“That’s it. Let’s get out of here.”
As they approached the door and knowing that the stern Jordanka was on the other side, Belle warned,
“Remember, nothing happened, so just act normal.”
Thankfully it was never the habit of Jordanka to look at them when exiting the library. That put Robert slightly at ease. As was the procedure, they offered their backpacks for inspection. A cursory check found nothing unusual and so they were absently waved away. While walking away, Robert whispered,
“She didn’t even care that we were in there for two days.”
Belle whispered back,
“Shut-up about that.”
Outside on the lawn, surprisingly the helicopter was there waiting for them and they were glad to see it. As they jumped in, as usual the pilot ignored them and simply lifted the chopper off the lawn and aimed for the mansion. While sitting in the luxurious seats, Robert asked,
“Just because nobody else cared that we were gone for two days, mom and dad certainly will. What are we going to tell them?”
For once Belle thought that the truth might be the best course of action. When she stated that to Robert he accepted it and in his head prepared a long and detailed story of how Belle had gotten him into trouble again.
While in flight, Robert saw Belle pull something from her pocket and closely inspect it. He asked,
“What’s that?”
“I’m not sure. I think it’s an atmospheric diffusion instrument of some kind, something to measure air quality. I found it at the base of the cloud. It’s the only thing we saw that wasn’t really old so I just picked it up, that’s all.”
“What was it doing there?”
“I don’t know and right now I don’t care.
He pointed and said,
“There is a label or something on it.”
Looking, she saw the letters ‘PIA’ and commented,
“Maybe that’s the language of the people who lived there.”
Chapter 26
While Belle and Robert were jumping into a strange cloud on a dead planet and hoping it was the way home, computers from India were guiding Waldorf through space. All he could do was sit and patiently wait for contact with a runaway space craft with four members of the Nazarene trapped inside. He contacted Presha Bhat and asked,
“What is the contact time?”
She was not assuring.
“Only an estimate but another hour should catch you up to them.”
He then looked deep into the voids of cold space and back toward the warmer Earth. Although he could not see it, knowing that it was there gave some comfort to what he knew was going to happen. His D-wing was not equipped for a trip of multiple hours in outer space. Although the ship itself was currently holding up just fine, that was not the problem. He was getting a headache and knew why. The air quality was fading. He knew that he could survive the contact and transfer of computer codes but would not survive the return trip. Right from the start he knew this was a one way rescue mission.
As Presha Bhat had correctly estimated, an hour later, he saw the target come into view and took over manual controls. He had on board a lifesaving program but understood that because they had no communication ability, there would be a problem transmitting it to them. It was just one of many complications that he was prepared to work out as they presented themselves. As he neared the craft from behind, he delicately maneuvered to the front.
Maria was not giving up on a dead ship. Knowing that they were speeding deeper and deeper into the coldness of space, or as she understood it, closer to death, she was at the controls franticly punching computer commands. Santo was sitting next to her and understood that she was kicking a dead horse and frantically yelling at it to get up. With the understanding that a rescue mission was impossible, he did not blame her frantic albeit hopeless efforts. The computers were dead and something else was pulling them deeper into space.
Behind them, Pia and Henrik were sitting beside each other in the webbed seats. Although each understood that their situation was dismal, never at any time did either crawl into the deep cave of hopelessness. Their eyes were locked together and on that stream flowed hopes of a rescue and mutual passionate feeling for each other. Pia weakly smiled and he returned the feeble expression of optimism. It was then that they heard Santo suddenly say,
“What’s that?”
With all eyes looking through the canopy, they saw Waldorf’s D-wing slowly come from behind and into view. With matching speed he was now nose to nose with them. With a grin, he waved and smiled. Thinking that they were going to be saved, all but Maria were glad to see him and waved back. She jumped up and with a frantic waving arm yelled,
“Waldorf, you fool. You can’t be here.”
Santo was overcome with the thought of a rescue that he had missed Waldorf’s suicide rescue mission and wondered why she was waving him away. She continued hysterically waving him away and yelling,
“You can’t help us! You’ll die. Go back.”
Regardless of the final and deadly outcome, Waldorf continued with his smiling façade and held up the crystal with the re-boot program. He pointed to it and then over to them.”
Not understanding the intention, Pia said,
“Call him. Ask him what he wants us to do.”
Loaded with despondency, Maria said,
“I can’t call him. Our communication ability is dead and he knows that or he wouldn’t be signaling with hand gestures.”
Santo asked,
“What’s that in his hand?”
All stared intently at it and suddenly Maria understood Waldorf’s intention. She shouted,
“It’s a reboot program. They couldn’t transmit it to us so he flew it here.”
Now knowing his intent, Maria snapped into action. Frantic fingers on her computer accessed an empty file that could accept and download what she was hoping he was pointing to. Because she understood that the two computers operate on different systems there was great concern written all over her. In order to receive the transmission and not have it disintegrate in transit, he would have to come closer. If he didn’t know that and transmitted from there, all would be lost. More to herself, she uttered aloud,
“He can’t transmit from that distance.”
But Waldorf painfully already knew that. After turning off his D-wing’s anti-contact program and with diminished manoeuvrability, a hopeful hand gently gripped the controls and inched closer. Even without a pounding headache derived from oxygen deprivation it was a high risk move that had to be taken. If it failed and there was a collision, it didn’t matter. Either way it was the only option. Although his intention was only to get closer, he inadvertently, albeit gently touched their canopy with his.
With no damage done, Waldorf pressed the thumb drive to the cockpit window and frantically indicated with a rolling wrist to start the download. Maria was only too happy to comply and quickly punched the ‘accept’ key. It only took a few seconds for her computer to signal acceptance of the lifesaving reboot. Diode lights suddenly lit up the onboard computers like a Christmas tree. Communication was now possible and so Waldorf said,
“We don’t know who or what shut you down. All we know was that somehow a dormant program in your onboard computer activated and sent you on this course. That program is now disabled and you are free to return.”
Except Maria, everybody whooped and cheered. With a sad wave, Waldorf slowly pulled away from the connected canopies and disappeared into the darkness of space. Santo, elated at the rescue called Waldorf and said,
“When we get back you are getting a big hug from all of us.”
Instead of a jubilated reply, Santo heard a sullen,
“Thank you. You give Helga and Robert that big hug for me.”
Instantly recognizing that something was terribly wrong, he turned to Maria and asked,
“What’s wrong with him?”
Sadly she replied,
“He can’t get back. It was
a suicide mission. He is already suffering from asphyxia.”
Shocked but ever the soldier, he was not about to accept a friend’s death. A quick but hopeless alternative was proposed.
“Then transfer him over to our ship.”
“How are we going to do that? He needs a space suit and they are all over here.”
After the elation of a rescue had left Henrik and recognizing the reality of Waldorf’s dire situation, he went into deep thought. Pointing a finger at Maria, he asked,
“Are all the programs back on line?”
Not understanding that he might have a solution, thinking that it was an useless question, she snapped,
“Yes but that isn’t going to help him now is it.”
Ignoring her frustration, he said,
“Maybe it will. Would it be possible to program the Nano-umbilical tube to extend and cover the whole D-wing cockpit?”
Suddenly understanding, Pia blurted out,
“We have extra tanks here. I could easily fill the tube with oxygen.”
Santo was only too glad to contribute,
“With the tube surrounding the canopy he could open it and float over to us.”
In her jubilation Maria gave Henrik a bone crunching hug.
She then called out to Waldorf, who had accepted his fate and was silently drifting away. Knowing that the communication line was still open, she yelled,
“Where the hell do you think you are going? Get back here!”
After hearing the plan, Waldorf slowly turned around and floated back to his rescuers. Although he was dangerously oxygen deprived and struggling with a pounding headache, he was able to bring his D-wing close, almost touching and facing the docking port. Maria then activated the Nano-tube and like a giant mouth opening wide to devour a victim, it inched out and sealed onto the hull and around the canopy. Pia quickly hooked up a hose to the latch and pumped in air. When she nodded at Santo he opened the latch. Maria then said to Waldorf,
“It is now safe to open your canopy. You need to turn your onboard gravity system off in order to float over here.”
He was only too glad to comply. After floating over and with wobbly legs now standing firm next to Santo, two soldiers fist pumped their success. Maria was not willing to repeat the macho display and so charged forward for a hug. This was the first time Pia had seen Waldorf but knew who he was. She too succumbed to the emotion and hugged him. Henrik shook his hand. Maria returned to the computers and transmitted a command to Waldorf’s ship. She said,
“I closed the canopy and programed it to follow us back home.”
An hour later, they landed next to the Nazarene hangar. Not surprisingly, Pia volunteered to stay behind to help Henrik fill out reports on both ships. When Maria, Santo and Waldorf walked across the lawn toward the mansion, they saw Belle and Robert’s helicopter coming in for a landing. Santo said,
“Well that was good timing.”
Waldorf voiced a request.
“I don’t want them or Helga knowing what just happened.”
Understanding, Maria added,
“Or almost happened.”
Chapter 27
After it was agreed that there was no reason to traumatize the children with stories of almost dying in outer space, all three turned and waited for them to jump out of the helicopter. As the kids walked toward them, it did not take long for the parents to see that something was wrong. Usually when coming back from the library there was jubilation at finally being released. However, this time both walked toward them slowly and with heavy feet. They also seemed very attentive to their shoes. Maria voiced what was abundantly clear to both fathers.
“This doesn’t look good.”
Still at a safe distance, Belle whispered to Robert,
“Don’t forget that we say nothing. Let them ask the questions first.”
After customary hugs and ‘glad to see you’, Belle wondered why the parents were not upset and demanding to know where they had been these last couple of days. They must have known they were missing, why else would they come and meet them at the helicopter. Trying to sound innocent, she asked mom a conniving question.
“So, how was your day?”
Remembering to keep silent about their near death experience, Maria took her daughter by the hand and as they walked toward the mansion she expertly and casually lied.
“Just another boring day at the funny farm honey. How was your day?”
Not to be outdone, Belle reciprocated with a well thought out lie of her own.
“Nothing exciting ever happens in a library.”
Robert, walking beside his dad couldn’t take the pressure and fell apart faster than a house of cards in a tornado. Much to Belle’s dismay he panicked and suddenly blurted out,
“I’m sorry we disappeared for a couple of days. Really, and it won’t happen again, honest.”
There was no doubt that both had a devious reputation for exaggerating certain events but this sudden outburst took the cake. The parents slammed to a grinding halt and Waldorf quizzically asked,
“What two days? What are you talking about?”
By his question, Belle understood that something was very wrong. Robert continued in his rant,
“Honest, it was a mistake.”
Santo didn’t think that out here on the lawn was an appropriate place to have this strange conversation and therefore suggested,
“Why don’t we retire to the family room and hear all about this supposed adventure of yours.”
As they walked to the mansion, the parents heard Belle heatedly whisper to Robert,
“I told you to shut up. We would have gotten away with it if you had kept your mouth shut.”
Having settled in the family room and suspecting that more than a whimsical story of an exaggerated event was coming at them, Maria called Helga and told her to come down to the gathering. With both children sitting across from what now looked like stern eyes, the parents prepared to hear what was going on. At least they thought they were prepared. Santo made the mistake of saying,
“Okay, what’s going on here?”
Suddenly the room filled with the children’s wild chatter, both starting at once and neither story coinciding with the other. Maria held up her hand and demanded a stop to the babbling.
Looking right into Belle’s eyes, she pointed and said,
“You go first. Tell me what you could have gotten away with if only Robert had kept his mouth shut.”
Wanting the tables turned somewhat, perhaps with the intention of pushing some of the blame onto the parents, Belled asked,
“Why didn’t you come looking for us?”
Robert, not to be held silent blurted out,
“We were gone for two days and you didn’t even care.”
Both parents sat stunned and silent. Usually when the two rascals make up a story it was better thought out and believable.
When Belle was signaled out to go first, she gave in to a rare moment. This time the truth and the whole truth were going to escape. As Belle elaborated an incredible and unbelievable story, parental frowns flowed across foreheads and on occasion a gasp was heard. Robert’s nodding head and occasional ‘that’s right’, comment confirmed collaboration of the events. When done, the story ending, Robert again contributed,
“And that’s the whole truth.”
Belle again looked at her mother and solemnly asked,
“Why didn’t you come looking for us?”
Both parents sat stunned. It was clear to all that if the kids were trying to get away with something, they would have made up a better story than that. Regardless, it was too farfetched to believe. Seeing the scepticism in the parents and thinking that the next words coming from them was ‘liar’, Belle suddenly remembered that there was proof of the story in her pocket. Reaching into her red coat, she bought out the instrument she found. Handing it to her mom, she explained how she came about it. As Maria reached out for it, her hand started to shake and Sa
nto’s eyes bulged in disbelief. The feeling of ‘impossible’ filled the room. It was Pia’s atmospheric diffusion gauge that Maria had tossed into the dimensional portal. Because Waldorf and Helga were not there, they wondered what had caused the stunned looks.
With an assurance that Maria believed the story and it would be looked into, she stood and told both to go upstairs and get ready for supper. As Belle got up to leave the room, dad pointed to the ring on her finger and said,
“Leave that with me.”
After it was handed over, both ran upstairs to their apartments.
Waldorf and Helga, although still stunned, stood and started to follow Robert upstairs. Santo shot out his hand and sharply said,
“Not you two. Come with me please.”
With all four now in Maria’s laboratory, Santo placed the video ring on a computer that looked like a piece of glass and spoke to it.
“Download and show all visuals.”
From the perspective of the ring, the glass monitor showed the children entering the castle and approaching the Librarian. From that point on, they saw everything that had happened up to the point of discovering the altar room and a cloud forming as if from nowhere. When Belle and the ring were swept up in the cloud, there was no more image transmission. The parents were heavy with astonishment and shock.
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