The Titan Conspiracy

Our Three scientists are back to travel to a distant moon. What they find there changes how humans think about planets and moons.

This is the sequel to the Chandra Prophecy.

Story and illustrations Copyright © 2022 by John Shirey. All rights reserved.

Some photos are the property of Google.

Locations and Names are fictional even though they may be real. No offense is intended to any person, place or institution.

Chapter No.1

Carl Walker, the astrophysicist who had become the savior of the Moon and the first to pilot the Spaceplane; Margaret Spenser, the planetary astronomer who had discovered a possible alien intelligent species; and Janet Foster, the radio astronomer specialist who had translated the alien language in the signal, were lounging in Carl's well-appointed family room that overlooked an amazingly well maintained garden with a pond that contained a Grecian statue fountain, enjoying after supper cognacs when Carl revealed something that spoiled the relaxed mood that they had achieved.

"I don't think we're in the original timeline," he said in a calm, low toned voice.

"Let me guess," Margaret said while grinning. "Your Ex ran off with a handsome gigolo on Maui."

"That would have happened in any timeline," he said with a smirk. "This is something I just noticed in that sconce over there," he pointed to the entrance to the family room at a more modern version of the classic light fixture. "It fell and suffered a crack, which I tried to fix unsuccessfully. I see that it's undamaged now."

"Maybe one of your workers fixed it," Margaret said.

"That's not in their contract."

"What difference does it make," Janet said. "This timeline can't be that different."

"Any difference could change the prophecy," Carl said.

"I'm having trouble with the fact that we're in an infinite number of timelines," Janet said. "It's nuts!"

"I have trouble with the fact that we realize that we've been in at least four different timelines," Margaret said. "It's creepy."

"Maybe it's because we are aware," Carl said. "The fact that we know about timelines might be the reason we remember them."

Margert took a larger swig of her cognac. "Are we going to work out the rest of our careers training people?"

"I thought that we were going to get a mission in the new spaceship," Janet said.

"Yeah," Margaret piped in. "I thought that they slated us to take it out on its maiden flight."

Carl decided not to get into that, but his phone chirped prompting him to answer it. After a brief conversation, he sat his phone down on an end table. "We're scheduled for a briefing tomorrow morning at ten."

"What for?" Janet asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

"George didn't say, but it could have something to do with the new ship."

"Why the hush hush nonsense?" she retorted.

"Maybe something has happened that he doesn't want to get out. He did mention that someone else would be at the meeting."

"Who?"

"Alice Holmes."

"She's an astrophysicist who's purported to be an expert on Titan," Margaret said. "I wonder if that's where they're sending us."

"We don't know what's up," Carl said. "We'll have to wait until we go to the meeting."

Janet smiled. "If she joins us on a mission to there, you'll officially have a harem."

The women laughed. Carl just shook his head.

"I wonder why NASA is sending more women on these missions," Margaret said. "Can't they find any men to go on these dangerous missions?"

"Maybe they consider women as being disposable," Janet said. "It's still a man's world out there."

"I think It's because more women are going into astronomy," Carl said. "Men seem to be more interested in business careers."

"That sounds like a male excuse," Janet said. "Let's face it, women are still considered the weaker sex. That has never changed down through history."

"Maybe it did in a different timeline," Margaret said.

"If it did, we'll never be in it," Janet said. She turned to Carl. "What do you think about it?"

He sighed and hesitated before he responded. "I think I need another cognac."

The women laughed.

Carl decided to avoid any sexist arguments. He was the minority in this situation, but he realized that they were only teasing him, and that they loved the idea of living in his mansion. Not only did it have first class accommodations, its amazing privacy is essential for his situation. Most people would question why he was living with two unrelated women.

He realized that he had come through a perilous adventure with these two women, and that they had proven their mettle under duress. And, considering that they might be sent out on a new more dangerous mission, he needed them more than ever. But he realized that it was a delicate situation, one that could have consequences.