Chapter 9: Sling shot
The journey had been underway for several months, but the passage of time had not been noticed by the crew. Captain Brezinski had demanded a severe work schedule in order to prepare for the first major stress on their ship. Acceleration of the ice ball that the crew now called home required an enormous amount of energy. The use of Jupiter's gravitational field to sling shot them on their way would significantly reduce their resource use. The huge planet appeared larger on the screen every time that Doc Jules looked at it. Subjecting the human body to 15 g's for several days while their ship was drawn into the crushing gravity of Jupiter did not seem logical to Doc Jules. Everyone was now working 18 hours per day battening the hatches down for the gravitational storm that awaited them.
The sickbay was being outfitted with 34 isolation tanks that would suspend and cradle the crew during the acceleration. In order to withstand the pressure and allow for observation of the crew the front of the tanks was made from a transparent crystallized aluminum. Life support would be maintained by the computer during the period of suspension. A special semi-gel liquid would suspend and support the crew. A fluorinated liquid would carry oxygen into their lungs. The complete evacuation of all air from the body was essential to prevent rupturing the organs. Doc Jules had the task of convincing the crew members that he knew what he was doing. The Captain knew better than to ask for volunteers and had Brother Simon produce the schedule for entering the tanks. The Captain was the last scheduled and Brother Simon had placed himself first on the list based on the assumption that the Captain was needed until the last and that he as the geneticist would be needed the least.
Brother Simon presented to sick bay early for his induction into suspension. He asked Doc Jules to review the protocols with him and had the computer review the physiology and the chemistry for him. A few minutes before the scheduled suspension time Brother Simon began to pray in a low voice and then looked up at Doc Jules and said, "I trust in the Lord and I am ready for the tank."
Doc Jules had him lay on the OR table, after he had stripped. Doc Jules noted that he still wore his cross. Brother Simon was very disturbed when Doc Jules told him that he would have to remove the cross. Brother Simon asked, "Is there any way I would be allowed to keep my cross?"
Doc Jules told him no, unless he could sew it on. Brother Simon then asked him to sew it on. Doc Jules was a little taken back that Brother Simon had taken him seriously, but asked the computer if the protocols could be amended to allow the cross if it was securely sewn on. The computer supplied the necessary standards and Doc Jules asked the autosupplier to provide the required suture. Brother Simon asked that the cross be sewn on before the general anesthetic was given. Doc Jules did not understand the faith of Brother Simon, but he accepted him as a friend and did as he was asked.
After Brother Simon had been anesthetized and connected to the auto-ventilator the first tank was positioned next to the OR table and Brother Simon was slid into his support module. The air Brother Simon was receiving was now replaced with the support fluid. Brother Simon's vital signs did not change as the air in his lungs was gradually replaced with fluid, a process that seemed less natural to Doc Jules than the replacement of fluid with air that occurred at birth. The ventilator tube was now connected to the support module and the catheter and rectal tubes were inserted. The support module was closed. The tank was then filled with fluid and replaced in the holding berth. With the inspection light on Brother Simon seemed at rest and the monitors revealed that the depth of anesthesia had been reduced to a very shallow state allowing Brother Simon to stay in a state of deep sleep. Doc Jules wondered if dreaming would occur and the computer replied that the depth of sleep would be adjusted to match the normal sleep patterns. During periods of REM sleep dreaming would be likely. REM sleep was needed for normal neurological functioning because of the need to "reset" the neurologic circuits.
The crew members presented to the sickbay as per the schedule and all were given a chance to view Brother Simon in order to alleviate their fears as much as possible. The entire crew was composed of highly screened individuals and Doc Jules did not worry about any one refusing to cooperate. When John Kotzebue presented a few minutes late his arrival was heralded by a strong "fruity"odor. Doc Jules noticed the staggering gait, but before he could reprimand him, John started apologizing with very slurred speech. "I figured you could use a little help with the anesthesia. Since I am not sure being drowned intentionally is a good idea, a little fortification seemed to be in order."
Doc Jules asked him if he thought his fortification was adequate and John replied that it was. He climbed up on the operating table with a little difficulty but was otherwise cooperative. Doc Jules told the computer to modify the protocols to allow for the level of intoxication and to monitor John for dehydration that was surely to follow his indulgence.
The six-hour rest period allowed Doc Jules had seemed all too short as he began his second day of placing the crew in suspension. Each procedure took almost an hour and the two day allowance for placing the entire crew in suspension was grueling. Ann Cook, the crew anthropologist and nutritionist, presented first. She presented dressed in uniform and acted very formally. Doc Jules guessed this formality was a mask covering her anxiety. In her own way she was adapting to the stress, just as John had. Time did not allow the exploration of Ann's fears and Doc Jules knew that the quality of medicine he demanded of himself had to be compromised due to the time constraints. He liked Ann but had not allowed himself any personal interaction because of the wall he had enclosed himself in after the death of his family. He told himself that after the pressure of the sling he would try to come out of his shell.
Ann's suspension was not proceeding well and Doc Jules finally asked her what was bothering her. Ann admitted that she was very shy and that the invasion of her privacy was very troubling. Doc Jules assured her that he would do his best to protect her modesty, but that the suspension protocols were very specific. Ann acknowledged the need but asked if her module could be kept darkened as much as possible so that her nudity would be hidden. Doc Jules respected her request and told the computer to keep all of the modules as private as possible. Doc Jules had performed extensive exams on all the crew members and probably knew their bodies better than they did. He was not sensitive to nudity and as long as he kept his Doctor vision in place, he was able to suppress his own sexuality.
The acceleration was increasing and Doc Jules felt heavy. Motion was difficult and tiring. Mike presented to the sick bay on time but obviously not happy. He looked at the 31 modules which were already full and shook his head. "What are we doing?" he asked.
Doc Jules knew that he was expressing his fear and tried to settle him down. Mike began to ask specific questions about how the air was evacuated from the body and how could the lungs convert from air breathing to fluid breathing. Doc Jules explained to Mike how the fetus converts from fluid breathing to air breathing using a surfactant to prevent the collapse of the lung tissue and that they were just reversing the process. Mike seemed to accept this transition, but when Doc Jules started to explain the use of the rectal tube to evacuate the air from the gut Mike got very pale and sat down. Mike had been responsible for adapting the data from the computer into a workable design. The mechanical aspect of the support modules was acceptable to him but the insertion of tubes into his body was beyond his comfort zone.
Doc Jules asked Mike if he had thought about how the body was actually connected to the support module and Mike had to say he had avoided thinking about the biologic portion. Doc Jules took the time to explain how the support module acted like the womb, and instead of an umbilical cord nourishment would be provided by the support fluid which we would naturally swallow. The endotracheal tube would provide an oxygenated fluorocarbon which would allow the blood to exchange the carbon dioxide for oxygen just as breathing air. When Mike heard that Brother Simon had don
e the chemistry for the system he sighed and said, "The last thing I want to do is trust my life to a religious mystic."
Doc Jules assured him that the chemistry was good and that the computer had provided the basic data and checked all of the calculations. Mike asked, "Have you performed a series of experiments proving the validity of Brother Simon's work?"
Doc Jules told him that the experiment had now been performed 31 times. Mike looked at the 31 filled modules and said, "O’hell, just get on with it Doc". Doc Jules proceeded with the anesthetic and Mike soon joined the rest of the crew.
The Captain presented on time and Doc Jules asked her if she was satisfied with their preparations. She replied that they had done their best and everything seemed to be as ordered. Doc Jules realized he would soon be alone and tried to engage the Captain in conversation, but she was too strained to carry on any meaningful conversation. Her anesthetic was administered and she was transferred to her module as had the rest of the crew.
All the other crew members were allowed to receive a general anesthetic so that the transition from air breathing to fluid breathing could be accomplished atraumatically. Doc Jules had to make the transition while awake and alone, voluntarily. He had practiced the protocols many times and seemed to tolerate the transition to the heavy mist without difficulty. The fear of failure was real, but there was no choice because the crush of the upcoming acceleration was imminent.
Doc Jules sat in front of the monitor and looked at the flexible fiber-optic scope in front of him. He sighed and picked up the spray bottle of decongested and topical anesthetic. He again sprayed his right nostril. He thought about when they had used topical cocaine for this procedure and how the patients developed a mild high from the medicine. He could use a bit of the high now. Picking up the endotracheal tube he carefully checked the balloon with air pressure to make sure that it did not leak. He lubricated the scope and the tube before sliding the tube over the scope. He manipulated the controls with his right hand and with his left hand guided the tip of the scope into his right nostril. He realized how weird it was to see his interior and to be performing a procedure on himself. It was like playing a videogame as he advanced the tip of the scope through the nasal passage and throat to his vocal cords. He injected more anesthetic agent directly onto his cords. He took a deep breath and passed the scope through his cords and into the trachea. This produced only a little coughing and some tears in his eyes. He carefully advanced the endotracheal tube through his nose down his throat and through his vocal cords. Coughing and more tears resulted. He then removed the flexible scope and secured the endotracheal tube with the head strap. He was now ready to proceed with his transition.
A deep sense of being alone encroached on Doc Jules and he asked the computer to play the Trumpet Sonata by Corelli. With his favorite music playing, Doc Jules looked at Jupiter in the monitor one last time and opened his module. Doc Jules stripped and stored his gear. He looked at the cold grey slab and forced himself to lie down. The module was heated to body temperature, but Doc Jules shivered as his bare skin contacted the metal. He connected his airway tube to the respirator port. As he fastened the hold-down straps he was hoping that he could handle what was being asked of him.
The lid began to close and Doc Jules noted how very small his chamber was. His shoulders touched the sides if he moved at all and the lid left hardly any room above his face. The built-in monitor was positioned directly in front of him and the keypad was under his right hand. Doc Jules had always liked being outdoors. He kept his claustrophobia hidden beneath his shell of self-control. The snap of the latches sealing his module seemed unbelievably loud and final.
Doc Jules's anxiety began to rise and he began to sweat. The monitors showed that his heart rate was now over 140 and his blood pressure had increased to 180/110. The air that he was breathing seemed normal at first. It was a few minutes before Doc Jules noticed that the air seemed heavy and it was hard to breath. It almost seemed that he was drowning and Doc Jules started to develop a panic attack. He recalled a previous trauma of feeling like he would drown. He had been unable to release his harness underwater and thought that he was drowning in the tank, during military training in the Dilbert Dunker. The feeling of claustrophobia was becoming overwhelming. The computer added a mild tranquilizer and Doc Jules settled down some. He was a little alarmed when he noted his module was filling up with fluid, but the fluid was warm and the music soothing. He was accepting the transition better.
Sounds were changing, they were more clear as sound conduction changed from air transmission to fluid transmission. Doc Jules tried to talk, but no sound was produced. The effort was noted by the computer which told Doc Jules to use the keypad. Doc Jules was more aware again and appreciated the fact that he was totally submerged. He started typing with the keypad and asked the computer for a status update. The computer replied that all systems exceeded minimums and that acceleration was increasing at predicted values. Doc Jules then inspected the other support modules and was alarmed at the variation in some of the crew's vital signs. The computer replied that those crew members were in REM sleep and that during their dream states the fluctuation was normal. He knew this. Doc Jules was tired, the stress and workload had been demanding, and he asked the computer if a sleep time was allowed. Doc Jules did not even seem to hear the answer but simply fell asleep.
Doc Jules awoke feeling rested but disoriented. His initial struggle against the holding straps produced a, "Good morning Doctor" from the computer.
Doc Jules settled into reality and responded with, "And what's for breakfast?" on his keypad. The computer began to explain that supplemental nutrition was not required and Doc Jules had to tell the computer that it was just a joke. Breathing was still an effort due to the weight and inertia of the fluid that was moved with each breath.
Doc Jules had made the decision not to use a catheter and now found himself needing to void and wished that he had not changed that protocol. He asked the computer to relax his arm restraints and he positioned the urine tube but had some trouble relieving himself. Doc Jules was reacting just like most male patients when they tried to urinate lying down. After a few minutes of concentrated effort, Doc Jules was finally able to accomplish his task. A review of the monitor showed that all the crew members were doing well. The ship was now pulling 6 g's as it started to resist the gravitational force of Jupiter. The balance of the ship's inertial forces and the gravitational pull of Jupiter were producing significant acceleration. Doc Jules realized that if he was not suspended in his module that he would weigh over 1,200 pounds. This relative weight would increase to 3,000 pounds at peak. Despite the fluid support, the modules had to be angled in order to protect blood flow to the brain. Doc Jules noticed that at 6 g's he still had good color vision so that his blood flow to the eyes was still good. Even at wide field viewing Jupiter filled the monitor. The colors seemed unnaturally vivid and the scene surreal.
Doc Jules reviewed the remaining status logs and decided that things seemed to be working. Communication with the computer was difficult with the limitations imposed by the simple keypad. Time went by very slowly. Doc Jules recalled John Kotzebue's reaction to the suspension and wondered why the normally quiet stoic Eskimo had acted so out of character. The computer brought up John's file at Doc Jules's request. In the report was an account of a near drowning during a dogsled race.
John had taken the lead and was breaking trail across a small shallow inlet. He was walking on snowshoes ahead of his team. He used an axe to strike the ice every few steps. The sound produced provided information about the ice, just as the geologist used their monitoring stations to interpret the earth's strata. He was over half way across and about to strike the ice again when the ice gave way without warning. He plunged through the thin ice, the ice cold water burning his flesh as he plunged to the bottom. The shock of the cold took his breath away and almost seemed to stop hi
s heart, producing a severe pain under his sternum. His snowshoes became entangled under a rock trapping him. He struggled upward and could just reach the surface for a breath. He began to kick attempting to shake free of his snowshoes. He regretted substituting a modern snowshoe harness for the traditional loop of lamp wick which was easy to dislodge. After several seconds of exertion he had to stop and stretch for a breath. His fear was blocked by the extreme urgency of the situation. Only after he finally dislodged his snowshoe and rolled onto the firm ice, did he contemplate the seriousness of his situation. His wet clothing was already starting to freeze in the sub Zero weather. He climbed aboard his sled and turned the team around to retrace their course. He was shivering so badly that he could only lie on the sled passively while his team raced back. The cold was making him very sleepy and he became detached from his situation. He was able to visualize the scene from a perspective above ground. When the team encountered the other racers, they were stopped for a short rest period. The other racers found John unconscious and quite frozen; at least his clothes were frozen. They immediately tried to pry the frozen clothes off of John, but the ice had made this impossible. A tent was setup and John was dragged into it. All of the portable heaters were then started and focused on John. The clothes began to melt enough so that they could be removed and John was stripped naked. John was revived enough that he started to shake again. Two fellow racers also stripped and climbed under the covers using their body heat to help warm John. Despite the heaters and the body warmth of his friends it was over an hour before John regained consciousness. The shivering continued for several hours. Hot dilute tea seemed to help the most. The isolation of the race course made outside help impossible; the racers used traditional approaches to stabilize John until he felt strong enough to travel. When he finally arrived at Nome, he was taken immediately to the hospital. The emergency room evaluation revealed no permanent injuries or kidney damage. The ice formation seemed to prevent the formation of major frostbite and the initial warming had been effective in preventing tissue damage.
Doc Jules decided that John's behavior was understandable and he modified his report leaving only the reference to a "fruity" odor. If someone asked him to clarify the record he would be forced to acknowledge that he was using medicalese to document intoxication, but if nobody asked then the facts would be hidden by jargon.
Access to music and video information sources occupied Doc Jules's time, but the lack of human interaction became a significant stress. Doc Jules used the time trying to analyze his decision to join the mission and the Captain's decision on choosing him over the other candidates.
The memories of what he had lost before joining the mission came flooding back and produced a state of melancholy. Losing his family in that auto accident had produced an ache that he tried to hide both from himself and everyone else. Alone with such a sudden change in his activity levels weakened Doc Jules's resistance and the memories returned. He tried to share his thoughts with the computer, but the keyboard was just not adequate to explain human emotion. Doc Jules cried. For the next few days he lived with the past and forgot the present and the future. This time alone did give the gift of a personal catharsis, which was part of his healing.
Doc Jules had felt very alone isolated in his support module breathing a liquid and communicating only with a simple keypad. He thought about trying to awaken the Captain, but knew the stress that would be imposed was not acceptable. They were nearing peak angular acceleration and his color vision was lost. He would complete the sling alone. Doc Jules's ability to stay focused was deteriorating and he seemed to slip into periods of unconsciousness. He developed a pounding headache, but was afraid to have the computer medicate him because his grasp on reality was so slippery already. After several days of this partial existence his head began to clear and he noted that the acceleration had dropped to 8 g's. Color vision returned two days later when the "g" meter had dropped to 6 g's.
Doc Jules was excited by the coming end to his isolation. Planning for the arousal of the crew was reviewed with the computer and the order of awakening was to be almost the inverse of the initial suspension. When the acceleration had dropped to 2 g's Doc Jules began to reverse his support process.
The computer relaxed the hold-down straps and emptied the fluid from the chamber. The fluid that Doc Jules had been breathing had to be stopped suddenly and the conversion to an air-breathing animal would be as traumatic as it had been in the birth process. Doc Jules was as afraid of this transition as he had been of the first. The computer told him to take a last deep breath through his tube and then to breath out as much as possible. Doc Jules did this and then removed the tube. His attempt to slowly and carefully remove the tube was destroyed by his innate gag reflex which caused him to jerk the tube out. This produced a nosebleed but he did not have time to notice. His first breath of air produced a coughing spell so severe that he became dizzy. Within a few minutes he had controlled the cough and expelled most of the fluid. The remaining fluid would be quickly absorbed into the circulation and expelled by the kidneys. Breathing was easier again but the tendency to cough was hard to overcome. Doc Jules had the computer add a bronchodilator and a surfactant to the mist he was breathing. The coughing decreased quickly and he was able to enjoy breathing for the first time in 2 weeks.
The opening snap of the module was muffled by the fluid that still filled Doc Jules's ears. He raised himself up on his elbows and became lightheaded. It took several minutes before he was able to sit up fully. The period of inactivity had produced some weakness and the stress of the 2 g's was almost overwhelming. Doc Jules swung his legs out of the module and was amazed at how heavy his feet were. It was the better part of an hour before Doc Jules was able to stand without being dizzy. He told the computer that he wanted a hot shower and some real food. The computer said that a small amount of food would be okay but did not understand the need for a shower after being submerged for 2 weeks. Doc Jules advised the computer that the psychology of the shower was important not the need itself.
After showering and shaving the act of dressing tired Doc Jules. He sat at his desk and slowly ate the small meal that the auto-supplier had provided. Movement was still difficult, but he was adapting. He visually inspected all of the modules and was pleased to actually see that everyone was stable. Doc Jules began activating the Captain by first draining the module and then deepening her anesthetic so that the conversion to air breathing would not be as traumatic. The conversion from fluid to air was sudden, but the anesthesia prevented the severe coughing that Doc Jules had suffered through. The anesthetic was gradually reversed and when the Captain was almost awake Doc Jules removed the tube from her throat. This produced a small bout of coughing, but Doc Jules had determined the amount of bronchodilator and surfactant needed by reviewing his own response. The Captain gradually became aware of her surroundings and was able to focus on Doc Jules' face. Her initial words were slightly garbled and very hoarse, but after repeating herself a few times she sounded human again. The Captain wanted to know what was wrong and why they had not started the sling-shot.
Doc Jules smiled and told her that everything was fine and that the sling had been completed as planned. The Captain was in a state of disbelief that 2 weeks had gone by and had to actually look at the monitor and see Jupiter fleeing behind them. The cobwebs cleared from the Captain quickly and she began a review of systems even before she was able to sit up. The increase in gravity did not seem to bother her nearly as much as it had bothered Doc Jules. The Captain sat up without any trouble but when she tried to stand up, she got very dizzy and Doc Jules had to help her to a chair. She was much too preoccupied with the health of her ship and the crew to worry about food or a shower. Doc Jules had to remind her to dress and eat a little before he would release her for duties. The Captain grumbled but did as she was told. The two weeks had passed instantly for her and the time was simpl
y lost except for a few dreams that she could barely recall. As the Captain resumed her command Doc Jules began the reversal process with Mike.
Doc Jules was adapting to the acceleration forces and was moving much more freely. The rate of decrease in the acceleration force was slowing and it would be several days before the ship was back to one gee. Mike tolerated the reversal well and was soon awake enough to focus on his surroundings. He mumbled something about, "Damned mystics and their chemistry" and tried to sit up. The movement was too sudden and he blacked out. As soon as he regained consciousness he told Doc Jules that, "I knew this wasn't going to work."
The Captain began to laugh and told him to look at the monitor. After a few minutes of reviewing data Mike said, "I'll be damned. It did work." Both Doc Jules and the Captain were laughing now. The first major maneuver had been accomplished. Mike apologized to Doc Jules and told him how glad he was that he did not have to ever go through anything like that again. The Captain started laughing again, and asked Mike, "How do you think we are going to stop when we get to our destination." Mike just groaned. The rest of the maintenance and engineering crews were brought out next. The intense inspection of the ship needed to be started.
The reversal of suspension was not nearly as time critical as the initial suspension and Doc Jules spent some time with each crew member as they were brought out of suspension. Most crew members who had attained good levels of REM sleep awoke reasonably refreshed and clear-minded. Some of the crew did not tolerate the light level of anesthesia and the deeper planes of anesthesia did not allow for REM sleep. This lack of REM produced pronounced confusion that required rather intense care. The sickbay was kept filled with several of the crew who had not adapted well. Over the course of a few days everyone returned to normal. Doc Jules noted that he could pretty well predict how well people would recover based on their brain wave patterns while they were suspended.
Doc Jules was pleased to see that Ann Cook's sleep pattern was better than average. As her aesthetic was being reversed Doc Jules took the time to cover her with a gown to protect her modesty, but did note that she was a beautiful woman. Ann awoke without difficulty and seemed clear-headed from the start. Her initial concern was to review the nutrition status and weights of the crew. The average weight loss had been kept to just a few pounds and Ann was happy. The nutritional supplements that she and Brother Simon had added seemed to have worked well.
Brother Simon was the last to be reversed. He awoke a little groggy and it took several minutes to clear the cobwebs. When he became fully alert he again started praying and thanking his God for the success of this portion of their mission. Doc Jules was an atheist and he just did not understand this devotion. Doc Jules told Brother Simon that it was the genius of the crew and the help of the computer that had allowed them to accomplish what they had. Brother Simon just smiled and said, "Genius is a gift of God and thus it is proper to thank God for our success." These philosophical and theological arguments were one of the main joys of working with Brother Simon, who Doc Jules thought was the most brilliant of the many geniuses on board. The longer time of suspension and the older age of Brother Simon prolonged his full recovery and it was a few days before he returned to his research lab. He used this time to record everyone's response to the suspension and was particularly interested in Doc Jules's experience. He thought that the time Doc Jules spent remembering his family and working with his grief was especially important.
Captain Brezinski slackened the work schedule only slightly. The entire ship had to be inspected for structural damage and repairs undertaken before acceleration could resume. The crew was divided into teams for the inspection task. Every weld, nut and bolt was to be inspected. Drones were dispatched to remotely inspect the entire outside of their ship. The ice ball was not smooth and several days would be required to complete external inspection. The accelerator tubes were the most critical external elements. The controlled detonation of their remaining stock of nuclear weapons would provide for their ongoing acceleration at almost a full gee. Before depletion of the stored nuclear weapons the crew had to complete the fusion accelerator, which would provide their energy needs for the rest of the journey.