Stargazers

4. The Elpis

      Once the first vessel was fitted with the newly functional engines, the second took half the time. The third then took even less than that. His crew was getting to know each other very well, and that was speeding up productivity. The first few ships were already half way or even near completion when the engineers stumbled into issues with the engines. This is where Eric came in and while he worked hard to make sure the engines were tip top, the rest of the vessels were fully constructed. Drummond didn't expect Saunders to be so hands on, but he was on site everyday working with engineers. Eric was determined to keep his word and as long as the rest of the ship was ready to go, it would be air worthy within a few months as promised. It was coming along nicely and Eric occasionally took the time to look back and adore the sheer size of the massive space craft.

     "Damn," he muttered to himself, "This is a big bitch."

     "It's almost twice the size of our biggest aircraft carrier," one of the techs working near him mentioned, "They're going to take a handful of us along, just in case something breaks. They're looking for volunteers to go and even stay on Mars."

     "Are you going?" Eric asked the man.

     "I'm not sure," the tech replied, "I'm nervous about starting life on a planet that doesn't look very hospitable."

     "Once these engines are done, I'm going up there with the human transport." Eric told him, "I'm going to try to make as many trips as I can to make sure as much supplies and materials get there to improve our chances of success."

     "I don't even know how we intend to breathe up there," The tech wondered.

     "Great minds are working on that issue," Eric reminded him, "Let's just stick to our problem and get these beasts into the sky. This ship needs to be finished on time or it's my ass on the line. This ship is going to be carrying the most sensitive cargo of them all, which is why it's the biggest."

     "What is that?" the tech asked.

     "Mankind," Eric answered, "Our last chance to survive this disaster. So let's get back to work so we can make our deadlines."

     "Yes, Doctor Saunders." The tech replied as he went back to work.

     There was nothing more said between the tech as they all furiously went back to work on what was mankind's last hope. Eric had gone back to his own obsessions until someone came into the massive hanger and called for him on a loudspeaker.

     "Dr. Saunders." The man loudly called out.

     "What is it?" he called back.

     "Your daughter is here." he replied.

     Eric removed himself from his work and the massive ship he was working on for something either than sleep and food for the first time in several months. As he walked out of the construction zone, he peeled off his work equipment, his jumpsuit and quickly changed into something more casual, like jeans and a white t-shirt. He cleaned up his face and brushed his teeth in the bathroom before finally strolling beyond the secured zone and into the lobby which was open to the public. When he saw his oldest child out there, he had to pause for a moment. He couldn't believe how mature she looked for her age. She had only been in college a few years but she looked so beautiful. He on the other had looked totally different, with worker's hands and a larg4e beard, Eric looked like he just finished several straight months on an oil rig.

     "Hey kiddo!" Eric said, as he put on a smile for her, "It's great to see you!"

     "Dad," the young woman replied, gesturing to the officers in the room, "Why did these feds pull me off campus?"