without colliding with ISS and match speeds.

"Pilot to MS3, I need that miracle you promised! Assuming proper yaw, pitch and roll attitude for Retro OMS Burn." Enterprise had to shed lots of velocity to keep from overshooting Alpha and also had to make an impossibly sharp turn to line up with Alpha's orbit. No matter how much more capable than the other Shuttles, Enterprise could not do it without help. Adella Akins (MS3) could alter Enterprise's mass to allow a much smaller force to be enough to make the drastic course changes that were required by being able to manipulate gravity.

"MS3, Gravitational constants and forces altered! Go for Retro OMS burn!"

"MCC Huntsville from Enterprise, Executing Retro OMS Burn! 3,2,1, Cutoff!"

"Enterprise from MCC Huntsville, Enterprise and ISS velocity now matched. Course change for Orbital match immmienent!"

"Pilot to MS3, Another miracle, please. Assuming proper yaw, pitch and roll attitude for OMS burn!"

"MS3, Gravitational constants and forces altered! Go for OMS burn!"

"MCC Huntsville from Enterprise, Executing OMS burn! 3,2,1, Cutoff!"

"Enterprise from MCC Huntsville, Enterprise and Alpha velocity and course now matched. No other course correction required. Congratulations for doing the impossible, Enterprise, again! Congratulations to your latest miracle worker, Adella, for a job well done!"

"MCC Huntsville from Enterprise, Thank you MCC Huntsville, Enterprise awaiting clearance for final docking approach to Alpha"

"Alpha and Enterprise from MCC Huntsville encoded on the big loop. Space Shuttle Enterprise go for docking approach to the Unity Node Nadir PMA"

"MCC Huntsville and Alpha from Enterprise, Enterprise affirms, Go to dock at Unity Node Nadir PMA, thank you."

"MCC Huntsville and Enterprise from Alpha. Acknowledged. See you soon, Enterprise"

The approach to the nadir docking port of Unity was a little different from what the other shuttles had used.. However that was the preferred and only approach available. PMA3 had been coupled to Harmony after STS 120's departure which had attached Harmony to the port side of Unity. However Alpha had yet to move Harmony to its new location on the front of the Destiny laboratory. The Commander was very skilled with the docking procedure and soon Enterprise was hard docked with Alpha, the International Space Station.

When all the checks had been finished, finally both doors were open between ISS and Enterprise. Peggy, the Station Commander chimed the traditional naval bell and announced "Space Shuttle Enterprise Arriving!" Both she and Russian Flight engineer 1 Yuri and American Flight Engineer 2, Dan greeted the Enterprise crew but only Peggy gave each of the arriving Enterprise crew a warm hug

We followed Peggy, for the mandatory safety briefing. Peggy enjoyed telling about the lovely altruistic names that each station segment possessed. Unity was called a node becasue it connected the American modules to the Russian modules. Connected to Unity was Quest Airlock which was like a doorway to adventure. Also connected to Unity now was Harmony, the empty module which would become a node and living quarters and a doorway for visiting ships when it was moved to its permanent place at the front of Destiny. Destiny, a nice name for a lab learning for the future, was also connected to Unity. The first Russian module is called Dawn or Zarya which was the Dawn of a new day as the US and Russia began building the ISS together. Star or Zvezda celebrates the points of light in the sky that the Station brings us near. The Pirs docking compartment and airlock is translated Pier which evokes images from the ships of old. Peggy was glowing as she was giving the safety briefing and it was clear that she was enamored of Alpha and felt special to be entrusted to command.

Peggy's pride would not be satisfied till she told us about the new additons which would be added as soon as Harmony was set in its final place on the front of the Destiny lab. Hope or, translated Kibo from Japan provided hope for the future with the kinds of discoveries that might be made. Only the ESA departed from the abstract names when it named its laboratory Columbus but even that name is associated with New World which space had become now. When it was concluded, Andrew asked Peggy to stay behind with the girls and the two of us. John and Don went with Yuri and Dan for a tour of the Russian segment.

"Peggy, is Harmony ready for us to make our attempt?" Andrew enquired

"Harmony is secure for your attempt, and the holographic projector with the program sent from the ground is in place. We'll be observing decompression protocol while you are involved. Please remember us and don't give the station too many bumps." Peggy told us seriously. It had to be serious for the ISS crew to retire to their earth return capsule and for John and Don to be waiting for us in the shuttle.

"We will be careful, and we know all too well the risks." Andrew said sadly remembering our brother Archie's death."

"Enterprise, MCC Houston, MCC Huntsville, and MCC Moscow from Alpha on the big loop encoded. Per previous order, Alpha on decompression alert. I say again Alpha on decompression alert." All of the remaining ISS and Enterprise Crew joined Peggy in closing every airtight door on the station including the one between Unity and Harmony now that the 6 of us had stepped thru into Harmony, We knew that they would let the ground know that the Station, the Soyuz and Shuttle were secure and our attempt to save the world was in progress.

Now came the moment that I had not been looking forward to. Andrew turned on the holographic projector which oriented a pentagram within Harmony. Andrew called each of the girl's names and pointed to a point of the pentagram. Each girl went to her assigned point, and managed to slip her feet into the loops that had been secured to the floor on her first attempt . Finally he took his place at the remaining point of the pentagram. Then he finally directed me," Get in the center without stepping on any lines"

After we were all in position, Andrew passed his leadership position to me. I had to lead the team in a different way than Archie had done in his attempt to preserve us, the station, and hopefully, the Earth. I had sensed that conducting our attempt here in Harmony was serendipity, since a Harmony of all these forces with a consensus that would act for the common good. It was an instrument that I plucked and tuned as I added each member of our group.

"Adella, Summon and Contain" Adella summoned a contained sphere of gravity outside Harmony on the extension of the line between herself and me. A note sounded sweetly by itself in the room.

"Arista, Summon and Contain" Arista summoned a contained sphere of plasma outside Harmony in alignment with her point on the pentagram. The first harmonic of the note blended and richened the sound.

"Aquata, Summon and Contain" Aquata summoned a contained sphere of weather outside Harmony, again in alignment with her position on the pentagram. The second harmonic joined in, and the sound became richer.

"Atina, Summon and Contain" Atina ‘s sphere of cryonics was quickly placed in alignment with the pentagram. The third harmonic made to sound richer still, .

"Andrew, Summon and Contain!" Andrew’s sphere contained knowledge. When it was also in alignment with the Pentagram, the fourth harmonic blended and richened the sound again. They formed a very pleasing note that began to increase in volume.

~'Andy I'm scared'~ I thought to Andrew before I gave the last command … the one that could save everyone.

~’Altogether we can!'~ Andy thought to me, keeping the mental conduit open to comfort me.

"All Unify!" All of the spheres were flung towards a point in space. Instead of trying to overpower it, I willed my astral form to beat the spheres to the point of convergence. All of the energies were channeled thru me and directed out into space. The asteroid that was to have collided with Earth simply vanished as though it had passed thru a door leading elsewhere. In the process of combining, using my own astral spirit as a conduit, it ceased being. The elemental forms that had started out had changed into a magical power. Once it had done, its work it withdrew back within me and my astral form approached to join with my body back in Harmony.

Once my eyes flickered open, I realized that there had been a price for the magic as my own body transformed in front of my eyes. I suspect it was because of our mental link, that my brother transformed as well. If someone had blinked, while things settled down, they would now see that Harmony had inside it, identical sextuplet women . Andi told me telepathically that she would be Andrina Akins and I told her telepathically that I would be Alana Akins.

Almost as one, the 4 original sisters exclaimed, "What in the world, was that?"

Their new sisters also replied in unison (having had a telepathic conference):

"What it was, was magic!"