CISLUNAR SERIES:
These are the foundational stories of the Remembered Earth Universe. Remembered Earth covers the science and technology of the next hundred years as mankind moves into cislunar space (defined as that space in and around the Earth-Moon system and slightly beyond) and takes tentative steps to destinations farther out.
US Tugs: A Short Story
Jax is new on the job and alone in flight control at US Tugs when one of the orbiting spacecraft has trouble. And then another, and another. But no matter what Jax does, the only response he could get from the robots was, “Need help”.
He couldn't figure it out and he thought it would cost him his job.
He didn't know it could lead to a national security crisis.
Prototype: A Short Story
James had made it to orbit, where he always wanted to be. He thought the hard work was behind him, but when you are responsible for a hundred million dollar prototype, the hard work may just be ahead.
A glitch, or something, had stopped the robotic inspection of the build site for the first fuel depot in space. James was alone, it was downtime for the build crew and his supervisor had gone to a meeting. James had been distracted when the spider-bot had its problem and now it wouldn't communicate.
James was sure the bot was more important to the company than him and that he would be terminated and sent back to Earth if he couldn't get it going. But without a link he would have to out there, and out there was not like being up here, with the station walls surrounding.
What do you do when your only choice is between your dreams and a nightmare?
L1 OR BUST: A Short Story
There's a place for everyone, and everyone better know his place, at least aboard a spacecraft.
I felt like that too, until something seemed to be going wrong on the mission to save the first fuel depot built at the Earth-Moon system's L1 point. There was a problem, a total systems failure kind of problem, and the Commander and his First Officer seemed to not be making any progress solving it. And if they didn't solve it soon, the mission would be lost.
And that meant, I would be lost in space along with them. As the company's head engineer, I thought I could help if given the chance.
Problem was, the commander didn't want my help.
But I couldn't just sit there.
Guidance Box: A Short Story
Those that can, do, those that can't, sit it out.
But some times those that do can make a mistake. And if they don't have the integrity to face up to their mistakes, they may make the wrong decision and try to cover it up. That could cost lives.
The mission to test out a new lunar cargo and personnel lander had asked for volunteers and Richie and I volunteered. We weren't suppose to do anything, we, along with a few others, were just dead weight, representing future passengers. But something went wrong with the prototype lander and we crashed into the lunar surface.
All were alive but not all were safe. Richie and I had been too slow to make it to the control room and were stranded in our spacesuits. Problem was, it was the commander's mistake that stranded us and he didn't want to admit it, but Richie and I couldn't just sit tight and wait for him to eventually call for a rescue, our limited air supply wouldn't allow it.
Air Brakes: A Short Story
Sometimes engineering is just engineering.
Sometimes engineering is subjugated to company politics.
And sometimes engineering is not enough when faced with criminal intent.
Young engineer, Joe Jackson, had to go beyond engineering to protect his project, which might just save the company.
View Point: A Short Story
The problem with space is it takes a team. Not a team of astronauts, but a team of technicians, a team of engineers, and a team of managers.
And the different teams have different view points.
Each view point may be valid, but each may not contribute equally to the success of a project.
But it only took one to doom it.
Space Truck: A Short Story
The rush to build a permanent Moon habitat was on.
Jose was project leader for the team that would land the equipment to make it happen.
Only there was one big problem, government. As hard as it was, regulators would make it harder.
Dark Side A Novella
As a young lawyer, Josh was aware of the developing human presence in cislunar space, but only as a bystander.
He never dreamed he would ever have a role in that development.
But now he had to decide to step up and help further that development, help build an important radio telescope on the far side of the Moon by using the law, or stay an onlooker.
He stepped up and failed, but in failure sowed the seeds of success.
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