Eclipse Drift: Cosmic Odyssey

As Earth found itself encircled by satellites and outpost stations during the fervent Space Race of the late 22nd century, the escalation of tensions led to the onset of the Space Cold War. Factions representing various interests began jostling for orbital supremacy, either by forcibly displacing rivals or staking claims to strategically significant positions like high-angle orbits, such as the Molinya orbit, vital for military strategy. Skirmishes were commonplace as the struggle intensified over control of pivotal orbital locations and vital resources. Nation-states such as the United States, China, Russia, the European Union, and rising powers like India and Brazil became embroiled in these conflicts. Proxy battles and clandestine operations became regular features in the vast expanse of space, where rules of engagement were still evolving. The quest for dominance extended beyond territorial disputes to encompass economic stakes, technological prowess, and ideological rivalries. Ag...

“Gurdy, get ready to hit that button, will ya?”  The short-haired domestic tabby looked up uninterestedly then squinted and stretched out on the flight panel. Shown on the ship’s display, the space station stood in the distance, a massive metallic structure that seemed to stretch on forever. At its center, two giant launchers stood tall like the arms of an ancient atlatl, ready to fling spear-shaped rockets into the vast expanse of space. The station was a marvel of engineering, with sleek lines and a futuristic design that seemed to glow in the light of the stars. As the pilot approached the waystation, he could see the intricate details of the launchers. Each one was made of dusty metal that protruded from a central axis. The arms of the launchers were thick and muscular with hydraulic pistons, tapering down to a point where the spear-shaped rockets were loaded. The rockets themselves were sleek and deadly, with sharp edges and a pointed tip that seemed to glint in th...

In the world of The Stalk, a massive space tether named Beanstalk dominates the landscape, serving as the vital link between low-earth orbit and the ground below. Jacks, the vehicles navigating this colossal connection, are the lifeblood of The Stalk, bustling with constant movement and activity. Trash, the unwanted remnants of life aboard The Stalk, undergoes careful management. Giant disposal units, resembling expansive recycling facilities, dot the tether strategically. Waste management personnel ensure that every morsel of trash is handled responsibly, either recycled or disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. The commitment to sustainability on The Stalk matches the strength of the tether itself. The passengers, affectionately called Beans, form a diverse tapestry. From intrepid tourists seeking space thrills to businesspeople shuttling between Earth and space stations, each Bean carries a unique narrative. Some crave the rush of defying gravity, while others bear the w...

“No one knows what group caused the Undoing. Post-modern society had already begun the so-called “Battle Royale” Generation. During this hundred year period, every facet of society began warring with one another for dominance. Activism and rebellion invaded every facet of our lives. Lines of loyalty were drawn up and those without a cause were forced to retreat to entertainment fandoms or online communities. Unfortunately, the world politics and despotism of the late 22nd century grew to overshadow the lives of everyone living on the planet and invaded those areas, too. The space age had already begun, so the turmoil had forced everyone to become refugees off-planet where jobs were more plentiful. Close-knit families and communities grew abundant but separately in space while everything on the planet was steeped in societal pollution. Having more than one place in the solar system retreat to was what saved mankind from utter extinction. However, it wasn’t an Earth-shattering comet that...

"Time travel used to be thought of as just science fiction, but Einstein's general theory of relativity allows for the possibility that we could warp space-time so much that you could go off in a rocket and return before you set out." — Stephen Hawking Ta and Ta's algorithms didn't perceive from senses such as the organic lifeforms on the planet they studied. All nodes in the Great Linked List were information-based organisms. The cigar shape of Ta's craft seen by inhabitants of the planet, should they care to look , was nothing compared to the majesty with which Ta perceived his vessel. To Ta, the vessel that the captain and his crew piloted through the cosmos hung with tensioned ropes of command syntaxes and was festooned with defensive arrays. Long ago, maps were made by the Mathematics of Exploration Project, which calculated the possible position and vectors of all kinds of matter in the Universe. Their kind never had a need to visualize any of it. That...

The team of scientists at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO for short, at the Hanford Site Observatory in Washington state were conducting routine research when they detected what appeared to be a group of gravitational waves. The Hanford Site was established around 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project, a research effort by US scientists to end the second world war by producing an atom bomb. Plutonium manufactured at the site was used to make Fat Man, the ordinance used in the bombing of Nagasaki Japan in 1945.  A major Superfund effort was undertaken in 1989 to clean up the mess left by the inevitable mishandling of fissile material by the US Army. The last plutonium reactor, dubbed the N Reactor, was shut down and stopped generating electricity in 1987, the nearby Columbia River having been dammed over eleven times and supplying a better alternative for many years. LIGO was built in late 1994 and has been operating as a gravitational wave observato...