by T I WADE
“So you don’t think they are taking you over?” asked VIN.
“They will certainly arrive at the airfield one day and declare it government property. They already tried it once, and since our story went global, they had to back off for the time being. It cost me a billion just to get five minutes of news footage and peace for the next month. A billion dollar gift for the government is pocket change. They will have forgotten about the value of the gift within an hour of receiving it. Once the Senate passes this import bill, we won’t have much time after that. They will want to close us down to make sure we don’t bring down the precious metals’ values of their own mining expeditions.”
“How can they just take you over? What right do they have? Have you actually broken any laws?” VIN asked.
“I have studied all the laws related to what we are doing. No I haven’t broken one important law yet. Strangely enough there are very few laws pertaining to private companies flying into space, exporting precious metals overseas, or even transferring plutonium out the country. They certainly didn’t mind me sending the crap they gave me out into space. Up to the last president, the government was actually fully behind private space advancement. Unfortunately, our new leader needs to decrease the national debt, and taking over successful private companies is the only way he believes he can achieve that before his reelection bid in three years. All this turmoil is because the president, during his election speeches, promised to end all spending to get the country in a better position during his first four-year term. During the election he said anything the people wanted to hear to win their votes.”
“What about ending the tax cuts?” VIN asked.
“He has ended all the tax cuts he can. There is now a 50 percent deduction on home mortgage interest, not 100 percent, which is the hardest new law he has implemented so far for the middle class. All of his cuts will hurt those earning under $250,000 a year. Yes, he increased investment tax from 14 percent to 18 percent, but a poor family paying off a mortgage will be hurt far more than a 4 percent tax increase on the investments of the wealthiest. Unbeknown to the U.S. population, he has called in government loans on several companies, and has taken over those businesses and thrown out the owners. Now he wants NASA to go out and mine what we have, unlimited supplies of precious metals and jewels and has given Hal McNeely, the new Administrator of NASA, twelve months to do it.”
“You have their best scientists?” VIN asked, as a large piece of strawberry cheesecake was put in front of him. He had lost ten pounds over the last couple of weeks and was hungry to eat all the favorites he had dreamed about in space.
“Only for another month or so. We are already winding down several parts of our operation. A couple of the NASA scientists worked in the computer labs, and on the shuttle and spacecraft production projects. Once Sierra Bravo III is airborne these two departments are complete. I will allow those men to return to NASA, with a small gift to keep their mouths shut to give us time to transfer our product into space.”
“We are going to increase our flights though, aren’t we?” asked VIN.
“Yes, as of next week I need another sixty-nine launches into space. As the hangars become redundant, those departments will be broken up; the machinery trucked away out of the airfield, and sold and delivered to other companies around the country. Once we get to a flight every three days, our fastest turnaround window, we could be up in space by early next year.”
“Asterspace Three can’t work that fast, can it?” asked VIN.
“No, but two or three spacecraft working with the three shuttles can. Your mining missions are on hold for now. There is no reason to gather more treasure if the government is going to take all the profits in taxes. As usual they are making sure that the metal prices are not reduced by our mining successes before they get in the act. If we get all our current cargo back to earth before this new importation tax is imposed, they can’t backdate it. All they can do is send the Bill to the president for his signature. Then our mining days are over.”
Luckily, nobody in the restaurant recognized Ryan having lunch. A predator drone in the sky, controlled from Creech, had noticed the two Audis leave the airfield, and somebody at the CIA monitored and recorded the journey.
Three hours later they returned to the first gate of the airfield. Both cars had to wait for a large enclosed tractor-trailer to be allowed into the gate in front of them, and then the silver cars headed to their respective parking bays. The meal had been superb and VIN was happy that there were no more visits to DX2014, or its remains for the near future.
VIN noticed that the tractor trailer was going into empty Hangar Seven, where the three spacecraft had been built. The door closed behind the truck.
The next day, the second shuttle came in as usual from the west. Several seconds later the white Gulfstream arrived from Amsterdam, flown in by Jamie Watkins and Bob Mathews. The jet had turned onto finals a second after the much faster shuttle with its Cloaking Device still on, screamed by two miles out from the runway. An hour later, Ryan’s phone rang.
“Mr. Richmond, Hal McNealy here, new Administrator of NASA. We saw some sort of shadow arrival at your airfield just now. Can you tell me what it was?”
“Not really Mr. McNealy. I don’t see what aircraft landing at my field have anything to do with you, or NASA, and I would appreciate it if you stayed away from looking at my field. You are infringing on my privacy and beginning to get on my nerves.”
“I suggest you be very careful of what you say, Mr. Richmond. As Administrator of NASA, I can cause you much unpleasantness.”
“Mr. McNealy, even the president doesn’t have the right to interfere with my business. I don’t see how the Administrator of NASA has anything to do with civilian jets flying into my airfield. If you wish, I will get Bill Withers, your ex-boss on the phone to tell you what you can and can’t do. You seem to be thinking above your station. And, for your information, it was a Gulfstream jet which came in, the one returning from Amsterdam. You should try to keep up with daily news.”
This time Ryan broke off the connection and phoned the president himself. As usual he was politely asked not to call, the president was a busy man, there was a war in the Middle East, and he would not entertain complaints against his personnel.
Ryan then called his senator friend. He was told that the Senate would be voting on the new bill by the end of the week, and there was no way he could delay it. The senator did have a couple of friends who could take a day off, maybe on Friday when the vote was to take place, and that could delay it until Monday. Ryan asked his senator friend to take his friends fishing or something. He desperately needed the extra seventy-two hours.
Chapter 9
The Last of the Treasure.
Six hours later the next flight briefing was scheduled. Ryan’s ground control had already sent a message to Ivan to get all remaining treasure into Asterspace Three and ready it to meet Sierra Bravo I, scheduled to go into orbit in eighteen hours. It was Wednesday evening, and he had less than five days to land the rest of the cargo from DX2014 on terra firma, without having the possible import taxes come into force the next Tuesday, the earliest the president could sign the Bill into law. Ryan still needed U.S. dollars for gas money, but doubted that he would see another penny from the U.S. government.
Within hours of the shuttle landing, he had long tables set up with all available scientists going over the newly arrived cargo.
Jonesy and Maggie, now rested, together with VIN as passenger, went to Hangar One. The ground turnaround time was now two days shorter than the old five-day schedule and Ryan hoped that the number crunchers weren’t checking his timetable of launches. Also, Hangar Six was again full of shuttles with all three hogging the interior space.
To most people around the world the last launches by Astermine hadn’t even been worth mentioning as news; they were only interested in reports of returning treasure.
Walking across to Hanger One for the flight briefing
, VIN noticed truck upon truck of solid rocket fuel heading through the second gate and towards the covered depot where Ryan stored the pallets of black fuel. The trucks were entering the large underground bunker between the apron and the runway. Nobody had missed the cement trucks heading into the new bunker a couple of months ago during the morning runs. It was right behind Hangar Six where the shuttles were refueled. An underground hoist system moved the solid fuel from storage to the shuttles, which allowed the short refueling window.
Five of the seven shuttle pilots were there. Jonesy and Maggie were the last to walk in with VIN. Ryan, Kathy, Jamie, and Allen Saunders were waiting for the meeting to start. Ryan had forgotten that Jamie was one of Maggie’s best friends, and still thought her dead.
Jamie had screamed when Jonesy walked in holding Maggie’s hand. She put her hand to her mouth and ran up to hug her friend, Jonesy quickly getting out of the mad girl’s way. Both new pilots were extremely happy to see Maggie alive. Allen had been told about the ploy by Kathy on their last flight, but Jamie was not so informed, and had just returned from Europe.
Both Kathy and Allen raved about their flight and how the shuttles flew so well up and down. Allen stated that the reentry was a blast, and he could do one every day for the rest of his life.
“I have leased the Gulfstream and a long-range Boeing 737-400 for the next week from a company in California. Allen, the cargo you brought back yesterday is to be flown by you, and Bob Mathews as co-pilot, in the Gulfstream into Amsterdam and Tel Aviv, via Bermuda on Sunday morning after our maiden flight. Kathy, you and Jamie will fly the 737 to Bermuda, Amsterdam and then Istanbul. Bermuda and then Amsterdam are our refueling points for all flights in and out of Europe.
Since Astermine is still free to do what we want with the metals and diamonds, I’ve set up European and Russian contacts to sell our treasure to them for a faster payment than I will get from our government. Our U.S. government still owes me 170 million dollars, and they are hedging about transferring the funds. Some holdup from Capitol Hill I’m continuously told, and they are expecting me to happily call them to let them know that our most recent flight has four more tons of goodies for them to come and collect. I am not breaking any U.S. or international laws by exporting U.S. product out of the United States, so we are flying one more cargo of stones into Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Tel Aviv, moving the diamonds from your flight as well as the next incoming shuttle load. The precious metals are going to Turkey for other European customers.
Both aircraft will only need one flight. I’m anticipating that the air force will be directed to turn back our outbound flights from then on. The 737 can take the metals, over eight tons, to Turkey. Mr. Jones, Ms. Sinclair, Mr. Noble, you are going back to space to get the last full load. Astermine One is already returning from Ivan to low orbit with a cargo of the last two diamond nets and twenty-seven mixed canisters, a four-ton load. I believe we still have four canisters of platinum remaining at the cube for the following reentry. That amount I’m willing to entrust to our friendly government.
Mr. Jones, you will meet up with Asterspace Three and Astermine One. One will be flown by Mr. Pitt and the other by Ms. Sullivan. Mr. Noble you will find that the extending cargo-lift arm you trained on in the shuttle simulator last year has finally been attached to the shuttle. With the arm, you will lift out the eight panels in one secure load and place them into Asterspace Three’s cargo hold flown by Ms. Sullivan and Suzi. Once that is done, Michael Pitt will bring Astermine One inverted over the top of the shuttle, and you will load the cargo for its reentry. This whole operation can only take three hours, one spacewalk schedule. Once the cargo is aboard, Mr. Jones and Ms. Sinclair, you return to earth.
Mr. Noble, you will go with Mr. Pitt and Mr. Warner to help them get the panels ready for welding for the start of the third cube. We also go into our five-day shuttle rotation beginning with the next flight. Mr. Jones, I would like Mr. Mathews to fly you and Ms. Sinclair in an empty Sierra Bravo I in the C-5 to 50,000 feet on Saturday in the late afternoon, the day after you return. I will tell the media that it is our maiden flight of Sierra Bravo III. Once we have told the world we have two shuttles operating, Sierra Bravo II will head off into space three days after that. Mr. Jones, Ms. Sinclair, you have a busy week ahead of you so stay fit and healthy. You know what I mean,” Ryan stated winking at Jonesy.
The week went according to plan. The only interesting phone call Ryan received was from his friend from Hubble. There were slight changes in direction of the new asteroid, and a report was being sent through NASA to Washington next week. The rock that the diamonds had come from seemed to have a slight curve in its forward trajectory, so small that it was hardly noticeable. Ryan was told that the meteor could now pass even closer to earth than previously thought, 500 miles closer. What was really interesting was that the speed was increasing more than estimated. There was a strong possibility that the moon could now be in the direct path of the rock, which could protect earth from most chances on a direct hit. Or it could glance off the edge of the moon and head directly for earth.
Ryan thanked his contact at Hubble for the information, telling his friend that the next week was going to be a very busy week. He was not wrong.
On Friday, voting on several issues in the Senate was halted for the day due to several Senators not being in attendance. There was some bug going around Washington.
Meanwhile, in space, the loading and unloading of three craft flying in formation in a low earth orbit, and as far away from the International Space Station as possible was underway. Two were cloaked and one was visible making its usual three orbits of earth.
At exactly the same time that the C-5 took off with the shuttle for launch, in Russia a rocket lifted off with an Earth-Exit payload for the ISS. Since much of the United States was asleep, and many in the space community had their eyes on the Russian liftoff, very few, if any were interested in another boring test flight by Astermine.
Reentry was mid-afternoon on Friday, with Jonesy bringing in the shuttle with the last full load of cargo. Once the parachute deployed, he just had time to see two civilian aircraft sitting on the apron as they sped past.
Since this flight was not an extended flight, and the usual three orbits were completed, no phone calls were received by Ryan that day. The news was focused on the new war in the Middle East, and the payload docking at the ISS. Astermine was old news, even when he sent out a press release to the media in Las Vegas telling them about the new shuttle’s maiden flight up to 50,000 feet the next day. There was absolutely no response, and that made him happy.
For thirty hours, the treasure team of over 100 personnel photographed, weighed and measured thousands of diamonds, small rocks of rhodium, and larger rocks of the platinum metals. Each canister was full of hundreds of rocks. Jonesy had come in faster than usual and he found out that the entire load, including canisters, weighed 4.45 tons, nearly half a ton more than any load before.
Three hundred small wooden crates, each two feet cubed, were slowly filled as each piece of treasure went through ten long tables of a dozen scientists, one person studying each diamond before passing it onto the next down the length of the dozen tables.
Books on diamond colors were also studied for clarity.
The larger diamonds, bigger than the one sent over to Amsterdam for Washington, were kept to one side. The largest diamond, one that VIN had rolled to get back to the spacecraft, finally showed up in the cargo hold, in one of the last canisters, and was kept away from any viewing eyes.
Three of the most recent canisters had produced fifteen larger than tennis ball-size diamonds, all the same color, white, and the books showed them all to be a D-color. The clarity of each diamond seemed to be flawless. The much larger ones did have flaws, but the smaller diamonds up to this tennis ball size all looked totally clear.
The first aircraft, with Jamie flying, had returned from Amsterdam on its first flight with dozens of diamond instruments on loan to measu
re, size and grade the diamonds.
Each diamond was recorded and added to a computer Excel program sent from Amsterdam.
On four of the tables the other precious metals went through the same procedures. Here the scientists wore protective gloves and each rock headed through the MMA.
Four tons of small rocks were certainly a lot of cargo to minutely detail, and two shifts were started as the first team began to tire.
Saturday went off without a hitch. The shuttle was taken up empty and released by Bob Mathews, with Jonesy returning it to the ground as co-pilot. He wanted to see how well Allen Saunders could fly. He was very impressed.
By 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning, the last crates were full. There had been a lot of diamonds, far more than the first reentry load.
Ryan had already heard from Amsterdam and Antwerp in Belgium, from a second company that had valued the first load; they had received 291 pounds of diamonds, all within the D to G range of color with several of the bigger ones needing to be cut due to flaws. At 5 carats per gram, or 2,268 carats per one pound weight of diamonds, the first shipment was just a little over 657,700 carats.
This second load was counted out at 378 pounds of diamonds, 857,304 carats, and Ryan still had at least 100,000 carats of the biggest, clearest and best diamonds in reserve.
Amsterdam also explained to Ryan that the first load of diamonds hitting the market at one time could reduce the world’s diamond values by up to 20 percent. Ryan estimated that his entire load could devalue diamond prices by as much as 50 percent.
The first company in Amsterdam offered him a lump sum of $15 billion for their first load, ten percent up front and the rest over 5 years. He had naturally agreed as this was for half of the diamonds he had already delivered to Europe. Compared to diamond estimates, the company was only offering 10 percent of what the finished diamonds could be worth on the open market before the possible decreases in future valuation.