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# <center>Chapter 7</center>
#### <center>Eric</center>
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Eric Berryman made his way via the skyways through several rotating rings to the high gravity manufacturing facility of the starship.  Unlike the low gravity facility, an entire spinning ring was devoted to this process.

Most of the construction on the starship’s hull was complete.  The robotic crews were still placing panels on the Alcubierre/Fulton and the Fusion Impulse drive nacelles.

By alternating their production periods with the space dock’s shift rotations, they were producing a steady supply of panels for the maintenance bots and cutting the construction time in half.

The process required them to set up the molds, introduce the slurry of All-Goo then evacuate the manufacturing ring so that it could be spun up to simulate 3.7 g’s to complete the process. The increased weight caused the slurry to separate into the different layers of each allotrope/alloy for the nano-mites to bond them molecularly.  It took about 23 hours of high gravity environment for the process to complete. 

Checking with his production team, Eric determined that they were on schedule for a production run and should be able to begin the sequence at any time. He seated himself at a console in the control room and brought up a checklist for the high gravity production run.

Eric applied for a position on the starship crew at the suggestion of his best friend, Carter Jess.  He and Carter had been roommates at Louisiana Tech University, and while Carter pursued Mechanical Engineering, Eric followed his interest in NanoEngineering. They became fast friends and took many of the same classes together.  

The two formed a study group during their freshman year that was recognized by other students because of the high grades the members achieved. During the third quarter of his freshman year, Eric introduced Carter to a petite redhead from his astronomy class.  She wanted to join their study group, but wasn’t an engineering major and wanted to attend the sessions devoted only to calculus.  Because the math sessions were particularly popular and they decided to limit participation to no more than eight individuals, he didn’t think Carter would agree to let her join. He couldn’t have been more wrong.  

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<center>[Source](https://pixabay.com/en/people-girls-women-students-2557396/)</center>

When he introduced the pair, the mutual attraction was immediate.  Eric, amused when he discovered he wasn’t part of the conversation, discreetly slipped away to let them discuss things in private.

Lydia became a regular at the calculus sessions, and shortly Carter was giving her _**private**_ tutoring in mathematics. By their Junior year, Lydia was making post-graduation wedding plans, and Eric was asked to be Best Man. 

Before graduation Carter accepted a position with NASA at the Johnson Space Center developing innovations for the new fusion drives the space agency was fitting to their newly designed interplanetary shuttles.  He quickly made a name for himself there.  

Lydia accepted a position at the Davis Observatory in south TX and was able to do most of her work remotely from their beachfront home on Galveston Island. 

Eric was recruited by Interplanetary NanoLabs during his senior year and worked in their gravitationally enhanced products division.  He went through the company training for working in outer space and secured a position working twenty-one days on and twenty-one days off at the company's Lunar Division.  His outstanding work helped to develop a high G manufacturing facility in lunar orbit.

During a retrofit of the Lunar Base, he was temporarily assigned to the INL’s London office and found himself designing nano-bots to manipulate biological processes. Upon arriving in London, Eric was appointed to head a team developing nano-mites for an innovative way to manage recombinant DNA for a company called Genetica Sciences. The company’s representative was a brilliant young biologist named Padma Battaille of Hindi decent. He fell head over heels in love with her. 

She and Eric worked well together.  It seemed that anything she needed he could design. Padma was impressed by the way Eric was always able to find a workaround when faced with an impossible problem. It became an inside joke to them when he said, “The impossible is just a little bit harder than difficult.”

Toward the end of the job, they arranged to meet for lunch at a sandwich shop in Kings Cross to wrap up the details of the contract. Suddenly the conversation became stalled and awkward. They both stared at each other and began to speak at the same time. 

“Sorry,” said Eric.  

“No, no,” said Padma, “you first.”

“Well, I know this project is about to end.” He said.  “And, uh, well, I’ve enjoyed the time I’ve spent with you and,” he hesitated not sure how to continue. 
 
Laughing she said, “I was about to say the same thing, I don’t want it to end either.”

They started an online relationship, and Eric arranged to visit on his off days while home from the moon. Within a year Padma had an engagement ring.

When Eric introduced Padma to his newlywed friends, Carter and Lydia Jess, the girls immediately became best friends.  The two couples found themselves frequently doing things together.  Padma and Lydia seemed always to have something exciting arranged whenever Eric returned from his hitch on the moon.

After Eric and Padma were married, she transferred to Genetic’s Labs in Houston where Eric could be close to the NanoLab spaceport at the Houston Hobby facility.  He regularly caught his shuttle to the lunar base from there. Her prestige as a world-class scientist didn’t go unnoticed, but instead of being resentful of the friendly ribbing he received from his peers Eric seemed to thrive on her celebrity.  
 
When Carter told their little group about the new project he was working on that was seeking young married people for possible star travel both couples decided to apply.  Shortly after the Berryman’s honeymoon, all four received confirmation of their acceptance into the Cosmos project.

Eric rechecked the status of the slurry vat and ensured all molds were secure and confirmed that the slurry contained the correct proportions of molecules and free elements to provide a quality end product.

Assured that the manufacturing parameters were correct, he activated the evacuation checklist and selected _**First Alert Message-activate**_.”  He heard a computer-generated female voice over the public intercom begin to repeat,  “Warning, the manufacturing process is about to begin.  Please secure all stations for prolonged high gravity environment.”  “Warning…”

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<center>[Source](https://pixabay.com/en/beloved-enemy-space-station-3265607/)</center>

Eric watched the control panel as small red dots representing his crewmen moved toward the skyways and spoke lifts.  When each dot was safely out of the manufacturing ring, it turned green on the monitor. A list of his crewmen illuminated on the monitor and their names became green as well, as they checked in.

When all crewmen reported in Eric selected _**Spoke Lift Lockout-Activation**_ from his checklist, ​and after a brief pause heard the automated voice say, "Spoke, Lifts have been locked out.” He brought up the _**Skyway Detach Sequence 1,2,3**_  and selected number 2 and 3 and pressed the activate button.

The intercom voice said, “Skyways 2 and 3 detach sequence begin.”
Eric closed out a few items on his monitor and selected _**Transfer Control to Remote Station**_. Then he made his way out the door and across Skyway number one to the administrative ring.

At the remote console inside a small vestibule to the right of the skyway, he entered his access codes and ran a biological check for any life forms remaining in the manufacturing ring. Assured that no one was left behind, he activated the Skyway detach sequence for Skyway number one.  

Looking out the small observation port, he saw a little cloud of fog appear as the air escaped into space when the seal between the two joined corridors separated. The Skyway tubes began to retract into their separate rings.

The desired parameters were selected to increase the ring rotation, and exhaust gases shot from small thrusters situated on the outside of the adjoining ring. Once the ring was up to speed, he pressed a button sequence that would start the automated manufacturing process.

Eric Tapped his temple and sent a department-wide message to his crew to take the rest of the day off and then crossed over to the crew quarters through the connecting skyways.

Back at their apartment, he prompted the home computer, “Kitchen, eight-ounce cola please in crushed ice.”  

The MA finished his drink, and he retrieved it from the recessed shelf where it formed and sat down at his desk. 

“Living room, window please.”  

The wall turned transparent and revealed a view of the space dock superstructure moving across his perspective as the housing ring rotated. An impressive view of the Milky Way slowly rotated in the background. 

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<center>[Source](https://pixabay.com/en/milky-way-galaxy-stars-universe-1031138/)</center>

Tapping a few keys on the keyboard a curved view-screen appeared before him as a hologram.  The email that Padma sent him popped up and the attached diagram showing the three strands of molecules appeared.

He read the brief note she sent describing the problem she was having bonding the three strands into a triple helix of modified DNA. 

“Yep,” he said to himself.  “Another impossible problem to solve.” He pondered awhile then typed in a side note to ask Padma if a Boron based polyhedral cluster could replace a few carbons on the chain of molecules then closed the console and stared out at the stars.  

He gave the problem a bit more thought then stood up and said, 

“Message.”  

The room responded with a tweetle.  

“Tell Padma I’ve gone over to the Entertainment Section when she arrives.”  

“Tweetle deetle,” said the room.

There was a door wide enough for ten people to enter shoulder to shoulder opening into the vast lobby of the Entertainment Section. Many voices where chattering as he walked inside and sat on a stool at a long bar with a shiny black top.

“Hey, Darren,” he said as the bartender walked up.  

“I’ll have your best draft beer!” 

“Sure thing Eric, coming right up."  

“I think some friends of yours are here,” he said as he took a frosted mug from under the bar and pulled the spigot to draw the frothy golden liquid into the cold glass.

Eric looked around the room and saw Carter and Lydia standing by the large observation window looking out into the void. He scooped up the beer where Darren had expertly slid it to stop just in front of him without spilling a drop.  He walked over to an empty table and called out to his friends to join him.  

“Hey, guys. Got time for a beer?” he asked.

“Hey Eric,” said Carter while Eric hugged Lydia. “We were completing a tour of the ship.  I think we’re going to be well ahead of schedule since you’ve stepped in to help with manufacturing.”

“Well, unfortunately, our heavy use of the All Goo means a delay until replenished.  But I hear Sagan and Tyson are going twenty-four seven to keep up," replied Eric.

They sat at a small table for four and Eric signaled to Darren.

“I left word for Padma that I would be here, I was thinking of reserving a simulation room for a little sunset on the beach, would ya’ll like to join us?”  

Three simulation rooms were part of the entertainment area.  
They evolved from virtual reality gaming that was popular in the 2020s.  
The ship’s library had thousands of virtual reality programs for the three simulation rooms.  One of the Berryman’s favorite programs was a tropical Pacific setting on a white sand beach during a sunset.  It was complete with an ocean breeze and seabirds.  You could even take off your shoes and wade in the surf if you’d like and large driftwood logs were strategically placed to sit and watch as the sun set in glorious colors. All in all, it was a relatively simple program but was very popular with young couples.

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<center>[Source](https://pixabay.com/en/sunset-beach-landscape-beach-sunset-1149800/)</center>

Darren came over with menus and took their drink order.  As he was walking back to the bar, Padma came in and with hugs all around sat down with them.

Padma shared Eric’s menu and when Darren came back, ordered an orange soda on crushed ice with a club sandwich.

“Hey, Darren,” said Eric.  “Do you have a sim room available for the next half hour?”

“Two are available since we don’t have a full crew,” answered Darren. 
“Is 17:30 to 19:30 a good time for you,” he asked checking his HUD for reservations? “That should give you time to finish your meal and I’m expecting a crowd later, but that’s the earliest I have for an opening.”

Eric looked around and saw no objections so said, “Thanks Darren, we’ll take it!”
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<center>_**Thanks for reading Chapter Seven
 in my first attempt at 
Science Fiction
Read Chapter One [here]( https://steemit.com/story-mentor/@beekerst/the-triple-helix)**_</center>

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