DAY 120

The Enterprise crew, Win Chung shuttle pilot Glennis Brink and Sue Faber shuttle would be placing eight more people in orbit. The shuttle bay was loaded with the lasers for stations four and six and some provisions..

Diane Baker, Thomas Westhavem, Ellen Barns, and Julio Hardik were going to station 4 and Amanda Snyder, John Booty, Laurie Perkins, and David Goldstine were headed for station 6.

 DAY 121

Karen and Lyle were given a couple days of relative rest.  They did EVA’s helping the crew stage parts that would be needed to continue construction. The shuttle was serviced and checked then they headed to station 1.  Lyle and Karen would finish training there and become part of the crew.  Trantina and Uri would also train there and work with the crew between assignments.

 DAY 122

Karen and Lyle and the shuttle crew arrived at Station 1.  They were at home.  The other two loading crews would load the remaining stations. Lauren and Deede would be based at station 5, Amanda and Ben at station 3 until other arming crews were available.  If stations 2, 4, or 6 fired more than a couple missiles one of the arming crews would be transported to perform the reload.  Two arming teams would be ready in about thirty days. A sixth team composed of Mason Timmons and Holly Jordan would be the third team.  Mason was a Major in the MP’s on the base, the one who lost his leg from the bullet wound he got in the shootout with the FBI. Holly was an Iraq War vet who was an RAK/LBK as the result of an IED explosion under her vehicle. They were a few weeks behind the McCoys.  Initially Chas paired them because he had no alternative. A week after the pairing Holly asked to stay with Mason. When she was leaving Chas Mason was waiting to see him. The problem Chas expected to materialize went away. Mason was asking for the same pairing. When asked why both responded, “We have both had someone we care for die in our arms although the circumstances were different both of us lost limbs for our country and gave part or all of one voluntarily.  I doubt anyone else would really understand us.  Not only that. I like hot blonds.”

“I will let you stay together if it works.”

“We will make it work.”

 DAY 126

 The projected time to install the second and third solar panels was twenty four days assuming four people would be working full time. On station 1 Jeff and Bobbie completed in fourteen with part time help from the other four specialists.

 DAY 130

The Atlantis crew commanded by Jake Kardisco would be taking Katie Ulman, Steve Group, Linda Davis, George Yang to station 3. Judy Sadler, Peter Plasso, Terri Ziemba, Larry Peccio we going to station 5. The shuttle bay contained the lasers for these stations.

Check the end of chapter 1 or my site for more chapters or stories by

Ralph Brandt

The Perfected Astronauts