Rocket! An Ell Donsaii story #4)

by Dahners, Laurence

  “Put him on! Phil, how are you doing?”

  Phil chuckled, “How am I doing? Ha! Asks the woman who’s single handedly destroying my intended career as an astronaut?”

  “What?! How do you figure that?”

  “Haven’t you been hearing all this talk about using remote control of robotic astronauts with those PGR chips that are based on your theory? Then they won’t have to keep sending expensive astronauts into dangerous locations?”

  “Oh!” Ell thought furiously, then said with a chipper tone, “But a remote telepresence astronaut can be over six foot three can’t he?”

  “You’re so behind the times! I took Denson’s advice to slouch and convinced NASA that I’m six foot two and a half, not six foot three and a half.”

  “Oh.” Ell said in a small voice.

  “And, I don’t want to fly my spaceship from a cubicle! No girl’s gonna go googly eyed over that!”

  “Sorry.” Ell said contritely.

  Phil laughed, “Oh hell, it isn’t your fault. Besides, telepresence or no, I can’t believe they won’t be sending people up there again once they get this Vulcan 5 snafu straightened out.”

  “So, did you get accepted by NASA?”

  “Well I haven’t been rejected yet. I’m hoping to find out before graduation.”

  “Oh! That’s right, when exactly is your graduation?”

  “Wednesday, two weeks.”

  “Hey, could I get a ticket?”

  “Sorry, they’re all gone.”

  Disappointed, Ell said, “Oh.”

  “However there is a spot reserved for one ‘Captain Donsaii’ on the reviewing stand. Something about her being a ‘special friend of the graduating class.’”

  “What!”

  “Yeah, the class figured that ‘Ell Donsaii’ should be there for the graduation of her class, even if she was too uppity to graduate with the rest of us. I got elected to ask you.”

  “Hah! I’ll be there. ‘Uppity’ and all.”

  “They want you to wear your uniform. Since you’re still in the reserves you’re entitled to wear it.”

  “Oh! I’ll have to get it out of storage. Have your AI send me ticket codes and the other info and I’ll be there.”

  ***

  Ell walked into Bailey’s for their D5R “social hour” and looked around.

  A pretty hostess asked, “Would you like a table?”

  Ell heard her name and saw Ben Stavos waving from over near the pool tables. She thanked the hostess and headed over to hop up on one of the barstools around the tables Ben had sequestered. She grinned at him, “Is it just you and me?”

  “Naw, Eddy just came in, Sheila is in the bathroom, Brian promised he’d be here. Don’t know about ‘team ring ding’ though.”

  Ell had noticed a little rivalry developing between the team trying to entangle tori and the team trying to make rings out of the buckyballs. She wasn’t sure whether it was good or bad but it was crazy to pretend it wasn’t there. “Are all the ‘ball busters’ going to be here?”

  “Hah! ‘Ball busters!’ I like that! I think they’ll all be here.”

  The waitress came by and Ben ordered a Guinness. Ell ordered a Coke. “What! Are you a teetotaler or something?”

  Ell grinned at him, “Uh, Ben? Underage? Are you trying to be a bad influence on me? Lead me into a corrupt life of drunken debauchery?

  His eyes widened in startlement as he was reminded just how young his boss was. Eddy ordered a wheat beer and Sheila a glass of Merlot.

  More and more of the D5R team filtered in and ordered drinks, then nachos and wings. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits with good-natured teasing developing between the “Ring dings” and the “Ball busters.” Ell surveyed the happy crowd and decided that the “social hour” had been a great idea. She leaned closer to Ben and said, “Hey thanks for suggesting this. Think we should do it regularly?”

  “Sure, maybe every two weeks?”

  Ell nodded, “OK.”

  “Hey,” Ben proclaimed, “Team ‘Ball buster’ challenges team ‘Ringa ding’ to a game of darts! You guys up to the challenge?”

  Fred Marsden raised his glass, “You bet!”

  As the two teams wandered over to the dart board Ell scooted down to sit with the admin folks who’d conglomerated at the other end from the science team. They were a pleasant group, several of them becoming happily inebriated. The woman next to Ell asked if Ben Stavos was married. She grinned when Ell said he wasn’t and got up to walk unsteadily over to “watch the dart game.”

  Their machinist, Brian Short, moved over to sit next to Ell. “Uh, Ms. Donsaii?”

  Ell turned to him and raised an eyebrow, “I thought we were informal Mr. Short?”

  He grinned sheepishly, “Uh, ‘Ell’ then. I’ve got a crazy idea that I’m too embarrassed to bring up in the group meetings.”

  “Why not?”

  “Well… you know… I only finished high school. So I don’t want to suggest stuff to you big brains.”

  Ell raised an eyebrow, “Smart doesn’t have to go to school. I’m amazed by the way you make those machines sit up and roll over! Anyhow, what’s your idea?”

  “Well I’ve been wondering if the entangled buckyballs really have to be precisely placed? You can make ‘em by the millions right? What if you just made huge quantities of them and ‘sprayed’ them into a circle, like with an inkjet printer or 3D fabricator? Could they work even if they weren’t ‘precisely’ arranged into a circ…” He paused as Ell’s eyes widened.

  Prickles ran over Ell’s scalp as she said, “Oh, my, God!” Her eyes focused off into the distance. “That might work.” she mumbled.

  ***

  Ell arrived early at Falcon stadium for the Academy graduation. The rental car deposited her near the gate and then took itself off to park in the big lots nearby. The code that Phil had given her got her through the gate and she walked out into the stadium reminiscing about the two years she’d spent at the Air Force Academy. She made her way to the reviewing stand. As she approached a 3rd class cadet saluted and said, “I’m sorry Captain, this area is reserved for graduation officials.”

  Ell returned the salute and said, “I’m told that I’m supposed to be one of those ‘officials.’”

  The cadet’s eyes widened and darted down to Ell’s nametag. She drew herself up and saluted again. “Excuse me! Captain Donsaii, it will be my honor to escort you.”

  The cadet conducted Ell up the stairs. As they approached the podium area Lt. General Ammonds, the commandant of the Academy saw Ell and interrupted his conversation to salute her.

  The colonel who had been speaking to the Commandant turned to see whom he could be saluting. There weren’t supposed to be any officers senior to a Lieutenant General at the graduation. His eyes widened as he saw a cadet and a slender female captain approaching and just dropping their own salutes. The colonel began his own salute after his eyes dropped to her left breast and recognized the Medal of Honor ribbon.

  The Commandant grinned at Ell and said, “I assume you still have some friends in the graduating class. If you’ll step to the podium with me, I’d like you to mark which of the cadets you’d like to present with their diplomas?”

  Ell raised her eyebrows, “Really sir? I’d greatly appreciate that.”

  He lowered his voice, “I heard what you did for us in the recent China debacle and wanted to let you know how proud it made me. I’ve often thought back to the day you were brought to my office to determine whether or not we would let you try out for the Olympics.”

  “Yes sir?”

  “And I wonder how there could ever have been any doubt. Of course, then we didn’t know you…like we know you now.”

  “Well, I appreciate your providing me that opportunity, sir.”

  He looked at her a moment musing, “Actually, would you mind handing out all the diplomas?”

  “I’d be honored, sir.”

  When Ell turned she found Secret
ary of Defense Amundsen standing behind her. She saluted him and he said, “I thought that was you!” He grinned at her. “What are you doing back in uniform?”

  “Um, Sir, this is the class I would originally have graduated with and they invited me to their graduation ceremony as a special guest. General Ammonds asked me to hand out the diplomas. Since I’m in the reserves I still have the uniform…”

  When the Secretary finished his commencement speech to the graduates he paused. Then said, “I have a real treat for you today. In a break from tradition this year, your diplomas are to be handed out by a celebrity.” He paused again. “A celebrity and a former member of your class… An early graduate, who earned early promotion to Captain… I give you Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Medal of Honor winner… Captain Ell Donsaii!”

  As Ell blushed, the susurrus of puzzled murmurs amongst the crowd crescendoed into a lusty cheer.

  After the ceremony Ell walked down the stairs from the stand and found Phil, Joy and Jason waiting with their families. She was introduced around. Because of their long military history Phil’s family was especially enthusiastic about meeting her.

  Phil and Jason’s families had already made plans to go out to dinner together and they began to get ready to leave the stadium. Ell had Allan call her car and wondered somewhat despondently when the next flight back to NC would be. Phil turned to her and said, “Ell, I’m hoping you’ll be my ‘plus one’ at dinner?”

  “Sure!” Ell said with a big smile. She’d been pretty let down at the thought of flying back right after the ceremony.

  At the dinner Ell turned to Phil and asked, “So what’s the word from NASA?

  “Oh they’re really in trouble with this Vulcan 5 thing. No one can believe they got themselves in this situation with no backup system to re-supply the station!”

  Ell glared at him, “You know what I mean! Did you get accepted?”

  “Hmmm, let me check with my AI,” he looked up at his HUD.

  She poked him in the ribs, “You got in didn’t you! You wouldn’t be messing with me like this if you didn’t!”

  He grinned, still looking up at his HUD. “Hmm, Yup! Says here I head to Houston for training in July. After a well deserved break from the rigors of my life so far…”

  She poked him again, marveling at how hard his abs were. “I can’t believe you didn’t already tell me. ‘Spaceman’ Zabrisk! Will you still have time for me when you’re a famous astronaut with girls falling all over you?”

  Phil’s mother leaned toward Ell, “I think he’ll always have time for you.” She winked at Ell.

  Chapter Six

  Washington D.C.—NASA announced a deal with the Chinese to send up supplies for the Space Station on one of the PRC’s “Crouching Tiger” launch vehicles. A special adaptor is being constructed to allow the Chinese capsule to connect to the Space Station’s airlock. Many have expressed surprise that the Chinese are willing to help in this situation, no matter how desperate…

  Ell’s flight from Colorado landed in Raleigh late in the evening. The seven members of her security team who’d gone to Colorado with her were met by a pair of their own cars but Ell asked Steve to ride with her to talk about how the team was doing. “Are they happy? Do they like the farm and their houses?” Ell had bought a few houses near the farm for the team and only the “ready team” actually slept in the outbuilding next to her house. To get those houses she’d used the same tactic of offering the homeowners a price well above market value.

  “Oh yeah! Everyone seems to be really happy. This is pretty much a dream job for security people like us. You don’t do crazy stuff or even travel much. You pay very well and provide great benefits. Providing housing is unheard of, let alone excellent housing like you got for us. It may be a problem if some of them get married and their spouses want to live somewhere else, but right now all of them are really delighted to be part of your team.”

  “Great, it seemed like this trip to Colorado would be a real hassle for...” Ell put up a finger indicating an interruption.

  Allan spoke in her ear, “Five persons have entered the D5R facility. The guard shack guard’s ID key was used to open the door. They have divided up, four going to the research area and one to your office.”

  Ell told Allan to pass the message to Steve and took the car off auto/AI control. She immediately accelerated far above the speed limit. She was momentarily grateful for the modifications Steve had made to her cars, overpowering them and allowing her to break out of the AI’s safety controls.

  Once he received Allan’s message Steve said, “Damn!”

  Ell said, “Have the team from the airport speed up and ask everyone on the team still here in North Carolina to head to the D5R facility too. Allan, please call the police to the facility too.” To Steve she said, “Do you think we can trust the guard company?”

  “Yeah, I’m contacting them now. How did Allan detect the intrusion?”

  Ell took the freeway exit at a high speed, passing cars that were under computer control by driving on the paved shoulder. “I asked him to monitor the facility. He’s tied himself to the building’s AI and keeps an eye on anything out of the ordinary that happens. The gate guards aren’t supposed to be at the building so that drew his attention. He can pick up the intruders’ activity from the microphones on the various AI systems here and there in the building. He’s tapped into all of them. The intruder in my office is using some pretty sophisticated software to try to break into my office AI. Fortunately, the office AI really doesn’t have any secure information on it even if he does successfully break in. Anything I truly care about is actually stored on Allan. The people in the research area seem to be taking photographs of all our equipment. They’re presently trying to send them out over the net but Allan activated the building’s net jammer. Luckily none of them have PGR chips. At least all of them are trying to transmit using cell technology which I hope means they don’t have PGRs.” Ell made a corner with the tires squealing and accelerated down the driveway past the empty guard shack. As the car skidded to a stop near three strange cars in front of the building she said, “You up to coming in with me?”

  “Of course!” Steve said slamming his door open and running toward the door. Somehow he wasn’t surprised to find himself falling far behind her. My God, that girl can run! The door had opened itself as they pulled up. Steve was momentarily concerned that someone inside was exiting, but it was just Allan activating the door’s motors. When Steve entered the building he had to ask his AI which way to go to reach the research area because he hadn’t actually been inside the building before. Based on the premise that she could protect herself—and only needed the team to keep her from being kidnapped if someone successfully trapped or drugged her—Ell’s policy was to keep Steve and the rest of her security team nearby but not actually visible.

  Manny left Ell’s office and entered the research area, “No joy! The security she has on her desk AI is way beyond what I can crack. You guys about done in here?”

  The other four men were wandering around inside the facility filming everything they could put eyes on. He could easily tell where they were as each of them had a high intensity light source to provide good images for their video. Jeff said “I think we’ve got it all but I’m gonna pry this one open so we can get images of the inside, it’s been modified...”

  A sudden voice cut through their chatter, “Stop right where you are!” The room lights came up and in the suddenly frozen tableau they saw Ell Donsaii just inside the door to the big room.

  Manny recognized the Donsaii girl. Alone. He’d been offered even more money to kidnap her but had backed out of that deal in a hurry when he learned about the security team that followed her around. There were Seals on that team! But, right now she was here all alone and he had five guys. On the link to his team he said, “We don’t need the computer files if we’ve got her. Grab her boys! Then we’re out of here.”

  The two men nearest t
o Donsaii lunged at her. To Manny’s surprise she didn’t back up. Instead, it seemed like she flickered between them. A couple of meaty thuds sounded and the men staggered, then clasped their faces, one dropped to his knees. A “pop” sounded and Jeff dropped as if poleaxed. Manny recognized “pop” as the sound of one of the new Tasers firing a dart. He reached for his Glock. The lights went out then he heard another pop. His muscles spasmed and the floor rushed up to hit him in the face. In agony, he wondered whether Torain was going to get away? If he remembered right, Torain’d been over by the far exit…

  Torain had bolted from the main room and began running down the hall to the rear exit as soon as the woman shouted. As he slammed out of the exit he heard the alarm go on. He supposed the exit wasn’t supposed to be used except in emergency. He didn’t consider trying to run around the building to their car. Instead he sprinted for the woods. He should be able to lose himself in the neighborhood on the other side. Glancing back he saw the woman come out the door. Torain was an excellent sprinter though, so there wasn’t any way she’d be able to catch him.

  To Torain’s astonishment something smacked his right foot. The right foot struck his left and he found himself sprawling forward into the grass. As he started to scramble back to his feet he saw Donsaii jogging back towards him. She’d passed him! After a moment of complete disbelief and denial he realized she’d not only caught him, she’d kicked his foot to trip him as she’d passed! She said, “I’ve got a Taser on you so just lie still. I’d rather not shoot you with it… they hurt.”

  Stunned he watched as she squatted down and switched off his AI, then pulled it out of its case and disconnected the battery.

  “Who sent you?” she asked.

  ***

  Wang slammed his fist down, “Two minutes of video! Two minutes, seventeen seconds to be precise! That’s all we got between when he left the jammer field and when that bitch turned off his AI! And what do we see on it? The machine shop! None of their tech, not a single picture of a single instrument! We invested three hundred thousand dollars bribing the guard and hiring those idiots and that’s all we get?!”