Man's Hope

by Zellmann, William

  "As for the Brazilians, I have merely agreed to lease property here at Alcântara. I'm sure your people were watching the signing ceremonies, so they know that once the lease is completed, any improvements become the property of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

  "So you see, sir, there are really no 'partnerships' involved, no involvement with foreign space programs except insofar as my launch pad will eventually belong to Brazil. This is my program. It is under my control, and I am paying for it and staffing it."

  Thomson sounded a bit nonplussed. "Ah, yes. But still, NASA would be glad to offer you technical assistance. For instance, I understand you have a number of former NASA people working for you. In addition to providing technical assistance and advice, we can help you avoid problems like violation of the technology transfer laws, for instance. I confess I fail to understand why you would not take advantage of services available to you. We could possibly even arrange use of a NASA launch pad, so you could avoid the expense of building one, as you are apparently doing now."

  Frank grinned. He was starting to enjoy this. "Mr. Thompson, every former NASA employee I've hired has been specifically required to sign an agreement that he will not, under any circumstances, use any information he gained while employed with your agency in the development of my program. I've already had to terminate one man, who was found to be designing a NASA subsystem into a control design. Actually, at his exit interview, he hinted that he still worked for the agency, and that 'NASA would get me', as he put it. I'm well aware how NASA manipulated the technology transfer laws to damage Brazil's space effort, and to cripple the SeaLaunch project. Frankly, I consider NASA something of a threat.

  "Let me summarize the situation for you, and give you freely the information you're seeking. I am planning to use updated 1980's Russian technology to launch a private expedition into space. I bought the Burans because no NASA shuttles were available for sale. I am using Alcântara because it is located on the equator, which facilitates launches, and because the Brazilians agreed not to interfere in whatever I choose to do here. I am using no American technology. My computers are from Japan, and my intranet uses the Linux operating system. The systems that are being designed into the upgrades will use only components freely available on Asian open markets. I ran a computer company, Mr. Thomson. I'm reasonably familiar with the technology transfer laws, and how they can be manipulated. I do not intend this to be an American project, any more than a Russian project, or a Brazilian project. This will be a truly international project, with no debts owed to any nation on Earth."

  Thompson's voice turned cold. "I'm afraid that's not really good enough, Mr. Weatherly. America has a national security interest in any entity putting a potentially hostile craft into space. I'm afraid we will need to know much more about your project, its safety and its intent. That launch pad will also be capable of launching missiles, you know."

  His voice reverted to the booming friendliness he'd previously shown. "But surely there's no need for threats, Mr. Weatherly. We know you're a loyal American. Why don't you just fly up to Houston, and we'll sit down and discuss it like gentlemen. I'm sure there will be nothing to worry about."

  Frank sighed. "I find your threats much more believable than your assurances, Mr. Thompson. I'm afraid my duties will keep me in Brazil at least until the mission launches. I will tell you this much: I plan to launch a spacecraft to intercept the Carter IV comet."

  Thomson's voice took on an edge of desperation. "Then let me send a couple of guys down there. You can show them around your place, and brief them on the project."

  Frank shrugged. "You can send them down, Mr. Thompson, but the Brazilian military is responsible for security here, and I doubt they'll be interested in letting NASA investigators wander around loose. If you wish, I will send a representative to Brasilia with copies of the contracts I mentioned."

  "Why not come yourself? You guys can have a nice chat."

  Frank shook his head. "Perhaps the Space Ministry could provide a conference room for us," he said in a purposely doubtful tone.

  "Oh, I'm sure the Embassy would loan us a room." Thompson replied hurriedly.

  Frank laughed. "I'm sure they would. Complete with a CIA Station Chief and a quick diplomatic flight to the States. No," he continued, "If you insist I talk with these people, it will somewhere where I don't have to fear my own government."

  The coldness was back. "If you're not doing anything wrong, you've nothing to fear. And the fact that you do fear your own government tells me that we are right to be concerned. Why else would you go to such lengths to avoid government scrutiny? What are you afraid we'll find?"

  Frank's tone toughened, as well. "Perhaps because it's none of your business. I will keep this an independent, international project. I will not have it taken over or destroyed by a bunch of power-hungry paranoiacs in Washington. I have informed you of my intent: to intercept a comet. I will provide you with the contracts I mentioned, to reassure you that I have not hired out to a foreign power. You have my assurances and your own investigations to show that I am using no American technology. As far as I am concerned, you have no 'need to know' anything else."

  "I really wish you'd been more cooperative, Mr. Weatherly." Thomson said regretfully. "Our duty to the American people requires that we not stop there. I'm sure the Securities and Exchange Commission will be interested in your Russian investment. The IRS may feel it necessary to contact you, as well."

  "I'm sure they'll keep my accountants entertained for years," Frank replied. "And unless you have some more entertaining threats, Mr. Thompson, I'm afraid this conversation is over." He hung up.

  He shook his head sadly as he stared at the phone. How quickly the friendly, helpful space enthusiast had turned into a threatening bureaucrat. Once again, he mourned for his country's lost freedoms.

  When he played the tape of the conversation for Susan, she was scandalized. "What is wrong with that man?" she demanded. "You told him everything he wanted to know, and still, he wasn't satisfied!"

  Frank shook his head. "Typical bureaucratic investigation attitude. He couldn't believe I would tell him the truth right off, without coercion. They won't believe something unless they're told it four or five times during an interrogation. He's desperate because the U.S. has no extradition agreement with Brazil, so simply issuing an arrest warrant won't work. But he had to get me back to the States, where they would have leverage to threaten with. You notice he didn't deny my comment about the CIA and the diplomatic flight to the States. They can't extradite me, but they can kidnap me."

  He shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Susie, I really am. I know the horrible feeling you're having. I've had it, too. It started during the cold war, when people like the CIA and FBI were seeing commies everywhere. Over time, they came to regard the Bill of Rights and the law as an impediment: something keeping them from doing their jobs, rather than protectors of freedom. It wasn't just them, either. A lot of people consider a witness invoking his rights under the Fifth Amendment as tantamount to an admission of guilt. You heard this guy come up with that nonsense line, 'If you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear' that completely denies your right to privacy. The proper answer, of course, is the one I gave him. 'It's none of your damned business!' Unfortunately, that just convinces them that there is something to find. I know you thought I was paranoid, and maybe I am. But these days, a healthy dose of paranoia is a survival trait."

  There were tears in her eyes. "But America doesn't do that stuff!" she said. "We're better than that!"

  He shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, Susie, but we're not. Not anymore. If we go anywhere, to Rio, or to Brasilia on business, we'll have to have armed bodyguards. The CIA is not above a quick snatch. If someone does grab you and start pushing you toward a car, start yelling, "Help" and "Rape" at the top of your lungs. If they cover your mouth, bite their hand, hard enough to draw blood. Don't be shy, honey. You could end up in a cell for years."

  H
e sighed. "I have to fly up to Brasilia tomorrow, to play that tape for the Minister of Space and the Minister of Defense. It looks like things are heating up."

  He was met at the Brasilia airport by a military-marked sedan driven by an armed, uniformed driver. A soldier armed with an M-16 rode next to the driver. They drove into a closed entryway adjoining the Defense Ministry, and stopped. A uniformed Sergeant escorted him to the Minister's office.

  Gilberto Almendes stepped forward with a broad smile and greeted Frank. He was introduced to Minister of Defense Mario Delonte. He had to be reintroduced to General Javier Genesa, as Frank had not met him since their original meeting almost two months ago.

  "Gentlemen," Frank said, "It's starting. I received a call from a person claiming to be high up in the NASA hierarchy. I've brought the tape of the conversation to play for you."

  He put the tape in his recorder and ran it for them. After he played it, he mentioned again that Thompson had not denied the possibility of kidnap.

  General Genesa was first to react. "I can tighten security at Alcântara, so that you and your beautiful lady are safe. I do not have the power to assign armed bodyguards to civilians - especially foreign civilians."

  Gilberto Almendes nodded. "I suspect that someone in your position has experience in this area."

  Frank smiled. "A little, sir. And I'm quite prepared to be responsible for my own security, as long as someone in the government can arrange any permits necessary to allow my employees to be armed. I'm not really concerned about the next week or so. I expect it will take them about a week to get it up to someone with the authority to order serious action."

  Almendes nodded. "So, what do you think they will do?"

  "I'm not really sure," Frank replied, "but based on my observation of past cases, I would guess that they'll try it in the newspapers. First, there will be a 'leak' to a government-friendly reporter that my name has come up in connection with a possible terrorism case. I'm pretty famous, and well known for having tough lawyers, so the reporter will probably play it pretty straight at first, although my name will get it on the front page. After a couple of weeks and a few more stories, I'll become the 'suspected terrorist'.

  "Then will come the story that I'm 'known to have purchased rocket technology from the Russians', and the word 'suspected' will disappear. Not long after that, one of the less-reputable tabloids will carry the big, banner headline, 'BILLIONAIRE TERRORIST BUILDING LAUNCH SITE IN BRAZILIAN JUNGLE,' complete with orbital photos, and comparisons with Osama Bin Laden.

  "They'll keep building the hysteria until we see 'GROUP OF SENATORS DEMANDS UN INVESTIGATION OF MAD BILLIONAIRE.'

  "Oh," he continued, "the government will protest, mildly, that there is no evidence. But the media pressure will continue until the President decides that, 'the safety of the American people cannot be held hostage by a single madman.' He will send the Secretary of State to the UN to press for a resolution that will permit UN investigators to enter Brazil and examine Alcântara. Brazil will protest, of course, but the U.S. has a lot of blackmail power, and by then, they will have labeled you a 'state supporter of terrorism,' like Iran, or North Korea.

  "They won't find anything incriminating, of course, but you can bet that several of those 'multinational investigators' will be CIA. The U.S. government will have found out what it wants, and I will finally be in U.S. custody. Of course, the results won't be presented that way. Instead it will be the heroic UN investigators who foiled my dastardly plot, made the world once again safe for humanity, and removed a terrorist madman from the scene."

  "Deus!" said General Genesa. "It is as though you can see the future. It could happen just that way!"

  "No, it can't" Frank said coldly. "I won't let it. They've played that game several times in the past," he continued, "but never against someone with my resources and my determination. I'll be alerting my lawyers in the States. As soon as they see the first story, they'll file a defamation suit against the reporter to force him to identify his informant. He'll fight it, of course, but the big news story becomes the case, not me. If we can force him to identify a NASA official, of course, then we'll go after NASA with a mass of lawsuits, subpoenas and depositions.

  "If he does get away with the 'privilege' claim, which I doubt, the lawyers will still be watching every move. When the first 'suspected terrorist' label appears, the reporter, the publisher and even the owner of the paper will find themselves sued for defamation, and the whole circus starts again.

  "Meanwhile, newspapers, and magazines friendly to me will be publishing puff pieces about my humble beginnings, my military service in Iraq, and how I'm kind to little old ladies. Those are the newspapers and magazines that will be getting genuine news releases from me, pictures of the Buran, coupled with pictures of a missile, stories making fun of the hysterical ones, even tours of Alcântara, and stories about how the upcoming mission will star a famous astronaut, and will feature a VISIT TO A COMET. Nice headline, eh?

  He smiled. "No, gentlemen, I think they will find their usual defamation plan won't work. But that doesn't mean they'll stop. The reason I came here today is to make sure that your government is watchful for dirty tricks. Oh, not just the usual diplomatic protests and pressure, but perhaps protest marches demanding that the 'terrorist' be thrown out; and senators calling for investigations of my activities. Covert CIA missions to defame me, and maybe even you gentlemen. Pressure will arise to throw me out, arrest me, or turn me over to the Americans. I'm prepared to resist the U.S. government," he continued, "but it is your country, and I am only a visitor. I cannot resist Brazil."

  "Brazil is strong and independent," said General Genesa. "We will not let a lot of yanqui newspapers dictate our actions," he glanced at Frank, "or destroy our friends. We will be on guard, Senhor Weatherly. You were honest with us, and warned us at our first meeting that not all would go smoothly. But Brasileiros are strong people. Do not fear for your safety here."

  Almendes rose, and nodded. "I agree, Senhor Weatherly. The General will watch your back, and I will watch the backs of our government. But I would suggest you do anything possible to speed up your project."

  Frank nodded. "I plan to, sir. But men's lives are at stake. I must make haste slowly."

  Chapter 6

  By the four-month mark, the three Burans were safely ensconced in their new hangar in Brazil, along with all the tools, parts, and machinery. Since the orbiters could no longer be identified as "Energia Buran," or "Ramenskoye Buran," or "Baikonur Buran," they had begun referring to them by abbreviating their registration numbers. Frank had decided to start with the so-called 'Baikonur Buran', registration number OK-1K2, since it was in the best condition, and was a 'flight' Buran. Technicians swarmed over the ship they were calling "K2." Blueprints allowed the electronics techs to identify circuits, and every centimeter of wiring was removed and carefully inspected before being replaced with new wire.

  In a "clean room" in one of the ferrocement buildings, suited computer experts converted designs by other experts into modern computer systems. Frank was told that the four computers aboard 2K totaled less than a megabyte of memory, and program storage was less than 10 megabytes. The new computers were designed to have more than a million times the memory and storage of the old systems. In addition, the storage would be on super-fast solid-state drives, with no moving parts to fail. The Buran was moving into the twenty-first century.

  The Burans had been equipped with ejection seats, for possible low-altitude use in case of an emergency on landing. David pronounced himself willing to do away with them, and the rest of the crew agreed. "We could save about twenty kilos each, and there are eight of them," he said, "and if I don't get killed riding a comet or an asteroid, I'm damned if I'm gonna need an ejection seat to get home!"

  Frank was doubtful, but finally agreed when Ternayev told him that the seats had been a political decision; if something catastrophic happened to the spacecraft on re-entry, the seats were unlikely to be of
any real value. David and his hull crew were scrutinizing every inch of the airframe, inside and out. Space is the ultimate hazardous environment, and his own precious skin would be riding on this twenty-five-year-old spacecraft. Frank was confident that David would miss nothing.

  Burans had been equipped with orbital maneuvering rockets at their rear. Unlike the U.S. Shuttles, though, these were not their main engines. The main engines were located on the huge main fuel tank, the "core stage" to which the Buran would be clamped. After a number of discussions, including one by phone with Dr. Ternayev at RKK Energia, it was decided to replace the onboard rockets with the latest ion engines they could buy, a design called "LiLFA", which used solid lithium as a propellant, once again resulting in significant weight savings.

  In a very pleasant surprise, Frank learned that Dr. Ternayev had arranged to get himself appointed the liaison engineer for RKK Energia that was required by the contract. He was delighted. He and Ternayev were kindred spirits, true believers in space flight.

  Ternayev's first order of business once he arrived in Brazil was to evaluate the huge Energia core stage, the combination fuel tank and main engine that would take the Buran to space. A true professional, Ternayev was conversant with every rocket motor being produced by every nation in the world.

  "For the main engine," he decreed, "There is nothing better than the original RD-0120 engine. It is the most powerful rocket engine ever produced. The Atlas V uses a half-scale version of it, and the Energia booster uses four of them."

  "Looking at the statistical comparison, I think I agree," Frank replied. "Of course, the Soviets were not noted for conservatism in their claims. But will the engines be usable after all these years?"