Glass Sky

by Niko Perren

  Witty gestured to the fake crowd, and the applause died down. “This is the most important show I’ve ever done,” he announced. “I am about to reveal shocking scandals that go to the highest level of politics. I have been forbidden to speak of these disgraces. The government will try to shut me down. My network may cancel my show. So call your friends. Wake up your children. Nobody should sleep through the LAST WITTY SHOW EVER!”

  The audience numbers, which had started at around 400 million, began climbing rapidly. The commercial light blinked, but Witty ignored it.

  “I’m going to make this fast, before the police knock down my studio doors,” said Witty. “Our political institutions are broken. For sixty years we’ve lurched from crisis to crisis, unable to deal with the reality of climate change. Doctor Tania Black made a plan to restore the earth and create a fair and equitable society. Pax Gaia! But our leaders chose war and conflict instead. Anyone with a Geiger counter can see how badly politics has failed us.”

  “The rejection of Pax Gaia was not an accident.” With a flourish, Witty brought the land deal spreadsheet onto the screen behind him. Witty’s people had forged White House letterhead onto it, and he’d highlighted the prominent names. The document beamed out as an attachment to the broadcast, an omni tap away from anyone who wanted it.

  “This document proves that top government officials, including President Juarez, are actively sabotaging international climate cooperation. They spent hundreds of millions buying cheap desert. Land that will become valuable if they bring rain to it. Land that will be worthless if we save the planet and restore our natural climate. They created Tamed Earth to bring the rain that would enrich them. They created Tamed Earth to earn billions at our expense.”

  The imaginary audience snarled like an angry bear.

  “As a proud American, I am outraged by what my President has done. My government, betraying the future of our planet. The planet our children will inherit. My President, condemning billions to poverty, so that she can add to her vast wealth. This is evil.”

  “Fuck the President,” a computer-generated avatar shouted from the front row. For Tania, sitting in the empty room, the whole experience was beyond surreal. Witty waited for calm.

  “As we have villains, we also have a hero,” Witty continued. “Three days ago, Tian Jie, one of the lunar astronauts, stole the spaceship that was supposed to take him home. At this very moment, he is approaching the shield. He plans to reset the passwords. He’s giving the shield to the Pax Gaia team, so that it can benefit all Earth’s citizens. It’s a suicide mission. He will die up there, a cold, lonely death. And his young son, who is even now being held by the Chinese police, will never see his father again.”

  Behind Witty, pictures of Cheng, laughing and playing in the water, alternated with scenes of Jie dancing in a Nanoglass rainbow. THE LAST WITTY SHOW EVER, flashed in enormous orange letters. He’s overdoing it now. But then, Witty is over the top. The number on the back wall showed over 800 million viewers now. Witty glanced at it, and snuck Tania a quick thumbs up from below his desk. Then he turned to watch the video for a moment. Suddenly he froze, straightening in his chair, tapping at his ear as if he were getting a message from an embedded microphone.

  “I’ve just gotten word that some of our television affiliates are already being shut down by government agents. The Truth in Politics Act has gone too far. If you are working at one of these stations, this is your time to take a stand for press freedom. People deserve to know what is happening tonight.”

  On the monitors, the image wobbled momentarily, as if fighting off some form of electronic attack. Tania shook her head at the audacious lie. Special effects. Nobody’s being shut down. Not yet. But compared with what was to come, it was a mere misdirection. The audience numbers swelled. Witty’s ratings had never been so high.

  “The US and Chinese governments cannot be trusted with the shield. No more than the governments of India and Pakistan, who have ravaged their countries, and poisoned Asia with their radioactive clouds. Or the UN, who squandered the ten-year opportunity given to us by sulfuring. The shield is ours now! I present Doctor Tania Black!”

  Though there were only Jane Penny and the two technicians in the audience, Tania could feel – she checked the monitor – a billion pairs of eyes watching. Her feet skimmed the ground, as if the energy of the moment had lifted her off the floor. We’re doing it! Witty’s eyes danced over the ratings screen, manic with glee. A lifetime in the spotlight, building his career, creating an international media phenomenon. He’s cashing it in for this one moment. Just like I’m cashing in my lifetime of environmental work – for one last bet.

  Tania didn’t bother to sit. “Pax Gaia is about creating a better world,” she said, walking the stage. “Not just for people in poor countries, but also for people in rich ones. Not just for our children, but for us. Not just for humans, but for all the species we share our beautiful planet with. It won’t be easy. It will require putting aside old hatreds. It will require cooperation. It will require courage. But I promise you, the results will be spectacular.”

  “The shield belongs to the earth now. And we cannot afford to let the politicians have it back. Democracies have failed us. Dictatorships have failed us. International organizations have failed us. It’s time to try something new. We’ll pay compensation to American and Chinese taxpayers of course. But from this point forward, an independent council will run the shield: a democratic group of scientists, open to anyone with ten years of experience in human development or climate science, will set our longterm goals.”

  Tania let her audience digest what she’d just said. This is it. Ruth’s gambit. This is where I finish off Juarez.

  She wavered. The silence started to stretch. “Do it,” Witty mouthed.

  Ruth’s words, from long ago. When you stop feeling guilty. That’s when you know you’ve gone too far. They’d tried to find politicians to support Pax Gaia. But they’d failed. And without political support, even today’s great wave would crash against a unified wall of governments, and roll back to where it came from. Tania had to create a crack in that wall. Even if it was an illusion.

  There’s no other way. Tania faced the camera and raised her voice. “Minutes before this show, I was in a call with the Presidents of South Africa, Indonesia, and Brazil.” Lies! “These brave leaders agreed to set an example by holding national referendums on Pax Gaia. And they are calling on other governments to join them.”

  Cheering filled the room.

  A technician scuttled to the desk, and whispered something to Witty.

  “The police have arrived,” Witty interrupted. “If you’re in the LA area, this is your chance to make history. Our address is on your screen. Help us stay on the air. Show the world that President Juarez does not speak for America!”

  The broadcast switched to an outside view. Police vans were roaring in from all sides, sirens flashing. Officers poured out, pulling on riot gear. The first officer climbed the stairs and tried the door. Locked. He kicked it. Hard. And stumbled back hopping on one foot.

  “Common mistake,” laughed Witty. “The doors are steel with a wood veneer. Sometimes my fans get too enthusiastic.”

  The lights dipped, then came on again. “Oh, and we also have our own power supply and satellite links,” said Witty.

  According to the number on the back wall, 1.2 billion people were now in the room with them, hanging on every word. “This is the most important day in history,” yelled Tania. “Today, we prove that we can work together to save our planet. Go to your government centers. Show your leaders that you want to follow the brave example of South Africa, Indonesia, and Brazil. And equally important, if you live in South Africa, Indonesia, or Brazil, show support for your government’s courage.” She imagined Mbani, screaming at the TV as supporters poured out onto the streets of Cape Town to thank him. He won’t call my bluff, though. He’s an opportunist, and I’ve made him a hero. But some day, I’ll owe him a fav
or.

  Words poured out. “Jie’s dying for this.” Tears streamed and Tania didn’t care. “It’s 2050! Why is every city on Earth not surrounded by parks? Why are education and childhood nutrition not basic rights? Are the few dollars we save on food subsidies really worth the potential of an entire human lifetime?”

  “Tania. Tania!” Witty was shaking her arm. “Look.”

  The police had pulled out a laser cutter, but a crowd had gathered to protect the doorway, already outnumbering the officers two to one. Every moment more people poured in. The officers, unsure, fell back into a defensive line.

  “Don’t be spectators!” urged Witty. “This is history! Take to the streets and watch me on your omnis. Make this the greatest public uprising our world has ever seen. You can be part of this moment!”

  “Follow me,” Tania told the technicians. And with one of them recording her through a handheld, she jogged down the hallway, through the lobby full of celebrity photos, and to the front door. Bruno was guarding it, watching the outside video feed. “Are you sure?” he asked. “There are a lot of cops outside.”

  “This revolution belongs to all of us,” said Tania. “Just like the shield does. I need to be out there.”

  Bruno nodded and unlatched the bolts. Tania stepped outside, emerging at the top of the short stairway. Amazing. Even in the minute it had taken to run through the building, the crowd had doubled again. The police had set up a barrier across the street, and they stood together, shields locked, paingivers clenched in their gloved fists, faces anonymous behind the mirrored glass of their visors.

  I’ve seen this before. In New York, when I first met Ruth. Tania recognized the coiled postures. They’re just waiting for an excuse.

  Power sizzled through her, an almost tangible force. A few words and I could fan this situation out of control. Make the police attack unarmed civilians, with the whole world watching.

  Waves of movement rippled through the crowd as people continued to arrive. Men, women, teenagers in absurdly tight jeans, whole families even, the children still groggy from having been dragged out of their beds. A young Asian boy walked past with his father, and for a moment Tania thought it was Jie and Cheng.

  Atrocities. Police brutality. Do it, Tania. Kick the wasp’s nest. It’ll get us even more sympathy. Sometimes it’s worth committing a smaller crime to prevent a bigger one.

  She saw an officer charging up his paingiver. She filled her lungs. And then the anger faded. I’ve pushed this far enough. If we can’t win with what we’ve done already, then we don’t deserve victory.

  “This is a peaceful protest,” she bellowed. “Please don’t provoke the officers. The police are not your enemy. They are here to do a job. Do not threaten them.”

  The crowd turned, and a deafening cheer rose from the street as they recognized her. She raised her hands for quiet, but as she started to speak, an amplified voice from one of the police cars interrupted her.

  “Miss Black, you are under arrest. Help us avoid a confrontation by turning yourself in.”

  “Officers, do you really want to support a President who would sacrifice the planet for her own personal gain?” Tania shouted. “You have families too. Lay down your paingivers and join us.”

  Cheers from the crowd. Mingled shouts of “Join us, Join us, Join us” chaotic at first, then synchronized, a four thousand person heartbeat. Then one of the masked officers threw down her shield and paingiver and stepped into the crowd. For a moment, people edged back, and then the crowd roared with appreciation. Another officer joined. And then another, spreading confusion through the ranks.

  “Today, we are the law!” shouted Tania.

  At those words, the police line collapsed. A few more officers joined the crowd, but the majority retreated into their vans, unsure what to do next. The crowd filled the street, dancing, cheering and celebrating. And every moment more people arrived. The female police officer who had first broken ranks weaved through the clusters of “350” shirts, shaking hands, hugging people. She reached the bottom of the stairs, and stepped up to join Tania.

  A wisp of red hair stuck out from the visor’s edge.

  “Ruth?”

  Tania could hear the laughter in Ruth’s voice. “When have I ever let you down?”

  Chapter 53

  JIE SPUN SLOWLY in the cabin’s center to the sounds of a Beethoven string concerto. He’d been trying to synchronize his revolutions to the spacecraft’s thermal rotation, so that he could watch Earth move from porthole to porthole. But Earth had gotten ahead of him again. He pulled his arms closer to his chest, reducing his moment of inertia to increase his spin rate.

  Three days. And not a word.

  ‹I feel like a roasted chicken,› he said out loud. Talking to himself. Breaking the silence.

  Earth passed by the window.

  There were worse ways to go. Like the cancer that had killed his grandfather, before gene therapies had turned the corner on the disease. I just wish I knew how it would end. Whether I actually made a difference. He had another flash of Cheng, screaming in pain at the hands of some nameless government agent. ‹We don’t want to do this to you, kid. It’s your dad’s fault.› Jie tried to kill the thoughts, but they just retreated to the darker corners of his mind, like wolves shrinking from a fire.

  ‹Hello. Hello. Mellow. Yellow. I’m a happy fellow!›

  The radio stayed silent.

  Jie opened the snack box and dug through protein packs, candy bars and chips. Nothing inspired him. What I’d give for a greenhouse tomato. He closed the lid and returned to his spinning.

  Spin.

  Spin.

  ‹Dad?›

  Voices now. By the time I hit Earth’s atmosphere, I’ll be

  …completely…

  …mad.

  ‹Dad?› The voice was more urgent now.

  ‹Cheng?› Jie flapped like a startled bird, scrambling to reach a wall. He pulled himself around and turned off the music. ‹Cheng? Are you OK? Did they hurt you?›

  Seconds passed as the signal crept through space, light speed reduced to a leisurely stroll.

  Please…

  ‹I’m fine Dad. Some men took me and Mom to a hotel and wouldn’t let us leave. They yelled at Mom a lot. But yesterday they got really nice all of a sudden.›

  This is a hoax. They’re simulating Cheng’s voice. They’ll ask for the shield password soon.

  ‹What did we see on our first day diving?›

  ‹A reef shark,› said Cheng. ‹It scared us out of the water. And we also saw whale sharks later. They were huge! And we saw lots of insects the next day, in the forest. We… we’re going back there, right Dad?›

  ‹Who else is with you, Cheng?›

  Another agonizing delay.

  ‹Mom is with me,› said Cheng. ‹We’re in the control center. And Tania Black is conferenced in.›

  “Afternoon Jie,” said Tania. “You won’t believe what’s happening here. I’m currently on a plane to Washington to testify to an emergency hearing of the House Judiciary Committee. They’re gathering evidence to impeach President Juarez.”

  “So you and Ruth are OK? I was really worried. I didn’t have a chance to warn you, and I put you in so much danger.”

  “It was pretty scary for a while,” said Tania. “But we’re OK.”

  “Yes, everyone’s fine, Jie,” said Zhenzhen.

  He could hear the note of sadness in her voice.

  I’m not fine. Far from it. But he didn’t want to go there. Not yet. “Tell me everything,” said Jie.

  Tania poured out the week’s events. “Pax Gaia is going to be run by qualified scientists, using computer neural nets to allot shield time. The deal is not sealed yet, but 140 countries have either pledged support, or promised referendums. South Africa was first.” Jie thought he heard a smile in her voice. “President Mbani called me thirty minutes after the Witty Show, and offered his full support. He said to thank you.”

  Earth drifted
past the window again. “I wish you could see this,” said Jie. “Earth is so beautiful from here. Moon is on left. The west coast of North America turned into the light an hour ago. The clouds are as bright as fresh snow.” He wiped at his tears with the back of his sleeve before they could float into the cabin. “I am glad we earned other chance to save it. I am so glad.”

  ‹Sorry to interrupt, Jie,› said a new voice. ‹Can you turn off the manual controls and give us access to the ERV? We’d like to assess your situation.›

  Is this a trap after all? His fingers hesitated. But even if it is, what good will it do them to get control of the spacecraft now? I’m doomed. They can’t kill me a second time. He pushed the wire into the receptacle. The video screen awoke.

  Cheng waved at him. ‹Dad. You grew a beard!›

  Chapter 54

  THE HELICOPTER PILOT let go of the controls, allowing the computer to take over the flight. He leaned back to bump fists with Tania. “I’m not supposed to talk to passengers, but if I don’t say something, my kids will never forgive me. Dr. Black. You’re a hero.”

  “I’m having a hard time believing this,” said Tania.

  Washington lay paralyzed below them, traffic lined up like some pregrid rush hour. Protesters had come in from as far away as New York, switching to cars once the hyperloops had filled up, emptying their own cities of transport even as they overwhelmed Washington. The sidewalks swarmed with pedestrians who had abandoned their paralyzed vehicles, all streaming towards the Capitol Building, like pilgrims to Mecca. The Washington mall was solid with bodies.

  The helicopter swooped over the white domes of the Capitol Building and landed on a lawn that was separated from the crowds by a police cordon. An agent searched Tania with a handheld scanner, then hurried her inside and down the polished marble hallway to the hearing chambers. A white-haired woman waited just inside the doors. She smiled, and shook Tania’s hand. “I’m Geraldine. Ruth’s counsel. I’ve kept her out of jail more than once. I’ll try to do the same for you.”