The Waterhole

by Warren Chazan

  Matt Brown was a chunky, solid man. He looked more like a NFL player than a nerdy astrophysicist, and he was certainly no one to pick a fight with. Many had tried in the past and had come off second best. He and Kate had been posted to this observatory to search for a viable location, both geologically and astronomically whereby the 2053 lunar base planned by NASA would be located. It was no easy task, and although he would much rather be going to the moon himself, his ailing, untreatable eye condition made that impossible. That had made him somewhat bitter and angry, but at least this way he would be involved with the project in some shape or form.

  “Ready with the new measurements for Clavius?” asked Kate.

  Clavius was known to be one of the largest impact crater formations on the moon, and the third largest crater on the visible near side. Located in the rugged southern highlands, it was just south of the prominent ray crater, Tycho. It had been used in the 1968 Stanley Kubrick classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey, as a Moon base, when ironically, in reality it seemed to be the most suitable location for the real thing.

  “Yep, just give me a minute to get back to where we were last week.”

  Matt made some minor adjustments to his screen, and then gave voice commands to the software, which was now connected wirelessly with the 300-inch Hale Telescope. The old 160-inch Schmidt Cassegrain was still in use, but the new Hale was in a league of its own. It was immensely powerful and fantastic at multiplexing visible light with radio and microwave signals, which gave superb accuracy to its measurements. At lunar distance, it was never more than 0.9 inches out.

  Kate waddled over to the massive telescope and seemed to be fumbling with one of the instruments attached to the tube of the scope.

  “Kate, what on earth are you doing over there?” asked Matt.

  She smiled. “I know that no one ever does this anymore, but I sometimes like to think I’m back in Galileo’s days, and imagining what it must’ve been like for him when he first looked through that eyepiece. There’s just something awesome seeing those craters right up in front of your eyes, especially when we’re doing daytime lunar work.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean,” he replied. “Just don’t get too carried away. We’ve got a shitload of work to get through today.”

  Matt spoke to the voice interface of the computer. He had given it the name Kepler, after the seventeenth-century astronomer who first devised the laws of planetary motion.

  “Kepler, align with Clavius.”

  The telescope awoke, and began slewing its giant optical tube toward the moon. After a few seconds it stopped and went quiet, just a background hum now audible. “Good job done by those technicians yesterday. Lucky they had time to reverse the polarity on the motor,” said Matt.

  “Yeah, I worried they wouldn’t have the time or ability to fix it so quickly. I was happy to have a fiddle, but Hayden went berserk when I suggested it.”

  “Okay, I’ll just get some basic readings to start with,” said Matt.

  “Kepler, measure Clavius’s western to eastern edge.”

  The machine spat a number out on the console. It read 47.693 miles.

  “Damn this new software!” he said. “It’s way out, it should be about 46.385. This damn software is up to shit.”

  “Hey, mister. Calm down. Maybe it just needs calibration. The orbital distance might’ve changed since this was last calibrated.”

  “The software in here should’ve automatically corrected for that,” said Matt.

  “Maybe not. Check it anyhow,” she said.

  “Okay, I’ll check what lunar distance we have in here.”

  “Kepler, lunar distance please for today.”

  It responded in its very serene masculine voice, “238,860 miles.”

  “Sounds about right,” said Kate.

  “Okay, I’ll cross-check that to make absolutely certain this is the expected distance for today.” Matt entered details into the computer before continuing. “That’s odd, so the value set in the program is correct, but that’s impossible for the reading on Clavius then to be correct. If that were so, then it means … the moon just got …”

  Matt stalled in mid-sentence, quickly carrying out some calculations on the computer.

  “The moon just got 12,454.49 miles closer to Earth. That’s simply absurd.”

  “Calm down, Matt baby. Just do a quick direct laser measurement with the scope.”

  “Okay. Kepler, direct laser measurement, Earth to Moon,” he commanded.

  “Where on the moon, Matt?” asked Kepler.

  “Average please,” responded Matt.

  “Average is 224,944.04 miles.”

  “What the hell? This is bullshit!”

  Kate removed her thick-rimmed glasses and lowered her left eye to the eyepiece of the scope, like she had done thousands of times before.

  “Oh my god!”

  “What? What is it, Kate? You’re scaring me.”

  “Come take a look. You’re not going to believe this.”

  Matt leaped out of his chair and rushed over to the telescope. His eyesight wasn’t great anymore, but he didn’t need good eyesight to recognize what Kate was going on about.

  He peered through the eyepiece. “Well I’ll be damned!” He had expected to see the whole Clavius crater in the eyepiece, but what he saw was just a few rocks and boulders. They were so big, and so clear, they looked like they were just a few feet away from him out in his backyard. In his mind’s eye, he could almost reach over and touch them.

  “You didn’t fiddle with the magnification of the scope, did you?” asked Matt.

  Kate glared at him. “You should know me better than that. Anyhow, we both know that there isn’t a goddamn telescope on the planet that could magnify to this extent. Don’t you think I’d be working there if there was?”

  “That only leaves us with the conclusion we already just made,” said Matt.

  “I just can’t believe it.” Kate shook her head.

  “Oh I can,” said Matt. “Those EMB guys have some serious fucking questions to answer. You know what this means, don’t you?”

  Kate sighed. “Yes. There’s only one possible physical explanation for the moon getting twelve thousand miles closer to us.”

  “Better get NASA on the phone now. They need to shut down EMB, like fucking right now!”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

  After making herself a good strong cup of coffee, Janine Fuller sat herself down in Jack’s living room and wirelessly connected her new phone to Jack’s ninety-inch holographic TV.

  It was early morning and bright rays of filtered sunlight flickered through the trees outside, gently warming the suede couch she was sitting on. It had been a long night, and she’d struggled to fall asleep. Even though Jack had kept true to his word and been the perfect gentleman, they had still ended up chatting for hours over a bottle of wine, mostly about their careers. Jack had then enticed Janine into his bed, but on the pretext that the guest bed was extremely uncomfortable. He’d promised not to pressure her into doing anything she didn’t want to do. She had been reticent at first, but he had insisted, so eventually she’d relented. It had been surprisingly comforting lying next to him, and she had lain awake for hours watching him slumber, clad only in a white T-shirt and boxer shorts. In the morning, he’d rolled over and given her a great bear hug from behind, and her heart had melted a little. It scared her, not because she was afraid of him, but because she was afraid of herself, and she cursed him for it.

  She switched on the screen, and the press room came into view. As expected it was empty, so she rewound back twenty-four hours. She was about to switch over to the view of the main auditorium where she had previously gathered most of her precious gems of information, when Jack walked into the room, rubbing his eyes and yawning. He was still dressed in just his blue boxer shorts and white T-shirt, and a light stubble of growth was evident on his face. She admired his body; it was firm and inviting. He gave a good stretch, which accentuated his
sinewy, muscular frame. “And what are you doing up so early?” he said, walking over to her and placing his spade-like hands on her shoulders. He began to massage them.

  “Ah that feels so good,” she said, her eyes closed and her head dropping forward. “I was just about to take a look into the on-goings at NASA HQ.”

  “What’s that you have on the screen at the moment? I don’t recognize it.”

  “You wouldn’t. It’s the press room and you aren’t press,” she answered bluntly, trying to regain some control. She pulled away from him and once again hated that she had caved in so easily.

  “Well then, what’s he doing in there?” Jack pointed to the TV.

  She had been so focused on Jack that she had taken her eyes off the screen. She spun around and saw what appeared to be a military officer sitting at the desk. His face was at a slight angle, so he wasn’t easily recognizable.

  “What the hell!” she said, her heart catching in her throat. “The military doesn’t have access to that room. It’s strictly press only.”

  “Well, sweetheart, if you managed to get into the building in lockdown, I guess someone else could get into your precious press room.”

  “Let’s see if we can see who it is. I’m glad I activated the spy camera there. I didn’t think it would be necessary at the time, but damn I’m glad I did.”

  She zoomed in on the face as much as she could. It took a few moments to refocus.

  “I don’t believe it … it’s the general, and he’s on the phone to someone. I’d love to know what the hell he’s doing in there.” She felt the excitement building, as if she were about to receive an award on stage. It was the rush that she lived for.

  “Whatever it is, it must be important. There’s only one reason someone goes into a room where no one’s allowed, and that’s for privacy,” said Jack.

  She flashed him a wicked grin. “We’d better find out what he’s saying, then.”

  “How sensitive is the bug?” he asked.

  “State of the art. Only the best for madam,” she answered proudly. She felt Jack’s hand reach for hers, and her heart skipped a beat.

  “It must be a Panasonic SYU987i device,” he said. “We used them in Madrid in forty-three and you should be able to hear every word of that conversation, including the voice of the collaborator.”

  Janine felt like a little girl about to open a large Christmas gift. She could only guess what was inside, but whatever it was, she knew she wouldn’t be disappointed.

  * * * *

  “Guys. You’re not going to believe this, but NASA HQ has just relayed us some new information. It seems that we now have an even bigger problem,” said Sheri, who was sitting with Steve, Drew and the professor in the Stromlo control room.

  “At this point I’m ready to believe anything,” said Steve. “What is it now?”

  “Apparently, a very irate astronomer from Kansas just contacted NASA demanding an explanation as to why the moon just suddenly managed to move twelve thousand miles closer to the Earth.”

  They all looked at each other, and then responded together, “Gravity!”

  “The problem’s accelerating,” she said and then sighed deeply. Her mind was racing with the implications.

  Drew’s phone rang. “Yes, mate.” There was a pause as his usual rosy cheeks paled and his jaw dropped. “Fair dinkum?” he asked the voice on the other end.

  He quickly ended the conversation and sprinted over to the large TV.

  “You’d better see this, guys. It’s getting worse by the minute.”

  It was Vice President Dempsey. He appeared to be aboard a plane. “Good day, planet Earth. It is with a heavy heart that I bring you this devastating news. A warning first: what you are about to witness is truly apocalyptic in nature.” His face was flushed, his silver hair unkempt, and there were heavy dark bags under his eyes. “As of one hour ago, the entire western hemisphere’s eastern seaboard from northern Canada to Argentina was hit by a 32-foot-high tsunami. It was unforeseen and hugely destructive, resulting in possibly millions of deaths across ten countries …”

  “Oh my god,” said Sheri, tears filling her eyes. “What have we done?” she said, cupping her hands over her face. She felt like she’d just been hit by a firetruck. She looked at the others, and hardly recognized their pale, expressionless faces.

  “There were three consecutive waves and the water managed to make its way at least six to nine miles inland before it began retreating, leaving catastrophic devastation in its path. At this early stage, information is still sketchy as to the cause of this disaster. Seismologists reported only small tremors prior to the waves, which could not have been responsible for the calamity. NASA has confirmed there were no asteroids or comets being tracked at the time, and that although a large asteroid has not been completely ruled out, there were no witnesses to this account, and so this remains a highly improbable cause. To compound matters further, there is no improvement in the President’s condition and he still lies in a coma at George Washington University Hospital, the cause of his mystery illness as yet unknown. I’m currently en route to Washington and will address you all more formally once I arrive in DC. In the interim, I will now switch over to General Denny Smith, who has taken control of the situation until my arrival in Washington. He will explain things further. General, over to you.”

  The general appeared in full military operational fatigues, as if dressed for battle.

  “Thank you, Mr Vice President. Fellow citizens of planet Earth, it is with a heavy heart that I speak to you after this great country of ours has been afflicted with such an apocalyptic calamity. We have lost hundreds of thousands of our friends, family and fellow Americans. Such utter devastation on our planet has probably not been witnessed by any creature on Earth since possibly the dinosaurs.

  “The military is in full emergency mode and actively involved in search-and-rescue operations from Maine to Florida, while all hospitals and emergency staff have been mobilized across the nation. Also, let me reassure you that our scientists are doing absolutely everything possible to uncover the cause of these disastrous events on our planet. They’re working around the clock on this and hopefully we will have answers very soon.”

  Sheri noticed that the general’s face seemed to color just a fraction.

  “And yes, we are exploring the possibility that the EMB project may have something to do with the problem and we are currently assessing the feasibility of shutting the project down. Remember, though, that EMB has already given us some wondrous information on intelligent life on another world and will most probably continue to do so, and this has to be balanced with the risk of continuing on with the project.

  “I am also placing the nation under martial law, effective immediately. Any looting, demonstrations or civil unrest will not, and I repeat, will not be tolerated. I have just received word from the Speaker of the House that until the Vice President arrives in Washington DC and consults with his advisors, the country is effectively under military rule, with myself in command. We are at war, my fellow Americans, perhaps not with another nation, but with nature itself, and we cannot have vigilantes and loose cannons running around making a bad situation worse. As of 11:00 hours Eastern Standard Time, I have taken control of the entire US military, including branches of the air force, navy, marine corps and coast guard. I have briefed their heads that under this state of emergency which exists, these forces have the right to shoot and kill—yes, kill on sight if the soldier deems this to be necessary, for the sake of keeping the peace. Extreme times require extreme measures. I will update you as soon as further information comes to light. Until then, however, stay safe, and if possible stay at home until the situation improves or until further notice. Regular updates from myself shall be broadcast on CNNA every twelve hours.”

  CNNA anchor, Susan Moore returned to the screen. A professional to the last, she looked composed but her wild eyes gave her away. Like everyone else on the planet, she was terrified. />
  “Thank you, General, we are truly living in unprecedented times. In further news today, strange reports regarding unusual animal behavior are becoming more and more commonplace. Many large species of birds appear, unbelievably, to have lost their ability to fly. Birds of prey including eagles, vultures as well as large geese, albatrosses and pelicans are no longer taking to the skies. They seem frustrated, and scientists say it’s affecting their ability to feed and care for their young. Many thousands of other species are feared to become extinct as they struggle to find their way south to warmer areas.

  “In other news, unconfirmed reports are coming in from many pilots that they are requiring more engine power to provide lift for their aircraft. Scientists are baffled as to why this is, and fear that it might be related to the electromagnetic issues we’ve been experiencing, despite these planes having considerable maintenance done to correct for that.

  “In more local news …”

  Drew clicked off the TV. The group looked each other over. They were all visibly shaken.

  “I don’t know about you, guys,” said Sheri, “but it’s pretty obvious to me what’s going on with those birds and the planes.”

  Drew spoke softly yet clearly, as if he were giving physics students a lecture. “Gravity has changed in magnitude, everything gets heavier, birds can no longer maintain lift, aircraft need to use more engine power to keep them airborne.”

  “Exactly,” said Steve. “But what worries me more is not the planes and birds, it’s the effects the moon is clearly having on the tides. That massive tsunami wasn’t just a tsunami caused by an earthquake or a meteor impact, but rather one enormous high tide!”

  Drew gawked at him, deep furrows growing on his protuberant forehead. “You mean with the Earth that much more under the moon’s influence, we can expect these tidal waves, for a lack of better words to describe them, to continue indefinitely?”