Launch

by Richard Perth

  “On behalf of justice, I ask that the appeal of Ms. Moore and Mr. Kim be denied.”

  ▼

  Claire flew Michael for the second time on the day after the hearing. The seat in her maneuvering control compartment had been adjusted so she could sit comfortably. She accelerated at a steady one g toward the planet Bedford while David relaxed in his maneuvering control compartment. His eyes were closed, he had been quiet for some time, and she believed he was asleep.

  She thought about his love and support. Her vision blurred, and she had to blot her eyes.

  The onboard medical clinic was accessible, fully stocked, and operational. Two medically qualified robots were aboard in a storage compartment. The ship had more than enough fuel and supplies to make the trip to Bedford. After two hours, their speed, distance, and acceleration were enough that nothing could have caught them. That fact comforted Claire, and she began deceleration for return to Earth.

  Chapter 45

  At 2:19 a.m. on the morning of February 28th, the south and west omniglass walls of Claire and David’s bedroom came alive with close-up images of Amira.

  “David, wake up please,” she said. “This is an emergency.”

  After a short pause David said, “I’m awake.”

  She said, “A doomsday asteroid has appeared from behind the Sun. As things stand now, the asteroid will hit Texas on March twenty-fourth. Particles from the impact will be ejected into the upper troposphere and stratosphere where they will remain suspended. Sunlight will be blocked. It will be darker and colder than an arctic winter night over the whole world for more than a thousand years. Most life on Earth, including the human race, will die.

  All of our asteroid defense satellites are trying to push the asteroid off course, but it’s not enough. Our last hope is for you to use Starship Michael to help.”

  David said, “Elf, turn the video output off. I’m on my way, Amira.”

  Elf acknowledged, “Video output is off, sir.”

  Claire and David got out of bed and began to get dressed. He said, “Elf, confirm that Michael’s at the Mojave base, fueled and ready for launch.”

  “Confirmed, sir.”

  “I’ll need one robot as a copilot.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  One of their private taxis arrived at the west omniglass wall. As the sliding panel in the wall and the door to the taxi opened, David saw Claire put on a long coat.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked with a surprised expression.

  “I’m going with you to Michael.”

  “You are not! You’re eight months pregnant for crying out loud!”

  Claire said, “I said I’m going to Michael, not on Michael. We haven’t been apart since before Quad Fusion Thunder, and you’re going on a twenty-five-night trip. I’m going to say goodbye to my husband, and you will enjoy it!”

  He grinned, put his arms around her, and kissed her. “Yes, ma’am, you’re right. I will enjoy it.”

  ▼

  Amira spoke to Claire and David as Elf flew the taxi at near the speed of sound toward Mojave. “This mission is top secret to avoid panic. I don’t want the public to know about it until I have the facts I need to tell the world what is happening.”

  “Where did this thing come from?” David asked.

  “It has been spiraling toward the Sun for years, but it has always been on the side opposite Earth. When it got closer, the Sun’s gravity accelerated it in a gravitational slingshot toward Earth’s orbit. Our gravity has further altered its course so it’s now coming directly at us.”

  “We don’t have warning systems?”

  “Yes, but they haven’t been watching the other side of the Sun. If we survive, that will be fixed.”

  Claire asked, “Why do you need David to go? Why not just send two robots?”

  “You and David have experience and human intuition that Elf and robots don’t. David’s onsite judgment could make the difference between life and death for the human race.”

  ▼

  The desert night air was chilly beside Michael. Claire put her arms around David and said, “I want you in the delivery room when our baby is born.”

  “We’ve got a seven-day margin,” he said. “That should be enough.”

  Her belly pressed against him as they kissed goodbye and held each other. They separated, and she watched him enter the starship’s door. He turned and smiled, “I love you, Cougar.”

  She smiled. “I love you too, Buni. Come back to us.”

  “I will,” he said, and the door closed behind him.

  Claire turned and boarded the taxi, buckled herself into the nose seat, and instructed Elf to lift off and hover east of the launch pad. Michael rose in front of her, accelerated rapidly and disappeared into the night sky. She already missed him, and tears appeared in her eyes.

  On the more sedate flight back to Broadview, Amira asked Claire, “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” Claire said as she blotted tears.

  “You’re welcome to stay here at the White House.”

  “Thank you, no. I’ll be okay.”

  “I’m here for you, Claire. Call me anytime, twenty-four/seven, for anything at all, even if it’s just to chat.”

  “Thank you, Amira. You’re very kind.”

  ▼

  Michael locked onto an intercept course and accelerated at more than two g’s. The heavy acceleration made David feel as if he weighed more than three hundred pounds. His sleep had been interrupted, and he was still tired.

  “Your ship,” he told the robot in the other maneuvering control compartment, “I’m going to take a nap.”

  ▼

  As the image of the Earth shrank, the image of the doomsday asteroid grew. It was overtaking Earth from behind, like a train accelerating toward a slower train on the same track. Earth’s gravity was pulling the asteroid ever faster toward a cataclysmic collision.

  The asteroid was oblong, mostly flat on one long side, rounded on other three, and somewhat tapered toward one end. It was covered with craters caused by collisions with many other objects in space. Two dozen asteroid defense satellites were trying to push it off course.

  David intercepted the asteroid. Then, following Elf’s directions, he maneuvered Michael until the shield on the top of the ship was jammed hard against asteroid’s surface. Gradually, he increased thrust to maximum.

  The asteroid's course changed. Elf calculated the new impact point, and 99% appeared in the upper right-hand corner of David’s monitor.

  “What’s that number on my monitor?” David asked.

  Because of the distance from Earth, there was a delay in Elf’s response. “That’s a confidence number sir, the probability that the impact point is correct.”

  “You mean there’s a 99% probability that we’ll hit Los Angeles instead of Texas?”

  “That’s correct, sir.”

  David said, “I’m not doing a lot of good, am I, Elf?”

  “Yes, sir, you are not.”

  “I have two ideas,” David said. “First, what aerodynamic shape does the asteroid resemble?”

  “A lifting body, sir.”

  “Right. If we could turn the asteroid so it hits the Earth’s atmosphere at the correct attitude and a shallower angle, would that help deflect it?”

  “At the correct angle, sir, it could cause the asteroid to skip through Earth’s upper atmosphere and back out into space, like a rock skips across a pond.”

  “That’s what I thought. I want you to calculate the points where we should push on the asteroid to turn it so it will skip.”

  “Elf can do that, sir, but the intercept angle is still too steep to allow the asteroid to skip.”

  “That brings us to my second idea. While we’re changing the attitude of the asteroid, I want you to send me all of the largest suborbs you can. We’ll put them to work pushing, too.”

  “That could work, sir.”

  Over the next four days, the asteroid wa
s rotated and 373 suborbs arrived. Their passenger compartments were crushed as the ships were put to work pushing on the asteroid with full power.

  Slowly, the predicted point of impact moved northwest beyond Los Angeles and continued out into the Pacific Ocean. It finally stopped in a great open space northwest of the Hawaiian Islands, and the probability of impact stopped at 50%.

  “What’s going on, Elf?” David asked. “Why’s the number stuck at fifty percent?”

  “There’s a fifty-fifty chance the asteroid will skip, sir.”

  “Is that a cop-out?”

  “No sir. This situation is just too close for Elf to call.”

  ▼

  David had a lot of free time on his hands while Michael pushed on the asteroid. Elf uploaded the remaining video lessons for his parent license, and he finished them all. The only thing left to qualify for a full license was to finish the last two classes after he landed on Earth. If he could get back by March 25, he could finish the license requirements before the baby was born.

  Claire finished all of the lessons and classes required for the license after David launched. It helped fill the lonely time without him.

  Chapter 46

  Elf determined that two weeks would be enough time to evacuate the Pacific Rim and affected islands in the Pacific Ocean. Amira decided to wait until noon on Monday, March 9, fifteen days before impact, to make an announcement. That would give her and Elf more time to determine the immediate effects of a possible impact and make appropriate plans. It would also give people a last, worry-free weekend before the evacuation began.

  An hour before Amira’s announcement, Bernice Moore called Claire.

  “Doctor Archer,” she said, “I’m your Malibu Parent Licensing Committee case manager, and I’ve been trying to call General Archer. He missed two classes last week, and your delivery date is approaching. I’ve tried to call him to find out if there’s anything I can do to help, but Elf refuses to put me through.”

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Moore. David’s on an official government business trip. He’ll be back on March 25, six days before the baby’s due. He’ll finish the classes then.”

  “That’s not good enough, Doctor Archer. I need to speak to General Archer now or your license could be revoked.”

  Claire was frightened. “Hold a minute please, Ms. Moore. Elf, get Amira on three-way.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Elf responded.

  After a very short delay, Amira joined the conversation. She smiled. “Hi, Claire. How are you?”

  Claire didn’t waste time on pleasantries, and the anxiety in her voice was clear. “Bernice Moore from the Malibu PLC’s on three-way. She’s threatening to take my baby if she can’t get in touch with David about missing his parenting classes.”

  Amira’s expression became serious. “Ms. Moore,” she said, “General Archer is on official business for the government. He won’t be available until March 25. I guarantee he’ll finish his classes before the baby’s due.”

  Bernice Moore shook her head. “I’m sorry, Madam President. The baby’s welfare is paramount. Hiding behind celebrity status is not acceptable. I must do my duty. Either I speak to General Archer now or the baby may be placed for adoption.”

  Amira spoke in a commanding tone that left no doubt who she was or what she wanted. “Ms. Moore. I am speaking to you now in my capacity as President of the United States. I will be making an announcement on television about General Archer at noon today. This is an order under the president’s emergency powers provision of the Constitution: You will not speak or otherwise communicate to anyone in any way about this matter or mention General Archer’s name until after that announcement.

  “Elf, have a police robot with arrest authority accompany Ms. Moore. If she attempts to violate this order, place her under arrest and hold her incommunicado until I have time to deal with her. Also, schedule an emergency meeting of the Malibu PLC for one-thirty this afternoon. I will be in attendance.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Elf responded.

  Bernice Moore’s voice quavered as she asked, “What . . . what channel?”

  “All channels, Ms. Moore,” Amira answered, “goodbye. Two way with Claire, Elf.”

  Elf dropped Bernice Moore from the call, and Amira asked Claire, “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, thank you. She scared me.”

  “I’m sorry, Claire. We’ll deal with her later. Can you come to the White House for the announcement?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  ▼

  Naomi was teaching at Malibu high school when she heard on her ear charm, “This is Amira. Claire needs you. I want to call your principal and get a substitute. Okay?”

  Naomi was surprised but responded to her transmitter ring, “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Good. Catch a taxi to the White House as soon as you can.”

  Malibu High School’s principal thought anything urgent enough to warrant the attention of the President of the United States justified a prompt response. Rather than wait for the substitute to arrive, he took Naomi’s class himself.

  Her taxi arrived at the White House immediately behind Claire’s.

  She saw Naomi and surprised her with a firm hug. “I’m so glad to see you.”

  “What’s going on?” Naomi asked.

  “I had a scare this morning. Bernice Moore at the Malibu PLC threatened to take my baby.”

  “She did what?” Naomi said with alarm. “Why did she do that?”

  “David has missed his last two parenting classes. Bernice Moore wanted to ask him about it. When she couldn’t call him, she threatened me.”

  “Why couldn’t she call him?”

  “That’s top secret.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it is. Amira’s going to make an announcement on TV at noon. Then you’ll understand.”

  ▼

  Amira made sure Claire and Naomi were comfortable with cups of decaf tea in chairs off to the side in the oval office. Then she sat down behind her desk and looked directly at the robot kneeling in front of her: Elf would transmit sharp images from the robot’s visual sensors.

  At the robot’s signal, Amira said, “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It is my duty as your President to tell you that on March 24, Pendleton time, a very large asteroid will enter Earth’s atmosphere. Elf estimates that there is an equal chance the asteroid will crash into the Pacific Ocean northwest of Hawaii or that it will skip through Earth’s atmosphere and back out into space. Also, it is possible that the asteroid could break up as it enters the atmosphere.

  “If the asteroid strikes the ocean intact, a large tidal wave, a tsunami, will be generated. Your government will, therefore, evacuate all low lying areas in the Pacific Ocean and on the Pacific Rim during the next fourteen days. After this broadcast, Elf will tell you if you are affected. The government of the United States will be evacuated from Pendleton in stages so the functions of the government will not be interrupted.

  “In the meantime, production of essentials has been increased to maximum and contingency planning has begun. I have ordered financial markets closed and prices frozen at noon today, Pendleton time. They will stay frozen and closed at least until noon Wednesday, March 25. Financial assistance will be provided as needed, and you will be kept informed of changes.

  “When the asteroid was first discovered, all asteroid defense satellites were used in an attempt to push it away from a collision course, but they did not have enough power. I asked General David Archer to use his new starship, Michael, to help. He suggested that the asteroid be turned so it will have the maximum chance to skip through the atmosphere and back out into space. He is there now trying to protect us with the full power of his starship, the defense satellites, and 373 large suborbs.

  “We must remain strong. Together, we will write a proud chapter in our history. Thank you.”

  Immediately after the announcement, Elf called the people who could be affected by the tidal wave and gave them evacuati
on details. Naomi was told she and Mark would be evacuated to Las Vegas. Claire was told she would not have to be evacuated because Broadview was higher than the predicted peak of the tsunami.

  Claire said to Naomi, “Why don’t you and Mark stay with me? We’ve got lots of bedrooms and storage for your belongings and Mark's art. I would love to have your company.”

  ▼

  Amira, Claire, and Naomi walked into the Malibu PLC hearing room at one-thirty. The Committee Chairman, Dr. Burton Mansfield, asked the President, “To what do we owe the honor of this visit at such a critical time?”

  Amira said, “Perhaps Ms. Moore can explain her call this morning.”

  After Bernice finished her explanation, Amira asked, “Is it possible for General and Doctor Archer to keep their provisional license until he can complete his required classes?”

  “I don’t think that’s a problem,” Dr. Burton said. “We can issue a temporary waiver.”

  Committee member Stephen Carpenter said, “Mr. Chairman, if Doctor Archer had a licensed male parent surrogate, General Archer could complete the license requirements without a time limit. I’m a volunteer if they want one.”

  Committee member Jason Kim spoke up, “I’d also like to volunteer.”

  Dr. Burton said, “That sounds like a motion and a second. For that matter I’m a volunteer, too. Given the sacrifice that General and Doctor Archer are making for us, it’s the least we can do.”

  Naomi had been talking into her transmitter ring with her hand over her mouth. She stopped and addressed the committee, “I’m Naomi Radin. My husband and I have a full license from the Malibu PLC. We will be living with Doctor Archer during the emergency evacuation. We want to volunteer as surrogates.”

  Dr. Burton asked, “Have you discussed this with your husband?”

  “Yes, sir. I just finished talking to him.”

  “I would like that,” Claire said.