2061: Odyssey Three: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:08, 19 April 2007

Revision as of 16:10, 26 April 2007

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In 2061, at the age of 103, Floyd is chosen as one of several "celebrity guests" to come aboard the ''Universe'' for the first-ever human landing on the surface of [[Halley's Comet]], which will shortly be making its periodic pass through the solar system. Other celebrities on the voyage include septuagenarian actress Yva Merlin (most famous for her roles as Josephine Bonaparte in ''Napoleon'' and as Scarlett O'Hara in a remake of ''Gone With the Wind''), writer Margaret M'Bala (known for her book on Greek mythology ''The Passions of the Gods'' - sometimes derisively called "Olympic Lusts"), astronaut Clifford Greenburg (the first man to land on [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]]), symphony conductor and composer Dimitri Mihailovich, and celebrity "pop-scientist" Victor Willis. The captain of the ''Universe'' is Captain Smith.

Meanwhile, there is a team of scientists on [[Ganymede (moon)|Ganymede]] who are working on [[terraforming]] the former moon. Scientist Rolf van der Berg, a second-generation [[Afrikaner]] refugee, studies pictures of Mount Zeus and determines that it is in fact one enormous diamond. He communicates his discovery to his uncle Paul Kreuger, speaking in [[Afrikaans]] as a security measure because it is now an endangered language, and decide that van der Berg will get aboard the ''Galaxy'' on their flyby of Europa in order to try and see if he is correct. However, their exchange is discovered both by SHAKA (a secret militant organisation for the USSA, named for [[Shaka]]) and ASTROPOL (similar to [[Interpol]]). SHAKA sends an operative called Rose McCullen onto ''Galaxy'' undercover as a stewardess, and ASTROPOLan unknown organization—presumably ASTROPOL—approaches Chris Floyd II on Ganymede and tells him to "keep his earseyes open".

As ''Galaxy'' nears Europa, Rose McCullen hijacks the ship, sealing the cockpit and ordering the pilot at gunpoint to pilot ''Galaxy'' down to the moon's surface, where, after a failed landing attempt, it splashes down into Europa's ocean, the Sea of Galilee. Having accomplished her mission, McCullen then shoots herself.