“—right about now,” Dr. Silver finished smugly. There was a smattering of applause throughout the bay, as the airlock opened and the freighter’s grappling arm re-extended to retrieve the probe.
“Are we sure we’re set with ‘Verdant drive’?” Reya asked. “The way those things disappear and reappear, I think ‘Abra-cadabra drive’ would be more appropriate.” Julian just gave her a wry look. “Okay, what’s next?”
“The crew merely examines the probe’s data, to make sure it went where it was supposed to go. If it confirms, they repeat the process on themselves, with an additional test step thrown in for good measure,” Dr. Silver explained.
“And that is?”
“We’re having them deploy small probes around the freighter. They don’t actually do anything but take up preset positions around the ship, in a spherical pattern. We want to see which ones translate with the freighter, which ones stay behind, and if there are any odd effects at the boundaries.”
“Ah,” Julian said, “to establish the effect’s perimeter.”
“Exactly,” Dr. Silver nodded.
At that moment, the com came alive. “We’ve reviewed the probe’s data, and it reads one hundred percent accurate. The probe executed a perfect translation one million miles perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic, with no risks detected at arrival point. We are now prepared to duplicate the maneuver on the Makalu.”
Julian nodded to Dr. Silver. “Go ahead,” she relayed to them.
“Deploying probes in ten seconds,” the Makalu stated.
As they watched the screens, they saw the same airlock open on the spine of the freighter. At once, a small cloud of devices, essentially just small engines and control systems, flowed out of the airlock and jetted about quickly. In seconds, the space around the freighter was filled with the probes, all stationed equidistant from each other and forming a sphere that radiated out to twice the length of the ship.
“Probes deployed. Executing translation in fifteen seconds from mark… mark.”
Again, everyone waited as the seconds ticked down. As the moment neared, the bay became more and more silent, almost as if the bay machinery itself was intentionally pausing until the moment was over.
And then—just as with the probe—the Makalu, the entire freighter, was gone, with no advance sign that it was about to depart, and no trace afterward that it was ever there. Instead of surprised gasps, the bay erupted in yelps of surprise and amazement. The probes within a specific radius had also disappeared, leaving a hollow region inside the remaining probes. A visual examination of the remaining probes made it obvious that the center of the radius was not the center of the sphere, but rather, it centered on the area of the ship where the quantum system had been installed.
After maintaining their position for a few moments, the remaining probes jetted away and assumed station away from their origin point, and from Verdant.
Dr. Silver immediately turned to Julian. “Now, for the record, don’t expect the crew to be able to check and confirm their location as fast as the probe did. However, if they take a limited stellar reading and accept a rudimentary comparison to the data on the probe, they can execute the return at any moment.” With that, she turned back to the screen to watch, as did everyone else.
This time, as Dr. Silver had expected, it did take longer than the few seconds between the disappearance and reappearance of the probe. It seemed as if no one in the bay was breathing while they waited. And then, with no warning, the Makalu and its probes appeared in the same location as it had been when it disappeared. The bay immediately erupted in cheers and applause, and as Julian noted, even Dr. Silver smiled approvingly at the screen.
“Signal the Makalu, Doctor!” Julian exulted. “Tell them: Welcome home, and please return to the bay immediately!” The roar of the crowd arose again, and Julian found himself standing amidst a sea of back-slapping and hand-shaking. He chanced a glance at Reya, and even she was smiling and shaking her head in disbelief and amazement. “All right,” he said. “If the Makalu’s data checks out, it’s time for the next phase: The return trip to Earth.”
32: Decisions
“You wanted to see me, sir.”
Julian looked up at Kris, and smiled. “Come in.” Once she was inside, closing the door behind her, Julian motioned to a chair opposite his desk. “By the way,” he said, “it’s all right to call me Julian in official circles. You’re on the team, now. What would you prefer we call you around CnC?”
“Kris is fine,” she said, taking the chair. She noted the ease at which Julian seemed to have switched back to a businesslike mode with her, as opposed to the reactions of some men whom she’d bedded in the course of her job. Aaron, for instance, had never been the same since they’d slept together… it was as if she were a completely different person to him now. Most men were like that. Yet Julian’s attitude or disposition towards her hadn’t changed in public at all. She was willing to bet that, as yet, no one else had an inkling that they had spent a night together, not even Reya, who seemed to have that well-honed feminine sense for things like that. It was one more thing to appreciate about him, when added to all the other aspects that had drawn her to him in the first place.
But she hoped it did not reflect a wall having been thrown up between them so soon… possibly from Julian’s role as Ceo reasserting itself, and drawing him back from the promises of intimacy… or from a reconsideration of her role, and doubts as to her intentions. Those kinds of things also happened after an intimate moment such as they had shared, and sometimes, it was all but impossible to tear that wall down after it had been erected. This meeting could be his way of trying to establish boundaries… or to separate them completely, if he felt that need. So she hung on his next words, wondering what was to come.
“Kris,” Julian began, “as you probably are aware, Verdant has never had official ambassadors. As we have always been under direct U.N. jurisdiction, it was never considered a need for satellites to have ambassadors. However, in light of current events, I believe it is going to be in our best interests to establish ambassadors to Earth.” Kris smiled despite herself, and Julian nodded in understanding. “I know how it sounds. Believe me, it sounds as strange to me. Makes it sound like we’re from another galaxy or something. But I think it’s clear that Verdant will have to stand up for itself in the future… we can’t depend on the U.N to protect us. That means we have to make some changes to the way we do things. I suspect that we are going to have to force a separation between us and the U.N., and petition for recognition as a sovereign country… of sorts.”
“It is a unique situation we’re in,” Kris admitted carefully. “Not a traditional country, simply by virtue of not being on the ground. On the other hand, various island nations with far less land than we have, managed to maintain their sovereignty, even after sea level rise wiped a number of them off the face of the Earth.”
“Hmm… that’s interesting,” Julian said. “I hadn’t thought about that… but it might be a useful precedent for us to explore. But back to the matter at hand. Kris, I’d already established you as our liaison to the United States during this crisis. As of now, I want to promote you. I’d like you to be the first of our ambassadors to Earth.”
Kris’ mouth parted in surprise, and she smiled gratefully. “I’m flattered. ‘The first’?”
“Right now,” Julian explained, “I’m thinking we’ll have a few ambassadors that will interact with many countries and corners of the globe… not ‘an ambassador for every port’, as some countries do. You would be the first in a team of such ambassadors. At this point, your primary duty would be to interface with the U.N., and the U.S., to help settle this crisis. After that, we’ll work on building up the rest of the team.”
“I understand,” Kris said. She paused then, causing Julian to react.
“Is there a ‘but’ in there somewhere?”
Kris shook her head slightly. “No… not really.” She paused again, to consider
her next words. “It’s just that… I’d like to make sure that I’m being offered this position based on what I can do for Verdant, and not just because of what we had the other night.”
“Of course,” Julian nodded, and stood up from his chair. “To be honest, I would have been surprised if you hadn’t mentioned it.” He came around the desk and leaned against it, close but not too close to Kris, and eyed the ceiling a moment as he searched for the right words. “Kris, I’ve already seen your dedication to Verdant, and your ability to do the job assigned to you. I firmly believe that you are eminently qualified to take on this assignment for us, based strictly upon your professional aptitude. Anyone who sees your resume, accompanied with your performance in CnC of the last few days, could not argue your worth.”
He then looked down at her. “That said… yes, I recognize the awkwardness of the situation this puts us in, after the other night. I want you to understand that my personal feelings are just that… personal. I don’t let them interfere with the work. And if you feel that the only way in which you can carry out this assignment is to make it clear that we shouldn’t fraternize beyond CnC, I fully understand, and will respect that.”
Kris saw the opening, and without a pause, took the plunge head-first. “I would only say that, if it seemed my proximity to you would affect the performance of either of our duties. Speaking for myself, I can honestly say that I think I can execute the duties of ambassador without the need for reclusing myself from you.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Julian stated, smiling. “Because, on a personal note… whatever you decide to do… I would like very much to have a chance to spend more time with you, too.”
Kris immediately stood up and let Julian gather her into his arms, kissing him deeply and gratefully.
When they separated, Kris admitted, “I was afraid you were reconsidering… us.”
Julian nodded. “I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it. But then I blinked again, and it was gone.” Kris laughed, and he hugged her close. “There are no words to describe how I feel about you, and what you’ve done for me.”
“The feeling’s mutual,” Kris told him honestly. “You needed me as much as I needed you. And to make it official: Yes, I want the job. I want both jobs… to be your ambassador… and to be yours.”
“Then you can start immediately.” And they kissed again, to seal the deal.
~
The knock on the President’s office door was light, but expected. “Yes?” Lambert called out.
The door opened, and an intern poked his head in. “Miss Vaughn is here.”
Lambert nodded, and the intern’s head disappeared. A moment later, Shay Vaughn entered the office. Lambert had looked up to visually confirm that she was walking in, before directing his eyes back down at his workstation. A second later, he did a double-take and looked back up at her. Shay was wearing a tailored outfit that accented her every curve to the utmost, and she glided into the room in such a way as to guarantee attention. Instead of looking pleased to see her on display, however, Lambert looked at her with veiled distaste. “Come to gloat? Giving me a taste of what I’ll be losing?”
Shay arched an eyebrow at him. “That would be cruel of me, wouldn’t it? And I admit I’ve done worse.” She came around the desk, pulled his chair about, and sat determinedly in his lap.
“But in this case, you’re wrong,” Shay told him. “I came here to tell you that, if you have to go back to the U.S., I want to come with you.”
Lambert blinked in surprise, and a healthy dose of doubt, but it was hard to ignore her offer. He eyed her closely before he said, “You said once that you didn’t want to leave Verdant for any—”
He didn’t finish the statement, because Shay bent down, placed her hands to either side of Lambert’s face, and kissed him. It was a kiss intended to promise the kind of paradise that no sane man could resist, with the owner of those lips. And Shay was very good at her job.
When they finally parted, Lambert said, “Do you mean it? You’d come back with me?”
“Yes, I will,” Shay nodded, and managed a smile that suggested she was sincere. “Mind you, I do want something out of the deal.”
“And that is?”
“Everything you have, of course,” she told him honestly. “I want to be with you, Gaston. And I firmly believe that, no matter how badly things might turn out for you politically, you will not only manage to land on your feet, but you’ll land on cashmere and silk. And I want to be right there with you. ‘Til death do us part.”
At last, Lambert smiled and nodded. “Oho… a shotgun wedding, eh? Well, I can think of no one I’d rather be wedded at gunpoint with.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Shay said, and she leaned down and kissed him deeply. When she pulled back, she said, “I assume you received your boarding orders like the rest of the visitors.”
“I’m afraid so,” Lambert replied. “We leave tomorrow. The staff has most of our possessions packed up or locked up, and we’re to report to the freighter bay at noon.”
“Do you think you’ll have trouble finding space for me on board the flight?”
Lambert shrugged. “Oh, I’m sure there will be at least one member of the staff who’ll be willing to stay behind for their President,” he said wryly. “In fact,” he added a bit sourly, “I could probably hold a lottery.”
~
“Dammit, I only just got here!” Walter Gordon paced back and forth in the Verdant offices of RPI, amidst staffers packing boxes and shoving suitcases around. Gordon looked like he was about to haul off and slug the nearest staffer at any moment, which prompted most of them to avoid him as much as possible, and keep their heads down when they could not.
“They can’t make me leave!” Gordon had given up his under-the-breath personal monologues, and was now venting to the entire staff. “I’ve kept this place stocked with supplies for twenty years!” This, to be sure, was an exaggeration, as Gordon had not owned RPI for more than nine years… but as RPI had been part of the supplies contractors for Verdant for almost two decades, Gordon felt justified in making the assertion. “How dare they dictate terms to me! To me!”
A staffer, attempting to put a box down and duck out of the room as soon as possible, stumbled in his haste, and almost dropped the box on Gordon’s foot. “Look out, you clod!” Gordon snapped, and took a swipe at the worker, but the worker avoided the blow and ducked back out of sight.
“Dammit! We should at least be able to bring our property with us, instead of leaving it to be pillaged by the locals!” Not that anyone really expected Verdant’s residents to “pillage” anything, but everyone else seemed to act as if leaving their property behind was tantamount to leaving raw meat behind for a pack of dogs, and Gordon has taken the same attitude.
“And as if we’re going to go anywhere! This is all a bunch of hocus-pocus bullshit!” This, despite the fact that everyone had seen the videos recorded from that morning, plainly showing the disappearance and reappearance of the Makalu, as advertised.
“It’s bullshit!” Gordon repeated with venom. “I’m going to sue the U.N. over this! I’ll bring this entire satellite down!” He kicked a nearby box and sent it skidding across the floor, causing more than one staffer to jump out of the way.
Meanwhile, Gordon fumed. “If I can’t stay here… no one will stay here.”
~
As evening fell over Verdant, Calvin sat in his living room watching news footage of the packing visitors throughout the satellite. Many of them were interviewed by reporters, and they complained bitterly about having to leave so abruptly, having to leave businesses and colleagues behind, having to leave property behind.
Other reporters would then appear, describing the efforts taken by some visitors to hide themselves and avoid being sent home, only to be found by Verdant security and escorted to their place of temporary residence, or some other place where their whereabouts could be determined by noon tomorrow.
And t
hroughout it all, Calvin watched, looking for, but repeatedly telling himself he was not looking for, a sign of his wife lurking about somewhere, waiting for her chance. He had turned down an opportunity to see the Makalu on its test-flight that morning. He’d refused to come into the studio to do additional voice-overs that afternoon. He wanted nothing to do with the flight… because he knew what would happen when it left.
And still, he tried to tell himself it didn’t matter.
“Just get me through tomorrow,” he told himself repeatedly. “Just get me through tomorrow.”
33: Leaving
18Aug2229
Despite a last-minute offer, a promise that early boarders would be given first opportunity to return to Verdant when the crisis was over, very few of those slated to leave on the Makalu had shown up before noon. But veiled suggestions that security would punish stragglers resulted in almost everyone bound for the flight to Earth showing up at the same time, just minutes before noon.
CnC had already radioed Earth to expect them, but had not given a specific time, and this was exactly why. The freighter bay was pandemonium as visitors lined up to be herded onto the freighter. A lot of luggage and packages were also brought, and workers and equipment borrowed from the passenger and delivery bays had to be brought in to catalog everything being loaded. Many people showed up with too much, far exceeding the mandatory cargo limits they had been given, causing more chaos as property had to be taken aside and marked to be returned to storage, and the owners screamed over the inconvenience.
Reya and Aaron had come to the bay in order to provide direct access to command orders, and to make sure no one tried to pull rank on the security staff. But by 12:30, even they were overwhelmed by the chaos. Reya threatened to go hoarse as she shouted commands back and forth through the bay, and Aaron looked ready to bolt in sheer terror at any moment.
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