Chapter Two
Surface of Vulcan—Keid-A
PS Alan Shepard flashed through Vulcan’s upper atmosphere, dropped through the thicker layers of air, and came to rest on a flat plain near the center of Vulcan’s largest continent. The M-Class starship looked much like the flying saucer illustrations from 20th Century Earth, but with a square tube extending from the front, and two large vertical oblong black plates boxing in both sides of the craft. It carried an MBH (Mini Black Hole) in its core that powered an FTL reactionless MERT Drive, artificial gravity, and a sophisticated weapons suite, along with life support and housekeeping functions.
PS Alan ShepardA clamshell hatch opened near the stern, and a ramp slid to the planet’s surface. The airlock emitted a hiss and a puff of moisture as it rel
