Space Hoax (Hoax Trilogy Book 2)

by Paul Gillebaard

  Her brother answered playfully. “I hope it’s what I think it is.”

  She looked at Peter’s favorite bottle of wine sitting on the kitchen counter. “Peter and I are getting married.”

  Dmitri’s voice perked up. “That’s what I was hoping you were going to say. That’s fabulous news. Congratulations.”

  “Thanks.” Anya started dancing her fingers on the bar. “I have a special favor to ask.”

  “Sure, what is it?”

  She stopped moving her fingers. “I was hoping you would walk me down the aisle.”

  Dmitri broke with emotion. “Anya, I would be honored.”

  She smiled. “Great, we plan on getting married in Houston and the date right now is set for April 20. But before we firm it up, I wanted to make sure you and your family could make it.”

  “Just a second, let me check.” There was a momentary pause before Dmitri came back in a chipper voice. “I’m all free, but even if I wasn’t, I’d still make it work. So go ahead and book that date.”

  An image of her father passed through her mind. “Great. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”

  Her brother turned serious. “Sis, you know I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Peter is a great guy.”

  “Thanks.”

  “So what’s Romeo up to lately?”

  Anya settled herself more comfortably in the padded bar stool. “He’s been working for a commercial space company.”

  Oddly Dmitri’s voice grew much softer. “What company?”

  Knowing her brother, she could tell something was up. She frowned. “EarthOrbit.”

  There was a brief silence. With a hint of panic in his voice, Dmitri asked, “What’s his job?”

  “He oversees the astronaut training, why?”

  While not responding to her question, Dmitri asked, “So he’s not one of their astronauts?”

  “No, there was a chance he was going to fly on their current mission, but fortunately the astronaut he was going to replace recovered in time.”

  Anya was getting a little fidgety as a few long beats of silence passed before her brother asked. “Have you heard what happened?”

  Anya straightened in her seat. “No, what happened?”

  “There was an explosion in space. We’ve been monitoring the situation.”

  She tightened her grip around the phone as she fired back, “Is it EarthOrbit’s spacecraft?”

  “We believe it is.”

  Anya immediately thought back to her conversation with Peter on his early suspensions of a bomb being on board. He stated then that after further investigation, he was convinced there was no threat. She wondered if he was wrong. “Oh, my God. How bad is it?”

  “Not sure, but another spacecraft was in the area, possibly to carry out a rescue.”

  Her heart stopped. “What? Who’s rescuing them?”

  “We know it’s not NASA. We believe its SpaceQuest.”

  Anya went numb with shock. She was sure her lover was on that craft. “Do you know who’s on that ship?”

  “It’s supposedly unmanned, and there has been no radio communication. However, we’ve observed some maneuvers that give us the impression someone is flying it.”

  “When was the explosion?”

  “Within the hour.”

  She put her head down. “I’ll bet Peter’s on that rescue ship.”

  A surprised tone echoed through the receiver. “You just told me he’s with EarthOrbit.”

  Anya tried to steady herself. “He called me yesterday from an airplane and didn’t tell me where he was going. All he said was he was put on a new assignment and he would see me later in the week.”

  Dmitri gave a reluctant sigh as he spoke the obvious. “Oh, he’s still working for the government.”

  She traced her hand along the edge of the bar. “I know he’s up there trying to save his friends.”

  “Anya, you don’t know that.”

  Suddenly she realized she was being selfish. She needed to be strong, like her mom. “You’re right, I don’t. But I do know those EarthOrbit astronauts. I’ve got to go.”

  “Okay, I’ll call you later if I learn anything more.”

  “Please do.”

  She quickly hung up and jumped off the barstool. Of the two astronauts’ wives, she only knew Suzy. Because of this relationship, she should hustle over to the young mother’s home to support her. She hoped to get there before Suzy learned of the explosion. Anya swiftly grabbed her car keys and headed for the door.

  BOTH ASTRONAUTS WERE strapped tightly in their seats as they prepared Galileo for a rushed return flight home. After communications was established, the astronauts told mission control the grim news of Blake’s death. Peter had been informed that their ship had sustained damage from Iris’s explosion, requiring them to deviate from their normal flight plan for re-entry. Their mood was somber with very little talk between them. With their visors up, Peter could smell the distinct odor of space oozing off their suits. He was very familiar with the burnt metal stench hovering in the cabin.

  Peter took a moment to look out his small window and reflect on his lost friend, asking himself what he could have done differently. Every option he came up with would still have put all three men at risk. He tried to convince himself he had made the right choice, but considering the outcome, he was having a hard time. To stop the battle in his head, he reflected on his memories of Blake, the jokester. A faint smile came to his face when he remembered Blake flying like a superhero down the zip line and how he got chastised for staying back to help. Buddy, I would have been proud to have been your sidekick.

  A call from mission control in his headset brought Peter back to reality. He was surprised to recognize Allen’s voice. He answered in a low tone, “Roger, this is Galileo 2.”

  The CEO spoke in a sympathetic voice. “Peter, I first want to say I’m so sorry about the loss of your friend. I know you did the best you could to save him.”

  Peter didn’t say a word, especially since he questioned if he really had.

  Allen’s voice became unmistakably clear; piercing in fact. “But we have another problem, and right now our number one priority is getting you two safely home.”

  Peter snapped to attention. “What’s the problem?”

  “Galileo sustained some additional damage from the explosion. We believe the landing system was hit by some debris from Iris.”

  Frustrated he wasn’t getting the news fast enough, Peter barked, “What’s our specific problem?”

  “From the warning lights we’ve been getting, it looks like Galileo may not deploy its drogue parachutes. We are still studying the problem.”

  Peter was shocked. After all he and Jesse had been through, they could still be done in by the failure of their chutes. “What are the chances the main chutes will deploy?”

  The radio went quiet. Peter waited impatiently. The backup landing system was a redundant number of main chutes. Of the three parachutes, Galileo could survive with just one. But if the smaller drogue chutes didn’t open first to slow their craft down, their speed would be too high to allow for any one of the larger parachutes to fully open. It would be anybody’s guess how fast Iris would be going when it hit the water.

  Allen’s tremulous, disembodied voice replied, “Not good. I could sugarcoat it and tell you something different, but I figured you would want the truth.”

  Peter appreciated the CEO’s honesty, even though it was heartbreaking to hear. “What are our chances of surviving?”

  Again the radio was silent for a few seconds. The response was direct. “Less than 50 percent.”

  Peter put his head down. “Roger.”

  “Would you like to record a final message for your loved ones before re-entry?”

  Peter looked at Jesse. He could see in the man’s eyes he didn’t want to accept this was the end, and neither did he. Peter answered in a firm and decisive voice. “Negative, we plan on seeing them again.” He quickly cut th
e mic.

  Peter looked back out the window wondering if the whole mission had been a waste. Not only did he not save Blake, but it looked like both he and Jesse were goners too. Shit. Peter decided if he survived, this would be his last assignment. He had to, for Anya. He closed his eyes. Dear God, if it is your will to save Jesse and me, I promise to make changes.

  29

  RE-ENTRY

  Peter wanted to walk on his home planet, to hold his lover once more, but there was only a slim chance that would ever happen again. Mission control had rushed them through the re-entry procedures, cutting out some of the steps. Amazingly their spacecraft hit every milestone perfectly as it flew through the dense atmosphere. Peter hoped the flawless re-entry was a sign everything would work out fine. Of course, that was wishful thinking as they approached the moment of truth. Around 23,000 feet the drogue parachutes were to open. If that didn’t happen, they were doomed.

  He shaded his eyes from the bright sunlight as he looked out his window. He fought the continuous g-forces as his ship decelerated toward the massive blue marble below. The majestic Pacific Ocean peeked through the scattered, white clouds below. The large body of water was teasing him. Damn, we’re so close.

  Mission control called out, “Galileo 2 approaching 23,400 feet; velocity 420 feet per second.”

  If the landing went as planned, he should soon hear a minor bang followed by a slight tug indicating the small drogue chutes were deployed. He closed his eyes as he dedicated all of his senses toward recognizing the jolt. After a few anxious moments, he opened his eyes and registered their altitude was down to 22,500 feet. They had passed the point when the chutes should have been released and they were still flying like a bat out of hell. Shit. He looked over at Jesse, whose eyes were wide open with concern. Peter tried to show strength as he flashed a quick wink before radioing, “We’re at 22,500 feet and no sign of the drogue chutes, over.”

  “Roger, Galileo.”

  Peter waited, hoping mission control would respond with some miracle solution, but the radio stayed silent. Damn. The main parachutes were set to be released in roughly 30 seconds at approximately 10,000 feet. At the speed they were traveling, the main chutes wouldn’t fully deploy, and he could do nothing to change their dire situation. Though he was positive the main chutes would be released, the question was how much drag would they develop. Galileo’s designed splashdown velocity was 30 feet per second, around 20 miles per hour. If those chutes failed to open properly, their impact speed could be as high as 200 feet per second, sure death for both men. If only they were landing on land like the Chinese ships, at least then, there would be a slim chance of crashing through trees to break up their energy. Landing on water at those speeds would be the same as slamming onto concrete, only after impact the surface would open up and swallow them whole.

  The radio crackled. “Galileo, what is your velocity?”

  Peter responded in a fierce tone. “355 feet per second, over.”

  “Roger.”

  A bang confirmed the main parachutes were being deployed. Please, God, let them catch. A combination of light tugs in rapid succession followed by the ship going into a slight spin were signs the parachutes didn’t fully open. Shit. “Failure with main chutes.” Peter’s heart sank when he reported their velocity. “230 feet per second.”

  “Roger.”

  Peter was still waiting for some plan of attack from mission control. Their lack of response made it obvious they didn’t have one and neither did he. The ship was being tossed around under the struggling chutes. Peter steadied himself as he looked over at his partner. His voice was flat and emotionless. “We’re going to hit hard; brace yourself.”

  Jesse’s tone was surprisingly clear and strong. “Roger. Let’s survive this crash.”

  Peter liked the young man’s attitude. He took another look at their velocity. He was encouraged to see it dropping, but they were still falling way too fast. He figured they needed to be at less than 150 feet per second to have a shot.

  Peter was surprised to hear a new voice squawk over the radio. “Galileo 2, this is the recovery ship. We have a visual; please tell us your splashdown error.”

  Splash down error, are you serious? Peter let his emotions get the best of him as he yelled out. “We’re falling at over 100 miles per hour is our God-damn splashdown error, over.”

  There was no response.

  At the 1,500 foot level, and with only seconds left before impact, Peter took a final look at their velocity. A slight glimmer of hope shot through him seeing it had dropped to 162 feet per second. The one unknown was how much energy the spacecraft would absorb during impact. Even falling at six times faster than their intended splashdown speed, he convinced himself they could survive. Their fate was now in God’s hands. Facing skyward, Peter tightened the straps holding him down in his seat. He was prepared to be smashed painfully hard backward. His life was either over or he would completely change it. Either way, he was convinced this was his last mission. He quickly yelled out. “It was an honor flying with you, Jesse!”

  “The honor was all mine, sir!”

  ANYA SAT AT the small dining room table in Suzy’s house as the young mother brewed some tea. Anya’s excuse for visiting was to drop off presents for the boys, explaining it was a Russian tradition to give children gifts when their fathers were in space. She said it always seemed like Christmas every time her dad flew.

  Anya looked outside the window and admired the boys playing. She settled in with easy conversation. “You have two wonderful boys.”

  Suzy seemed unassuming and relaxed as she poured the tea. “Oh, thank you.” As she set the two cups on the table, she looked outside. “They sure are enjoying those presents. Thanks again. Now they’re going to be all excited the next time Blake flies.”

  Anya reached for a cup as she tilted her head, lifting an eyebrow. “Weren’t they excited this time?”

  Suzy spoke in a gentle tone as she tucked her hair behind her ear. “Brian was okay with it, but Matthew was scared. Surprisingly, he seemed to grasp what his father was doing. In fact, it was so cute the last thing he communicated to Blake. Matthew signed, Don’t die, Daddy, I don’t want another daddy. I could see Blake was caught off guard by his fears, but then he knelt down and put his arm around Matthew, promising he would be back. He then pointed to Matthew’s heart and said a part of Daddy would always be right there, even when he was in space. It was such a sweet and touching moment.”

  Anya turned back toward the window. Suzy’s words had touched her heart. She closed her face down like a gate slamming shut. Though she had no idea what was going on in space, she still had to make sure she didn’t give away any sign she knew anything. She prayed Blake was okay as she pretended to be watching the boys.

  Suzy asked, “Is everything all right?”

  Stay strong, Anya. She took a deep breath before turning back with a consoling smile. “Yes. That is a touching story.”

  Suzy sprang up. “How rude of me, I should have gotten us something to snack on.”

  Anya raised her hand as she emphatically shook her head. “Please don’t go to any trouble.”

  Suzy marched over to the counter. “Oh, it’s no trouble. I baked some cookies last night with the boys.” When she was halfway across the kitchen, the phone rang. “Excuse me.” She did a 90-degree turn and aimed for the sound. As she answered, she looked to the floor with a slight smile.

  Anya studied the young woman’s face to see if this was the call. For a few moments, there was no change in Suzy’s expression as she just listened. Soon her smile gave way as disappointment etched steadily across her face. This was the call. Finally, the mother spoke to the caller. “Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” When she hung up, she dropped her head.

  Anya innocently asked. “Who was that?”

  “EarthOrbit. They had to cut the mission short and asked me to hustle over to Hobby Airport. Apparently, the men are coming home today. EarthOrbit wants to fl
y me over to the recovery ship.”

  Anya let out a big sigh, sure that this meant both men were returning.

  Suzy looked outside at her children. She spoke with a hint of alarm in her voice. “It’s kind of odd they’re flying me to the recovery ship. That was never in the plans, and they asked me not to bring the kids.”

  Those comments made Anya nervous. She swallowed hard as she kept her demeanor steady. “I’m sure they’re doing it just because they’re cutting the assignment short. Maybe Blake asked for you. Anyway, I’m sure everything will be fine.”

  Suzy flashed a grim smile.

  Anya offered, “I can watch the boys if you would like?”

  Suzy gave an appreciative nod. “Thanks, but I’ll have my mother come over.” As she reached for the phone, she suddenly stopped and turned toward Anya. She bit her lower lip for a moment before asking, “Would you mind going with me? I could use the support. Besides, with Peter as part of the team, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem.”

  Anya rose from her chair. She would love to escort the young mother. Plus, being on the ship would allow her to learn if Peter was involved. “Sure, I would be more than happy to.”

  MING WAS SURPRISED to see his boss’s door shut. Though it was not an uncommon sight during most days, Kuang had purposely left his door wide open lately so he could be given quick updates on what was happening in space. Ming assumed Kuang was probably on a private call. He took a moment to ponder if he should interrupt. Since his boss had insisted on being informed on the latest developments, Ming was sure the news of the Americans landing in the Pacific warranted being told immediately.

  The assistant director lightly knocked on the wooden door. He listened intently for a response. Nothing. Ming tried again, this time knocking harder. Again nothing. Convinced his boss was on an important phone call, Ming cautiously opened the door. Because he had not been invited in, he bowed his head as he entered.

  Looking at the floor, Ming was surprised he did not hear a sound. “Sir, I have an important update.” He stopped all movement as he waited for his boss to answer. After a long beat, Ming gradually lifted his head. His eyes widened in shock at the sight of Kuang hunched over his desk, his head turned sideways with his arms sprawled out. Ming stood stunned. He saw no movement. He approached guardedly. Kuang’s lifeless eyes were wide open with a blank stare aiming directly at him. Ming tried to process the grim sight. Soon he stood over the desk and saw the bottom side of his boss’s face soaking in a puddle of blood. Ming cautiously placed two fingers on the director’s neck to check for a pulse. As he struggled to get a reading, a handgun lying on the floor next to the desk confirmed his suspicions. After a few moments, it was obvious his mentor was dead. Ming gently closed the dead man’s eyes before softly placing a hand on Kuang’s head. He bowed to say a short prayer for the disgraced leader.