The Mars Story #4 | Goodbye to Albert

Anne Holloway's Hibernation Cubicle opened at first, exactly as described in the flight plan. Albert, the board computer, welcomed the commander right after awakening.

"Beautiful morning commander, I hope you slept well. You have slept the longest time in your life that you have ever, I hope you enjoyed it"

The sound of his voice was echoed by the beautiful jazz songs Dream A Little Dream Of Me.

"Albert, thanks for the greeting and thanks especially to Ella Fitzgerald. This one is one of my favorite songs."

"That's what I know, Commander Holloway, and I think it's a good fit to this day."

"Yes, you're absolutely right. How was the flight?"

"Without the slightest complications, I have a move in our chess game if you mean this."

"Since you are a computer with artificial intelligence and you have been thinking for it a few months, I think the end of the game will be very difficult for me."

Bridge Commander of the spacecraft with a view of the planet Mars

---

When the entire crew was awakened, the day began with traditional meditation, after which breakfast came. The plan to leave the spacecraft and start the journey to Mars was specified shortly thereafter. Finally, after those months that were mostly sleeping.

Navigator Mick Jackson, along with Commander Holloway and Pilot Sergey Volkov, discussed the entire landing on Mars. They had to go through every possible detail because the omission of any of them depended on the life of the entire crew and the mission as a whole.

"Albert, what if the remote control fails and Sergei will have to take control of the flight manually?" the Commander though.

"Then, of course, you will have to rely on Mr Volkov's experience, but the chance that the connection will be broken is 0.0132%," Albert calculated immediately.

"But we can not exclude this possibility; in cosmonauts, there is a clear rule, what can go wrong, it will go wrong."

"Sergei, I know you're an experienced pilot, but get through this variant with Albert once again, please. Mick, come with me, let's check the landing place."

---

Long before the start of the mission, landing place was fixed. In the event of a mission deviation from the course, there would be a lot of complications, as a base was built on the site, built by a team of robots headed by android Stephen.

The base was settled inside the Schiaparelli Crater, where has been operating the Opportunity planetary probe since 2004.

The Schiaparelli crater was named after the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli, who has been watching the solar system in the nineteenth century. It was Schiaparelli who gave the names and places on Mars. It is therefore symptomatic that this astronomer was named a 458 km wide crater on which the first human crew was supposed to settle at all.

This crater was determined from a large selection of destinations because there is the best chance for life.

---

The crew was ready for the start when Albert announced the headmaster of the sudden trouble. The hatch at the ramp of the landing gear is jammed.

"Is there an opportunity to open it? Still, the mission cannot fail to see the space ship hatch open."

"Commander, the only option is the physical opening outside of the ship, because I have tried all the possibilities how to open it."

"Albert, I hope it's not another test."

"Not this time, I assure you that this is a real flaw."

"Bradley, you have to step into the universe and fix it manually, do you still need someone to handle, or can you do it yourself?"

"Commander Holloway, I should do it myself, but I'll take somebody with me for sure."

"Tom will go with you. I need Sergey and Mick here for any case".

---

The transition chamber opened, and astronauts Bradley Stone and Tom Lee walked toward a hatch that did not want to open. When they finally reached him, they began to find out where the error was.

"Commander, Albert, it looks like one foot is stuck holding the hatch. Tom, try to fix it."

"Tom, be careful not to break it," said astronaut Anne.

"Sure, I will do it with my own care, do not worry," Tom assured him and began to shake his hat's foot.

"Bradley, we do not have to worry, try to grab the pliers." Bradley Stone caught his foot with the pliers and tried to pull it.

"Help me, Tom, it's going tough."

Both astronauts grabbed the pliers and took it. After a moment of effort, the foot moved a little.

"Albert, is that enough, or do we have to worry?"

"Still a little, it's still not enough."

So Bradley and Tom had strained all their strength, and the safety foot finally loosened.

"Great job, thanks, gentlemen, and now back to the ship, imediately!" Anne said. "Let me get you ready to fly to Mars."

Bradley Stone and Tom Lee climbed along the spaceship to the transition chamber they had left. When they were at the opening, Albert opened them up and finally, they could get on the ship again.

Operator Tom Lee on the way out of the cosmos

---

When Bradley and Tom settled into the landing module, Anne thanked them for good performance. "You've done it out well, thanks folks," he said.

"It's our job, though I did not expect to get out to the universe at the start, to see Mars just out of sight of the spacesuit, it was wonderful experience. I think I've also seen Olympus Mons."

The voice of the speaker came from the voice of Albert, whose voice was taken over by Michael Caine, a well known Hollywood actor. Albert, for that matter, had an older and experienced impression, which was to inspire his intelligence and knowledge and insight into the situation.

"Do not go gently into that good night, do not go gentle into that good night, old age should..."

"Albert?"

"Just kidding, Commander. I wish you a happy trip and a smooth landing. If I keep control under the operation all the time, it's going to be smooth, I promise you."

"We will all miss you, Alb."

"Don't worry, we'll be in touch. Say hi to Stephen from me."

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