The Closure

The Closure

Sept.13, 2003

It had been two weeks since the biosphere was sealed, all 55,000 or the initial population settled inside. The canopy liquid shielding was deployed, both for external radiation and thermal fluctuations. The internal air system was brought up operationally in stages over the last 3 months. Sensors throughout the biomes and various part of the main temperate zone indicated normal computer modeled operational levels. “Thank God”, Nathan thought, “ It is finally done.” All of the planning, the work, the suffering, was all somehow worth it now. Fifty five thousand people were safe and could re-seed mankind. Through the North Gate air locks, zero-gravity craft were sent out to monitor ongoing earth Global biosphere status. In the last few months the massive nuclear strikes were primarily in east and western parts of the United States, Eastern Canada, throughout parts of Europe, and population centers in Russia and the Far East. Drifting radiation was starting to be detected more by City Biosphere proximity sensors. Zero gravity craft would be circling the Globe every few hours and return with volumes of data that would be fed into the Earth Atmospheric Model (EAM) which would be used for predictive analysis. The prognosis from all computer modeling was that the earth would be uninhabitable for 200 years. With careful seeding and microbe planting, people would be able to emerge to a newly formed planet in two centuries. The anti-gravity shielding on the Biosphere dome was fully activated. Some atmospheric debris had struck the shield and been deflected harmlessly. There had been about 2 years of intense conflict in the Middle East that preceded the Nuclear outbreak. Of course even before this 2 years, there were years of terrorist activity. The engagement of nuclear weapons was progressive in stages. First a few rogue states struck with weapons of mass destruction, then there was tactical use of nuclear weapons in the battlefield, then an all out strike on both sides by those countries aligned for and against Israel. It was depressing and traumatic to survive these events. When the first use of weapons of mass destruction began 2 year before closure , predictive modeling of warfare forecast the need for the biosphere to be completed within 24 months. The robotic assembly processes and construction schedule in general were accelerated to meet this deadline. On the well lighted construction site anti-gravity floatation droids were working day and night, according to instructions communicated from a central super computer . For the most part this operation went smooth, but there were a few glitches with small accounts of droid failure. It was and enormous effort that over employed 50,000 people, 20,000 droids and thousands of computer systems. Security throughout the whole process was a leading priority. Besides the need for dome security from human foul play, there was also a need for security from Celestial Being intervention. Early in the development of the NJ-12 Biosphere

project, anti-gravity craft called Arrow Peacemakers, were engineered and incorporated energy weapons and exotic power systems. These craft protected airspace around the 7 mile by 7 mile construction site to a flying radius of 800 miles. There were many encounters with hostile earth-kind aircraft, intent on maliciousness to the biosphere, yet there were also encounters with Celestial Being craft that were either gently (“shot over the bow”) or more forcefully repelled. The Peacemaker fleet of 400 air/space craft, was successful in all encounters, having a high speed upper speed range of Mach 14, allowing for quick deployment. The last skirmish that had occurred was about two weeks prior to closure, as a fleet of 4 ET (Celestial Being) craft hovered about 5 miles over the construction site. The first response by the Security team was to fire high energy beams from the laser ground canons. These laser canons were constructed early in the project work, on the Biosphere site periphery. The canons pumped out 4 Megawatt beams of light and heat. On this intercept occasion the canons forced the ET craft to hover further away. Then within a few minutes of detection, 10 Peacemakers were dispatched downing one ET craft and forcing the others away from earth air space. Nathan was reviewing reports on activity in the complexes within the biosphere. There were reports for all five complexes including; the Science/Engineering complex, the Ocean complex, the Medical complex, the Recreation complex, and the Christ center complex. As he studied the electronic tablet for the Science/Engineering complex he decided to call up Tribal Leader James Lucas Albright, leader of the Science/Engineering tribe. Nathan activated the wrist communicator by a voice command. Nathan Daniels spoke into his communicator : “Access General James Aubrey.” General Aubrey responded, “Yes Nathan.” “James, I think it is going to be O.K. The air systems are secured, all repository material is in place and the survey ships have indicated positive predictive results within the 200 year model”, Nathan stated. Aubrey acknowledged. “ Looks good; all long range sensors indicate minimal ET interference as well. I think we should have a tribal meeting tomorrow to discuss fine tuning our activities now we are fully operational.” Nathan paused fora short while then responded, “Yes James, I will get the Tribal Band Clerics to schedule a meeting for biosphere quadrant one time of 10:00 hours tomorrow. Take care James and get some rest.” Nathan had added the remark about resting as Aubrey had been up for 72 hours, working at completing the closure process and getting the complexes fired-up.