Chief Engineer John Albright was happy. Things were going well. Things were going better than he had expected. Fabrication and assembly of drives seven and eight had been completed without a hitch and they were now humming along nicely in harmony. In fact the whole base was running perfectly, for the first time since ... well, probably for the first time. They had enough oxygen stored to last three months if the recyclers failed and the hydroponics section was producing enough for him to idle two out of three. The fresh fruit was nice too. He allowed himself a satisfied smile as two men in the base's standard blue jumpsuits entered the office.

"Good morning John."

Luc de Chevalier, the base Director, seemed equally happy, favouring his Chief with an amicable smile in greeting.

"Good morning sir."

They moved together to the observation window overlooking Drive Bay 7. Below them rose the colossal cylindrical form of a gravitional field generator.