by T I WADE
Ryan Richmond got loud applause from that briefing that day, nobody applauded louder than Jonesy, much everybody’s else surprise, and his short speech to his crew became Astermine’s destiny for generations of astronauts to come.
Without stating it, Ryan Richmond was back in Astermine’s driving seat.
Chapter 4
Visit to China
It took two months before the astronauts were fit enough to begin the extensive runway jogs again. Even though they had gained 14 years of extra life, the return to an earth fitness was one of the hardest things most of them had ever attempted.
Dr. Nancy stayed on as chief medical officer for the two months and planned out diets, training and even work and sleep patterns, much like she had done in space to get the crew fit again.
Jonesy struggled more than the others with his legs. Dr. Nancy got him on a strict physiotherapy schedule to strengthen his legs while VIN suggested that he go the metal route. He and Suzi never had problems with their metal legs, and passed him easily on every run.
The underground storage was emptied and closed up for future needs. Several dozen of the freezers still worked after decades of use, and what the base didn’t need was handed out to the residents in Tonopah, and as far away as Las Vegas.
Nevada Base was again full of crew, and the daily crowd at the gates dwindled as work was found in other locations.
Television channels grew by one a month, and whenever the Audis and Teslas were taken out for a ride, the crew could see that the roads were getting busier.
Joanne flew into Canada and got Mary Collins to pledge her government to back a loan of liquid hydrogen for the next visit to Mars, 25,000 gallons of the most sort after liquid in the world. Times had changed and oil was becoming a lesser valued liquid, and few countries mined it anymore.
Martin Brusk was invited and flew in to visit his old friend. Now he was an older man than the others, and was shocked how young his friends the “older” astronauts he knew, were, and looked. He was finally told the truth about the asteroid and the Matt base in space with its cryogenic chambers.
Ryan, Jonesy and Maggie were excited to have a flight in Martin’s new hybrid jet, the same one Mars and Saturn had seen on the island. So far Martin had no plans to produce the aircraft until light, mini cold fusion plants were cheaper and readily available.
Australia had already given Astermine much of its country’s liquid hydrogen reserves, but with Gary Darwin and Mark Price heading down under to negotiate with their country of birth, another 15,000 gallons was obtained.
Ryan had his own liquid hydrogen manufacturing plant on the base and even running 24/7 would only produce 25,000 gallons before they left. The mission was still far behind its needs.
It was three months later, and with only 73 days left before the launch of SB IV and SB-V to orbit for the start of their next mission, that the final answer of where there could be possible reserves of liquid hydrogen; China.
Russia, the Russian crew knew, was very limited on liquid hydrogen, the purest quality needed for launch. They had refused any of the cold fusion systems, and if they were producing liquid hydrogen, they would be doing it the slow old-fashioned way. There was no way Russia had any interest in producing hydrogen as a fuel, only gasoline.
“Remember, China was the most modern producer of all electronics in the first one and a half decades of this century,” stated Dr. Smidt at a Design Meeting a few days after the first jog. “I believe that China is the only possibility to find enough fuel for this flight in such a short time.” With Dr. Smidt, Ryan and his crew did some history updating on China.
Within a week, and with help from the other friendly countries, the crew found out that the old ruler of China, the man who had run the country, the leader Ryan and Astermine had repeatedly bombed, had died less than a year earlier. That ruler certainly did not like Ryan, or Astermine and any negotiations would have been fruitless as Lunar could tell them.
The new Premier: Jong Lee Sim was a younger man, only 49, and he had been handed down the country from his father to run. Jong Lee Sim was reputed to be more interested in returning China to its former powerhouse of production than his father. His father had refused to deal with the West, or even Russia for decades, and had led the country down a path of financial ruin.
The crew in Nevada reckoned that Ryan might have a chance to open a door of negotiations with the United States, but the problem was how to get into the country.
Several ideas were discussed by the crew in Nevada, Washington and with the Canadian government in Ottawa and Toronto.
There weren’t any country Ambassadors in Washington. There hadn’t been for 25 years, and China wasn’t just on the other end of the phone. International telephones hadn’t been used for decades either, but were on their way back.
After a few weeks of looking for a way to communicate with Beijing, nobody, including Australia or Israel could offer any ideas.
It was Jonesy, as usual, who had offered the best idea right at the beginning—“just fly into Beijing and land in Tiananmen Square”.
“So, Mr. Jones, you are happy to risk flying into China unannounced?” Ryan asked Jonesy. The conference room was busy with the chief scientists, and several of the astronauts, and on a conference call with The Pentagon, the Defense Ministries in Toronto and Canberra, and with Martin Brusk who was back in Israel.
“I don’t see why it would be such a problem?’ replied Jonesy.
“Well, I believe that Astermine’s destruction of major parts of China since 2017 could be a problem,” replied Ryan. “To date, Astermine has destroyed at least 10,000 Chinese cube satellites, every one they managed to launch. Astermine has laser-blasted their government offices in Beijing, their military launch sites, airfields, aircraft and just about everything else that moved in that country. The U.S., if you remember destroyed everything we didn’t. Mr. Jones I don’t believe they like us Americans very much.”
“Ms. Collins in Toronto did state that the new Premier is interested in returning China to something of its former glory. Commander Richmond, they are certainly not going to achieve that by themselves, and without us,” Jonesy replied.
“I don’t believe that any of the countries on this call can aid, or give you any more information than what we know, and have already passed over to you, Commander Richmond,” stated Mary Collins over the open conference call. “But, I’m going to side with your astronaut. Maybe this is the right time to approach Beijing and offer our assistance. Also, it is the only country left which can give you enough liquid hydrogen for your Mars mission. I believe that Lunar hasn’t told you about her embarrassing visit to Beijing a few years ago, Commander.”
“I was in Beijing seven years ago,” stated Lunar Richmond to her father.
“How come I don’t know about your visit Lunar?” Ryan asked with the entire conference call listening.
“We didn’t know about this visit either,” stated the Australian Defense Minister.
“How did you meet with them?” Ryan asked his daughter quite shocked that she hadn’t told him why she had visited China.
Lunar hadn’t really told anybody about her groveling for Rare Earth metals in China with the old Premier to build America Two. Lunar had been so embarrassed about being mistreated by the Chinese government that she hadn’t even told Saturn or her sister what had actually happened, but had kept it to herself.
“It was certainly a very lousy experience,” she replied slowly. “I was body searched twice, the shuttle I flew in on I sealed down tight and kept the tiny locking mechanism in my mouth the whole time. I had to lay flat on the floor, naked apart from a silk cloth, before the Premier entered and even then I was to lay on the floor while he spoke to me. It took Saturn an hour to fly in so his men could inspect the metal I was paying with for. Saturn re-launched and hovered until the Premier was shown the pictures of the treasure in the cargo hold. It took him another hour to accept the deal. Saturn returned, they unlo
aded, and then I was told later several helicopters flew in with the rare earth metals on pallets. Twice he tried to rescind on the deal and not pay for the treasure. Twice I warned him that he, and the whole of Beijing would be destroyed within minutes of me not taking off as planned. Twice I was gun butted in the head for talking back to him. Finally I persuaded him to just go through with the deal and take it out on my father when they next met. For five hours I lay on that cold marble floor and thought that I was going to die. That is why I didn’t tell you the whole story, Dad.” Nobody said anything and Saturn, who had landed and protected her own and Lunar’s craft while they inspected Saturn’s shuttle’s hold, had something to add.
“They were not very nice. Jenny Burgos and I held a laser pistol in one hand the whole time they inspected our cargo hold and took photographs. They tried to get into the cockpit and I stopped them by firing the laser into the cement by the man’s feet. The melting cement stopped him fast. Lunar’s shuttle was closed up tight, and I had to stop them from trying to enter it as well. They stopped after a few holes were drilled into the cement by their feet. I didn’t know Lunar was going through such anguish. Shelley Saunders flew in, we had the cargo loaded, Lunar reappeared after several hours and we all flew out.”
“So this is what happened to all the valuables we had in storage,” continued Ryan, “and why you wouldn’t tell me?”
“Well, it was embarrassing, and personal, and it seems the guy is now dead. Good riddance and there is a new younger guy in command,” added Lunar. “I think Jonesy is right. We just go in heavily armed and try to be friendly.”
“I would like to go with General Jones,” stated Mary Collins from Toronto.
“You can add me as an interested visitor,” added Martin Brusk from Tel Aviv.
“I would like to send somebody from the Australian Government,” stated the Australian Defense Minister. The new Aussie DM had been introduced to the crew once, back on the island. “Somebody to report back to me, and I would like to emphasize that our visit there be peaceful, and our mission is to also try to mend broken fences between the West and Beijing.”
“That is why I would like to be there Minister,” added Mary Collins.
The conference call came to an end, and Ryan hugged his eldest daughter, feeling bad for what she had gone through.
Lunar returned that this problem in her life had happened years ago, and that she had forgotten the horrible experience when she had seen America Two fully built for the first time, and she was ready to return to Beijing to meet the new Premier, with armed backup this time.
It took a few days for the travelers to meet up in Nevada, from where the journey was to begin. SB-V was launched into orbit, and the Burgos sisters would be ready to blast Beijing to debris if the visitors were treated as badly as Lunar had been.
This time they all had new communication devices made in Israel that were worn over an ear, much like an old Bluetooth phone, and any conversation between the visitors could be heard from the sisters 100 miles above the crew, and with the new satellites through an entire orbit.
A day later SB-IV launched for its two hour flight to Beijing. Aboard was a really excited group of people who hadn’t flown in a spaceship yet. Mary Collins was ecstatic to finally get a ride with Saturn Jones as pilot. The U.S. Vice President, Vice President Penelope Pitt wasn’t aboard although she had arrived to visit her parents, and had brought a top Chinese speaking aide from the Pentagon who was going. As Vice-President, it wasn’t protocol for Penelope to go.
Also aboard was the Australian Exterior Minister, and an aide who was also fluent in Mandarin.
Vice President Penelope Pitt, who had flown in on her government jet the day before, was happy to be back with her family and old friends. Her secret service agents were told to back off as she spent private time with her family. Ryan was used to secret service agents wandering around the base, and they joined Joanne’s two agents.
Jonesy asked to be co-pilot for his daughter, but on the outward flight staying within the atmosphere it was an all-girl flight crew with Maggie in the co-pilot’s seat. Jonesy sat with the VIPs including Martin Brusk, Ryan, Kathy, Lunar, VIN and Mars Noble.
Pluto Katherine had been left as base commander for the five day absence, as the shuttle was heading down to the island for the weekend after the Beijing meeting.
Nobody in the Chinese capital was aware of the arriving shuttle, and as before Saturn brought the craft down into Tiananmen Square to the exact location she had taken off from several years earlier.
People scattered as the large shuttle with its blue shield extended silently lowered itself to the cement of the massive square. Policemen aimed their rifles at the craft, but did not shoot.
Slowly Saturn decreased the shield until it was gone altogether. There were several policemen who were trying to figure out what to do. None fired as the door to the craft opened and the two aides walked out with Lunar and Ryan Richmond towards the closest policeman.
Both Mandarin-speaking aides had been prepped what to say, and within minutes an old jeep drove up and they repeated their messages. The jeep drove off and the group returned to the ship to wait.
Wait they did. It took three hours before a cavalcade of old black sedans and two old battle tanks arrived to take the visitors to wherever they were going to go.
Mary Collins, the Australian Exterior minister, his aide, the U.S. aide, Martin Brusk, Ryan, VIN and Mars Noble, Lunar, and Maggie Jones entered the five cars and they drove off leaving the two old armored tanks with their turrets aimed at the shuttle. It didn’t take long for Saturn and her father to extend the shuttle’s blue shield. Also it would be ten minutes before SB-V would come over the horizon as backup.
The drive took less than 30 seconds before the cars stopped at a large government building on the edge of the Square itself—The Great Hall of The People. Lunar stated to VIN and Mars from her car that this wasn’t the building she had been brought to before. The cavalcade drove to the northern end of the large building, and they arrived as a red carpet was being laid out by workers.
The doors of the cars were not opened and they stayed closed with a soldier outside each door as a group of a few dozen soldiers with musical instruments ran up and quickly gathered to the side of the carpet.
Then the doors were opened by the soldiers in uniform, and the band began playing.
A group of half a dozen Chinese men in suits exited the large doors as the visitors were escorted out of the cars, along the carpet and towards them. They were bowed to by the greeters and were led into the building where there was a table of fresh snacks and drinks.
The food was interesting and different, and still the greeters had not said one word to them, even when the aides had prompted them for conversation.
Then two large doors opened and a single man also dressed in a suit waved them over and into a massive room where a long conference table was waiting. They were waved to sit down. There was one chair for each visitor and an empty chair at the head of the table.
The last chair was filled by a man a few minutes later. He entered the ballroom, headed for the empty chair, bowed deeply to the visitors at the table and sat down. Everybody looked at him as he sat down. On his one side was Mary Collins, on his other Ryan Richmond.
“May I welcome you to a new China, friends,” he stated in perfect English without introducing himself. “I know, or at least have seen photos of some of you, but let me introduce myself, and then I’m very interested to know your names, and titles. My name, In English is Jong Lee Sim. I am the new ruler of China, and have been since my father passed away eleven months ago. The system of ruler ship here in China was changed by my father back to the days of families, and will continue under my rule, and then the rule of my son, who is currently nine years old. My father did not like the West, and his hate for western democracy died with him. He wanted to revert to Dynasty rule and China will reform to this way of governing, except I would like to further our
country’s friendship with the rest of the world. Ms. Collins, your face is very familiar to me, so is yours Mr. Richmond. My father used your face as target practice every time we practiced shooting. Sometimes he used your face Mr. Brusk as well, so you are also familiar to me. Exterior Minister Swanson, our countries have not yet spoken, and I was hoping that your country would one day send an envoy to meet with me. Please understand, I cannot make the first move to begin political communications with the West. Our older military generals would not appreciate my moves. Now that you have sort of invited yourselves to China, I can begin to communicate with you and your countries. I also remember your face Ms. Richmond. I watched as my father humiliated you nearly a decade ago. I did not like his ways, but then he was ruler, not me. The rest of you now have the chance to introduce yourselves to me.”
The members around the table did as they were asked, and then a line of men dressed as waiters arrived with what was to be lunch. It was midday in China after all.
The food was excellent and very few words were said over the meal. Wine was refused by the astronauts, and Ryan, but accepted by the politicians.
Once lunch came to an end, and the plates cleared away, Jong Lee Sim asked what he could do for the visitors. “Mr. Richmond, Ms. Richmond, I assume you and your spaceships are the reason for this visit?”
“Yes, Premier, as my daughter negotiated with your father several years ago, and was humiliated by him, I feel that China owes her an apology, and I believe every visitor around this table is owed one as well. I have no ill feelings for China. Your father had the right of every man to rule the way believes is the correct way, whether others like it or not, but not when it comes down to belittling a visitor like he did. Once China officially apologizes to my daughter, and to the table, only then can we, as you described the “tying of your hands” by the generals, can we have our hands untied.”
“Mr. Richmond, you came all this way, and brought these guests with you, just to get an apology for your daughter?” Jong Lee Sim asked seriously.