"Thank you, Marvin. Where are my antacids?"
Pause.
"Hello, Dr. Kranz. So how did the launch go? Is everyone OK?" Johnson tried to act normally.
"Yes, Mr. President. They are on their way to Mars. I don't think the crew is very happy about it. They have undoubtedly figured out that they have been kidnapped."
"Is there any way to bring them back at this stage?"
"No, Mr. President. There isn't. Uh… have you changed your mind?"
"Oh, no, Gene. I was just wondering." Johnson's countenance dropped.
Then he added, "Just keep me informed." He tried to sound cheerful, but he wasn't sure he was succeeding.
"I will, Mr. President. Would you consider talking to them for us and telling them why we did what we did? I think it be better coming from you. You are their Commander-in-Chief, sir."
Silence.
"Very well, doctor. Just let me know when." Johnson said reluctantly.
"Thank you, Mr. President. You can do it from your office if you like. We can patch it to your office phone. It will probably be in a few days. The Frodo isn’t answering our calls. I think they are mad, to say the least."
"To tell the truth, I’m not surprised... Thank you Dr. Kranz." And the president hung up.
Johnson wasn't so sure what he should say. What would Schules want him to do? He was really confused.
I wish I had never gotten involved with that slimy creep, he thought to himself.
But what was done was done.
Thirty minutes later the president regretfully called on the intercom, "Marvin, you better get me Bob Schules. I need to talk to him."
"Yes, Mr. President.”
And Johnson added, “And bring me more antacids.”
This was one conversation he was not looking forward to having.
Chapter 10–Shanghaied!
Mars is 145.1 million miles from Earth, give or take a few centimeters. It would take about nine months at 22,300 miles per hour to get there, give or take a few miles an hour. It takes 17,500 miles per hour to escape Earth's gravity. So the rocket boost needed to get them not only up to speed but in the right direction. And it did. They were on course. A course they hadn’t planned on.
–––––––
"Frodo 1, this is Houston."
Silence.
"Frodo 1, this is Houston, come in Frodo 1"
Silence.
"Come on guys. I know you can hear me."
Silence.
"OK, boys. When you're ready to talk we are here."
Silence.
–––––––
For two days, Apollo 6 crew were having a heated discussion and not answering the radio. NASA was embarrassed and frustrated.
–––––––
The president heard a commotion coming from the outer office. He could hear Cheryl Clawdauter shouting at someone. She was covering for Marvin who was out of town, and she sounded very upset.
Then the door opened and in came Bob Schules.
Cheryl was right behind him shouting, "Mr. President, I don’t know who this is, but he just barged in, and the Secret Service guys just let him go by."
Johnson, said, “It’s OK, Cheryl. This is Bob Schules. He can come in anytime he wants.”
"Yes, sir.” Cheryl turned and left, shaking her head.
Schules was obviously angry. Who is that worthless woman?” he snapped.
“I am so sorry, Bob. Marvin is down in Florida, and Cheryl is new.”
“What…is…her…name, Lyndon,” he said slowly and deliberately.
“Her name is Cheryl Clawdauter. She’s new. I am sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Bob wrote something in a little book he carried, then he looked up and said, "Lyndon, I assume you still can't stop the mission?"
"That's right Bob. I tried," he lied. “I’ve been asked to speak to them in a few days. Is there something you want me to say?”
"No. Just do what you need to do. I have taken care of it. Just act natural and be yourself."
"Can I ask what you are doing about it?" Johnson asked.
"No." And with that Schules stood up and walked out of the office.
He left the door open. Johnson could see him stop and glare at Cheryl. Cheryl glared back. She curled her lip at him. The edges of Schules’ lips raised ever so slightly.
“I better hold a staff meeting. We can’t afford to get Schules upset.”
–––––––
Back on Frodo–
"Captain, I don't care what the excuse is. We should have been told." Cris was yelling. If he could storm around in the cabin in zero-G he would. He couldn’t even kick something without having an unpredictable outcome.
Lt. Colonel Cris Kelly was madder than he had ever been in his life! He knew what the consequences of that rocket boost meant to their lives. What he didn't know was why they did it. And he could not think of one good reason for it to have happened.
Kelly continued to complain, "What are they thinking? You can't just send someone off into the unknown without at least telling them. Better yet, without asking them if they want to go. And, on a trip to nowhere?"
"Cris,” Jason said, “there is probably a really good explanation for this. There always was something going on. We just didn't see it–or we didn't want to see it. We were just so happy to be going into space, that we didn't care what any other agenda might be. Yes, we didn't expect to be sent off into the unknown, but what an adventure so far! We are in space–this is what we signed up for!"
"Frodo 1, Houston."
Silence.
Silence.
"Maybe we should see what Houston has to say. It's probably pretty good." Cris' sarcasm was felt by both astronauts.
"OK, I guess we have kept them waiting long enough," Jason said.
Cris added, "Give 'em fifteen more minutes."
"OK."
Silence.
"Houston, this is Frodo 1."
Immediately they answered, "Frodo 1, this is Houston. Boy are we glad to hear from you. Is everything alright?"
"Houston, Frodo 1. What do you think? We have come to the conclusion that we've been kidnapped. And don't bother denying it."
"Frodo 1, Jason, Cris, you need to hear this. Stand bye, please…"
Silence.
Silence.
"Captain Hotson, Colonel Kelly. This is your Commander-in-Chief, the President of the United States, Lyndon Johnson."
"Sir. What can we do for you? Better yet, what have you done to us…sir?" Jason didn't hold back, even if it was the president.
"Gentlemen, first of all, we are all so devastated about Colonel Dyer. I hear he was a true patriot. With that said, you have been chosen to be the main part of what could be the most important mission in the history of the world."
"Is that why we were shanghaied, sir? Sorry to be so blunt, but I am Navy, sir, and that's what we call it." Jason said cynically.
"You aren't far from wrong, Captain. But let me explain, then see if you still feel that way." Johnson said.
"Go on, please. We're…all…ears. sir." Jason still couldn't quite keep the sarcasm out of his voice, president or no president.
"Gentlemen, we have received a communication from Mars."
"Mars, sir?"
"Yes, Captain. Mars. They have requested that we send a team to Mars. They didn't exactly explain anything, but we have been in communication with them for over two years."
"Two years, sir? And you didn't tell the world?"
"Sorry, Captain, but we couldn't. We couldn't have the Russians or the Chinese get involved in our mission, or who knows what might have happened. The Russians can be rather unpredictable and a bit loose on the trigger, and the Chinese, well, actually we don't know a lot about the Chinese."
"OK. So what is the mission then, sir?"
"Well, before I explain, you should know that you, Captain Hotson, were requested by name to be on the Mars mission."
"What? Me? By whom?" Jason stammered.
“The Martians, Captain,” replied Johnson.
"I will leave the details up to NASA, but in a nutshell, you three, er two, are going to represent the people of Earth to the people of Mars–or whoever it was that called us. At this point we are assuming the people you meet are really from Mars. And another thing, our Intelligence people say they have already visited Earth, son. They have probably been amongst us for centuries, and we didn't even know it!" Johnson sounded a little frustrated.
"Are you saying that flying saucers are real and we didn’t know it? I find that hard to believe!" Jason said.
"From what I know, in all truthfulness, we have never truly tried to confirm any reported sightings. We just assumed those hayseed farmers were drunk, or something, when they claimed to see flying saucers. We didn't take them seriously. Now we know that wasn't the best response."
“What about Area 51, sir? There have been rumored sightings involving Area 51 for decades! Does this mean they are for real?” Hotson asked. He paused a moment, "Is there anything else we should know, sir?"
“Let’s not get off subject, Captain,” Johnson said avoiding the issue. “There is one other interesting thing. Besides asking for you, Captain, they asked for Milky Way candy bars and M&Ms."
"Sorry, sir, did you just say they want us to deliver Milky Way bars and M&Ms? I would have thought they would prefer Skittles." Jason said mockingly.
"Actually I meant to say Skittles, captain. Although there is probably more going on here than we realize, we sent some candy with you just in case in order to play along with them. We think they asked for those things to show us that they have already visited our planet. It certainly got our attention."
"I would say so, sir," Jason grumbled. “Imagine some extraterrestrial wanting Skittles! I prefer M&Ms. Sir.”
"Well, you boys have had a rough time of this. I am so sorry that you had to find out this way. I am sure you three would have been happy to volunteer for this mission on your own. But we could not take that chance. The fewer people that knew the true mission of Apollo 6 the better. Just think of it this way, Captain. We've already announced that Apollo 6 had engine trouble and is off course. In another year Apollo 11 will land on the Moon. You boys will be landing on Mars before that. I'd say that trumps Apollo 11." Johnson said, assertively.
"Yes, sir, it does. And you are right, we would have jumped at the chance to go to Mars. It was just so scary the way it was done. Up until now we assumed we were just going to be sacrificed to the sun god or something. Space is big, Mr. President. We didn't know what was going to happen to us as a result of that engine burn." Jason was beginning to calm down.
"Again, I'm sorry, Captain. You boys didn't deserve to be handled this way, and I assume full responsibility. But you are off to Mars, and there is no turning back or rescue. You are going to Mars whether you like it or not! That is a fact! And I hope you are the Americans I think you are. You were chosen for your bravery and commitment to our country. I know you will be the best representatives of our planet has to offer."
"Thank you, Mr. President. But we have already signed on. You had us at “Mars.” You don’t have to persuade us anymore. Even so, thanks for your kind words. We will do our best. You can count on that, sir."
Jason was sincere.
"Well, men. I'll turn you back over to NASA. They have a few things to talk to you about. Good luck, and God bless you." Johnson hung up the phone.
"Thank you, sir. I think we're done pouting, now, sir. Frodo 1 out." But the president was already gone.
Jason turned to Cris and said, “Have you ever heard such a load of bull?”
Cris rolled his eyes.
Jason continued, “At least we’ll be able to get out of these frigging space suits!”
Back in Washington, President Johnson looked around his office and yelled out, "Will someone please tell me what the blazes a Frodo is?"
–––––––
Back in the White House, President Johnson called his Chief of Staff, Marvin Watson, into his office.
“You haven’t heard from Bob Schules, have you, Marvin?”
“No, sir. I heard what happened when I was in Florida. I am sorry Cheryl wasn’t told about him.”
“Well, I think it’s all smoothed over. But Bob was pretty mad.”
Marvin looked a little concerned. “Mr. President, no one has heard from Cheryl since that day. She didn’t come into work after that.”
“What? Did you check her home?”
“Yes, sir, and the police are looking into it. Her husband and children are worried.”
“Well, keep me informed.”
“Maybe you should let Hoover know. Maybe he can look into it.” Marvin said cautiously.
“No! Marvin, don’t involve Hoover. Just let the police do their work. It’s their jurisdiction.”
“Yes sir, Mr. President.” Marvin closed the door on his way out.
Johnson sat in his chair with his head in his hands for a while. He thought, “Things are getting out of control. I should ask Bob about Cheryl, but I don’t know how he will react. I don’t –”
Just then his intercom signaled. “Mr. President, Bob Schules is on the line.”
He hesitated just a moment and then picked up the phone, “Hello, Bob. What can I do for you?” He tried to sound confident.
“Nothing, Johnson. I heard what you said to the astronauts. That was good. Just keep it up and everything will be OK. But keep me informed of their progress. Have NASA let me know where they are at all times. Tell your boys at NASA to copy me all of their correspondence and communications.”
“Sure Bob. No problem. Anything el-” Schules had hung up the phone already.
“I probably ought to have asked him about Cheryl, but maybe I should just let sleeping dogs lie.”
The President of the United States just went about his normal routine and put the matter out of his mind.
–––––––
Over the next three days NASA personnel briefed Jason and Cris on the intricacies of the mission and equipment. They knew they would be in real-time radio contact for a few days. Then there would be delays, short at first, then the delays would start to drag on and on. A few milliseconds you don't really notice. A few seconds, one to three, and it begins to get a little irritating. Much more than that and it gets REALLY irritating. But just wait until it gets to three minutes or more! For now though, it was OK, so they had time to get as much information across as possible.
The biggest challenges were the most critical–food and water. The Zero-Contained garden needed to be set up. Water had been one the most difficult supplies to get into orbit because of its weight and its tendency to splash around its container making things a bit wobbly during liftoff. But, they sent up as much as they could, safely. It would be the most critical component of the mission, other than oxygen. Much of their food would have to eventually be grown, and that would take time. Time they had. Stores were limited, but the freeze-dried food should last a long time if supplemented. So, there would have to be strict rationing, until they grew their own food. It was, however, going to last even longer than they had planned, since they were one man down. They tried not to think about their good fortune in that respect.
Over the next week the garden was set up, the sanitation system optimized as best they could, but the water recovery unit was still a challenge–however, that part was working for the most part. The primary solar array was installed and connected. All in all, things were going pretty well, considering nothing like this had never been done in space before. The only thing that didn't seem to function as well as expected was the oxygen scrubber. The air was not as fresh as they had hoped for, and that could end up being a significant problem.
Jason got on the radio and said, "Houston. It's getting pretty smelly up here. Do you guys have a fix? The air is starting to stink."
"Frodo 1, Houston. We’ll work on it. Give us some time
. The gang in Environmental Systems is listening, and they think they will have a handle on it soon, if you can give them a little more information."
"Frodo 1 here- Good. I don't know what they feed these Air Force guys, but wow! How can those guys stand it?"
"Frodo 2 here. Let he who is without sin pass the first gas."
Enoch's Challenge Page 10
