by Colin Owen
"Yes, do." Clare added.
Steve collected his coat and left.
"Right kids," Clare said, "let's get everything packed up in case we need to leave in a hurry." The young foresters obeyed, as usual, and Rufus stood guard at the door.
❧
Steve arrived at the Star Labs main entrance just as the big black limousine pulled up. A rear window went down and a friendly voice said, "Mr. Forester? Please get in." Steve got into the limo' and it pulled away.
General Hammond looked every inch a General. Unlike Carter, who looked more like a crook than a soldier.
"How can I help you General?" Steve asked.
"It's like this Mr. Forester."
"Please call me Steve, General, everybody does."
"Thank you, Steve, it's like this. We've been aware of a covert operation, code named cuckoo, for some time now, but until recently, we had no idea what its motives were. A recent discovery seems to have triggered them into action."
"Carter and Vinkle are part of this I assume General."
"Yes, that's right Steve. We think Carter is the master mind behind it, with Vinkle as his puppet."
"Makes sense, Carter never did strike me as being a real General."
"You're right again Steve, he isn't, but somehow he managed to fool the top brass into thinking he was useful to them, and he worked his way into the Moon Base Alpha project. That's been his goal all along, to infiltrate the project. He found a way in via Vinkle who proved to be an easy target for him to subvert."
"We now know that Cuckoo is a plot to take over Moon Base Alpha, and use it for their own ends, we didn't know, however, to what lengths they would go in order to achieve this-"
"You mean the explosion," Steve interrupted.
"Smart man Steve, I can see you've already worked it out. They sabotaged an old Russian storage facility to throw the world into a panic. They hoped this would buy some time for them to bring about their escape, but they hadn't reckoned on being found out so soon. We were able to upset their plans still further by arresting some of the lower order operatives, but Vinkle and Carter have eluded us. What makes you think they're heading for the launch-pad?"
"It's the only safe place General...There's no virus on the moon! We have to stop them before they get there or all is lost."
The General thought for a moment and then closed the dividing window between themselves and the driver.
"Steve, what I am about to tell you is top secret, only myself, the President and a few highly trusted others know about it." He paused. "Have you heard of Lark?"
"No, can't say that I have General, what is it?"
"It's the final solution Steve, the last resort, the place where the buck stops for good, if you like. Lark, is short for Lunar Ark."
General Hammond paused for it to sink in.
"We've known for years that something like this virus leak could happen. Either theirs or ours, it was only a matter of time before there was some sort of accident, or act of terrorism.
"Some ten years ago I began plans for Lark, heavily disguised as just a space station on the moon's surface, but we've been secretly shipping stuff up there for years. Dr. Peebles, a brilliant mind, discovered a way to search for water on the moon, and it worked. We've found water, Steve, deep inside the Moon's crust. It's ice and it's everywhere. Pure water stored for millions of years just waiting to be discovered. The MBA project included a secret section on botany; your wife's research was used as the basis for this whole section. Her discovery of that high-oxygen producing plant, and her work on other hybrids made it all possible. A hybrid of that plant now exists on the Moon in vast quantities. Her discoveries in the desert plants also helped: a hybrid of a high-oxygen producing plant, and a very low-water using plant was developed; we call it B37A+. It's there now growing like wild fire. With enough water it grows at an astronomical rate."
He paused again.
"Steve, the moon is getting an atmosphere. Carter and Vinkle didn't know this until recently, when a report came in of a green mould growing on the Moon's surface. We estimate that in another twenty years, the moon will have a breathable atmosphere comparable to that on Earth."
"Wow General, that takes some swallowing. So Lark is a success."
"Yes, Steve it is, but we need someone to oversee its development, someone who really understands plants."
"You mean Clare."
"Yes, we do. We think that you, the Forester family, would be perfect to populate Lark. There are others who would be there with you, of course, from various walks of life, but all with a specialised knowledge that would be a benefit to Lark. It's quite literally, the Ark Steve, a remnant of the human race preserved."
The General paused.
"I need your answer, I'm sorry, but I need it now. Will you go?"
"Can I talk it over with my wife and kids first?"
"Sorry, I need to know right now, I can't delay the launch any longer."
"OK General, we'll go," Steve said. "I know my family, and we...they, will be honoured to serve in this way."
"Good man, I was hoping you would say that, we can pick your family up on the way...Erm, where are they?"
❧
Clare was looking out of the window. "Here's the limo," she called to the kids, "and daddy's getting out of it."
A few moments later, Steve burst through the door breathless and saying, "Leave everything, just leave everything and come with me."
There were some strange looks but they obeyed. Clare grabbed Rufus and followed Steve and the kids down the stairs and out of the hotel. They all jumped into General Hammond's car, which sped away at high speed.
"Everyone," Steve said, even more breathless now, "this is General Hammond, he has explained to me everything that is going on. I'll tell you all later, but for now, you need to know that we are on our way to the Moon."
This was all Steve could manage in his breathless state, so General Hammond took over.
"Mrs. Forester, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. You don't know just how big a part you have played in the salvation of the human race. I salute you." And with that, he did. Clare just stared in amazement.
Slowly, Steve got his breath back and between them, he and General Hammond relayed all that had been said at their meeting. Clare wept as she began to understand what was happening. She didn't weep for herself, but for all who would be left behind to face the consequences of mankind's folly.
"Is there an antidote General?" she asked.
"None that we know of Mrs. Forester, but we still have time, and prayer." He said warmly.
The car journey seemed to go on and on. The kids and Rufus were fast asleep and Clare was not far from it herself. Steve and General Hammond talked softly.
"Where are we going General?"
"A secret launch-pad," he answered.
"Does Carter know about this place?"
"Most probably," the General replied.
"Then that's where they'll be. They'll either try to steal the ship, or sabotage it. That kind of scum will try to spoil what they can't have."
"Point taken Steve," the general picked up his phone and called ahead.
"We'll keep a sharp lookout for them sir," came the response to the general's orders.
"Get some rest Steve," the general said, "there'll be plenty of time to catch up on the flight." Steve was all in and so took the General up on his offer. The car sped on with just the General and the driver still awake. It was a long journey to the launch-site.
Some hours later the car slowed.
"Where are we General?" Clare asked drowsily.
"Just some place secret." Was the General's answer. "Where, is not important, that we are almost there is. Please awaken your family, we'll be arriving any moment now."
Clare gently woke everyone up.
"Are we nearly there yet mom?" Shelley asked sleepily.
"Yes, we're nearly there young lady." The General said, smiling for the first time.
&nbs
p; "Do you have any children General?" Clare asked.
"Why yes Mrs. Forester, I have three, two boys and a girl, and three grand children!"
"Wow, it must be great to have such a family, I hope we'll have one like that one day," she said, looking at her two adorable children.
"I hope so too Mrs. Forester, I hope so too."
"Sorry for being so insensitive General, it must be a great concern for you considering the current crisis."
The sentence needed no response, the General was a soldier, he would do his duty, as would his family.
Steve had been silently watching all this, "Isn't she wonderful?" He said, looking at General Hammond, who just smiled that knowing smile and said, "You are a very lucky man Steve Forester."
The car pulled up at a run-down old gas station. "This is it," the General smiled, "hold on."
The car backed into what appeared to be a mechanics workshop, the doors closed and the car began to descend. Slowly at first, but picking up speed as it went. Then, just as suddenly, it slowed and stopped. The doors opened at the front, and the car drove out of the lift and into a brightly lit hanger. The lights hurt everyone's eyes for a few moments, but as they became accustomed to it, they could see the ship some way off, and there were soldiers everywhere.
"Can't take any chances," the General said, "this is a one time effort, if it fails, we all fail. The folk up on the Moon right now don't have the skills to make it work, they are just basic maintenance people and a few guards."
"Then we better not disappoint them," Clare said, taking a deep breath before leaving the car.
"Tell me General, are you coming with us?" She asked.
The General paused a little and said, "No, sadly, I'm not. My place is here with my troops. Who knows, we may be needed in the days to come, but some of my family will be joining you, my eldest son, his wife and daughter. He's an engineer, and she's a teacher. You'll need to go to school up there." He said, looking at Chris. Then he smiled again.
Shortly, an officer came over to the car and saluted General Hammond. "We're ready sir," he said, and stood to attention by the open door.
"It's time folks," the General said. "This is sergeant, Mahoney, he will look after you from now on. Take good care of them sergeant, they're a big part of this."
"Yes sir, I will," Mahoney replied, with another salute.
The Forester family exited the General's car, closed the doors, and waved as he was driven away. It was the last time they saw him.
"Follow me please," Mahoney said. Everyone turned towards the ship and set off after the soldier. They had taken only a few steps when they were knocked over by the force of the blast. After a few seconds, Steve called out, "Is everyone OK?"
"Yes." came their various replies. On seeing that his family was safe, along with sergeant Mahoney, Steve turned to see where the blast had come from. It was the General's car, some sort of anti tank missile had hit it. The General and his driver were dead.
"Oh no," Clare sobbed, "this is not real, please tell me this is not real."
"Sorry Mrs. Forester, but I'm afraid it is." Mahoney's voice had a tremble in it as he spoke. Soldiers poured out of every doorway visible. The General had laid a trap, with himself as the bait, and Carter had walked straight into it. There were shots and cries that echoed around the hanger for a little while, and then it was over. A corporal came running over to Mahoney and said, "Carter and Vinkle are both dead sarge' along with all the other conspirators."
"Good," said Mahoney, "now let's get this show on the road. Follow me folks, there isn't much time."
Clare grabbed Rufus, and they all set off at a trot towards the ship.
It took several minutes to get there and it was good to be on the lift being hoisted up to the entrance hatch. On reaching it they entered the ship to a rousing round of applause. "This is the Forester family." The stewardess shouted. "As if you didn't know. That makes us all present and correct, close the hatch please sergeant, it's time to leave."
"Good bye all," the sergeant said, in his Irish accent, "have a good trip." He saluted and left. The hatch closed with a deep and reassuring thud.
"Your seats are just over here," the stewardess said, smiling. "I'm so glad you made it, now I know we have a chance."
They all settled in as quickly as they could; there was even a padded cage for Rufus. 'Funny how he'd been so quiet since leaving the hotel,' Clare thought to herself. He was very subdued even now. 'Perhaps it was that doggie sixth sense warning him of things to come,' she thought. 'Shame it didn't warn the General...'
In no time at all a slow shudder ran through the ship. "That's the engines starting," Steve reassured Chris, "it'll get quite bumpy in a minute when they really fire up, just hang in there buddy, we're gonna be OK."
Clare hung on tightly to Shelley who was showing all the signs of going to sleep. Clare looked at Steve who smiled back in admiration of his daughter's courage.
The roar was deafening as the engines powered up.
"Hold tight folks," came the captain's voice over the intercom, "here we go."
With that, the huge ship shook violently. There were loud cries from some of the passengers, and other noises too, mixed in with the cacophony of sound as the ship eased its way up off the launch-pad.
Slowly at first, painfully slowly it looked to those back on the ground, but it picked up speed rapidly as it climbed. Then suddenly, there was an almighty rush of forward motion, which pushed all the passengers back into their seats, the G force grew until every one weighed several times their normal weight. The shaking continued, the screams continued, the noise grew louder and louder until it seemed that all their eardrums would burst. Then, in an instant, it was quiet, and an incredible sense of peace came upon everybody.
"We made it folks," came the captain's voice again, "we are now officially in space."
Then they heard him say, "Come in control, the lark has flown, I repeat, the Lark has flown."
Things that weren't strapped down began to float in mid air. Rufus was lying in his cage but not actually touching it. Clare looked at Steve smiling, "It's begun Hun," she said, "the adventure's begun."
Chapter Five
Chapter 5.
Space...
"OK folks," the captain's voice sounded again. "We just need a little time here before we set off for the Moon. The take off was fine, but there are a few things that need to be checked just as a precaution. We'll be orbiting the Earth a couple of times, you might want to take some photos if you brought a camera, or you might want to say goodbye, or even a prayer. We may never return, and they may not survive for long down there. Would Dr. Forester, and Major Hammond please come to the flight deck."
The intercom crackled and went quiet.
Steve got up from his seat using the specially fitted handrails. He was not trained in zero gravity manoeuvres, and probably no one else was either. A young man floated past so Steve grabbed his ankle and let go of the rail. The young man looked back at him, "Dr. Forester I presume." A broad smile filled his face. Steve could see the likeness.
"You're General Hammond's son," he smiled back.
"That's right sir," the younger man replied, "he spoke very highly of you Dr. Forester, I know he was glad to make your acquaintance."
"Sorry he didn't make it," Steve said, looking at the younger man.
"Me too," he replied, "but dad knew the risks involved...We all did."
They reached the flight deck, a hatch opened and they floated through.
On the flight deck there were two pilots and another stewardess. Nancy introduced everyone. "Gentlemen," she said, to Steve and John, as they floated in, "these are your pilots, Phil Clancy, and Roy Corrin."
"Hi," they said. It wasn't possible to shake hands.
"And this is Dr. Stephen Forester and Major John Hammond." With that she floated off the flight deck and the hatch closed behind her.
"Well, guys," Phil began, "we have a sealed envelope for you that we are
supposed to open before the trip begins, shall we do it now?"
All heads nodded.
Phil reached into a compartment near his right hand and pulled the envelope out and opened it. Inside there was a sealed document and a hand written note.
"The note is addressed to you Major Hammond," Phil said, passing it to him.
"Read it out please Captain," John said, "there are no secrets now."
Phil withdrew his arm and unfolded the note, he read:
"My dear son, if you are reading this then I am already dead. I want you to know just how much your mother and I love and respect you and all that you have accomplished. Our only regret is that we will not be there to see you and your family grow as the fine upstanding citizens we know you are. As leader of Lark, I am placing you in charge of security, answerable only to Dr. Forester, who will head up the project from now on. Trust him my son, he and his family will be your guide, treat them as you would us."
John looked at Steve with warmth that I can't describe. Steve's face had tear tracks running down both cheeks. The men hugged, as best they could,
"I'm Steve," Steve said softly.
"And I'm John," The hug continued.
The Captain read on, "As you are both now aware, Earth is in serious trouble, we would not have activated Lark unless this was the case. It is up to you all on this ship to make sure the human race continues. Preserve all that you can that is good about us. There are many good people on board, encourage them to grow in their abilities. Try your best to forget our evils and our failings. You have a unique opportunity to achieve everything that mankind has thrown away, make the most of it. There are no weapons on board, we wanted you to be free of all that they signify. Go in peace my son, and make us all proud of you. Your Loving father, Jonathan D. Hammond."
There was a long silent pause. General Hammond had been a visionary, he had worked for a good many years putting Lark together, and it had paid off. Here they were, orbiting the Earth, safe from the terrible pestilence that was ravaging humanity below.
It was John who spoke first, "I'd like to offer up a prayer if it's OK with you all." Heads nodded. "My father was a good man, a Christian man, who believed passionately in God, and His creation, the human race. My father loved people..." His voice trailed. Eyes closed and heads bowed.
