by Niko Perren
“I appreciate it,” said Tania. “Not that I need counsel. Juarez can’t spin this. No way.”
The Judiciary Committee was already filing in behind the curved judge’s benches. Behind them, paintings of robed men and women peered out from a wood-paneled wall heavy with flags. Tania and Geraldine walked past the rows of observers who packed the spectator seats: congressmen, senators, other faces she half recognized.
“Where are the press?” asked Tania, eyeing the empty back gallery.
“The committee closed the hearing,” said Geraldine. “No press.”
Justice behind closed doors. Tania felt the first stirrings of worry. Powerful Washington insiders watched Tania pass, scowling, eyes narrowed. This is more hostile than I expected. Maybe Ruth was right to insist on Geraldine’s presence.
President Juarez and a team of six legal advisors occupied a wooden table at the front of the room. They’d pulled their chairs into a semi-circle with the President at its focus, huddled in conversation, backs to the audience. A man in a black suit shot Tania and Geraldine a contemptuous glance, as if they had no right to share a room with the President. Paul Smith. The fucker who tortured me. Juarez didn’t even bother looking in Tania’s direction.
Tania and Geraldine hurried to the witness table as the committee took their seats. The room fell silent. Only the black-robed chairman remained standing. “This meeting of the House Committee of the Judiciary will come to order. Due to the extraordinary nature of this weekend’s events, the House Committee on Rules has passed special resolution 77183 authorizing an expedited hearing. We are here to determine if there are grounds to proceed with an investigation of impeachable conduct against President Juarez. This is a noble duty, of the greatest importance to our democracy. As servants of the people…”
Oh. Save me. The chairman droned on for nearly ten minutes about the nobility of public service. Then, one by one, all 35 committee members followed in his footsteps with repetitive, self-serving speeches distancing themselves from the scandal. Hours passed. Tania tried to focus, but could feel herself nodding. She’d slept for 12 hours straight after the stims had run their course, but it wasn’t enough.
Another pill will fix it. She felt a tingle of excitement at the thought, like tiny fingers running through her hair. One more, just to get me through today. Stims aren’t addictive. All the drug companies agree. Tania poured herself a glass of water.
***
Tania felt a kick on her shin and snapped upright. The speeches had ended, and Juarez was standing now. She seemed relaxed, convivial even, as if at a barbecue with friends.
“I thank the committee for allowing me to clear up these allegations,” she said. “We need to get this behind us so we can deal with the opportunities that have opened up in the last few days. I can confirm that Tian Jie has reset the password on the shield control hub. We can easily regain access, of course, but it will require an expensive launch. In order to protect taxpayer dollars, we tried to keep the matter quiet so that we could resolve Mr. Tian’s grievances. But now that Tania Black chose to make her inflammatory claims on the Witty Show, that is no longer possible.”
The chairman banged his gavel. Tania recognized his face. A bushy-eyebrowed creature from a family that had been producing governors and the occasional president for longer than anyone could remember. Should he be running this? I thought he was friends with the President.
“Thank you for clarifying that, Madam President” said the chairman. “But this committee is investigating the allegations that you purchased under-performing real estate, and then sabotaged climate agreements so that you could use Tamed Earth to increase its value.”
Juarez drew herself to full height, facing the chairman squarely. “Ridiculous. This summer, I helped craft a plan whereby we’d accept shield guidance and environmental targets from UNBio. Doctor Black herself signed off on this. That plan fell apart because the international community didn’t meet CO2 commitments. And because UNBio, under Doctor Black’s guidance, made unscientific decisions about sulfuring. Her decisions led to Hurricane Martha.” The audience grumbled angrily. Juarez shook her head. “I had to act.”
“So you deny the land purchases?” asked the Chairman.
“No.”
The audience murmured excitedly. Tania sat forward.
“No?” asked the chairman.
“Of course my first reaction was to dismiss these claims as another part of Tania Black’s personal vendetta against me.” Juarez looked down, her mouth taking on the apologetic frown perfected by generations of philandering family values conservatives. “Sorry, this is difficult for me…”
Tania clenched her glass of ice water, drawing calm from its coolness.
“Yesterday morning my lifelong friend, Vice President Jack Stiller, came to my office. He admitted to the land purchases. He wanted an extra layer of food security for the United States. In case the international cooperation that I was fighting for failed to materialize. And since I was so preoccupied with protecting the planet, he didn’t want to burden me with his concerns. He raised money himself, using his political connections to secure investors.”
Juarez paused, as if collecting herself. “My administration believes in small government. The Vice President felt that in this situation private initiative would work best. A lapse in judgment. By a patriot.”
“Surely he stood to profit enormously from an environmental collapse,” said the chairman.
“Since I wasn’t involved, I don’t know the details,” said Juarez. “But the Vice President is an astute business man. He doesn’t take needless risks. He told me that had the July accord been successful, he would have turned the land into ecological reserves to earn environmental credits. It would have been profitable either way.”
“So you deny personal involvement?” asked the chairman. “Your name appears on the documents.”
“I was not personally involved. The Vice President and I have overlapping business interests from our time in the defense industry. My name often appears in his dealings.”
“And the other names?”
“More cross-holdings, I expect. The Vice President and I both agree that he showed terrible judgment. But he worked alone. There is no conspiracy. His action has been twisted into something sinister by opportunistic political foes.” Juarez shook her head. “I’ve accepted Vice President Stiller’s resignation. He’ll cooperate with the investigation by providing financial records.” Juarez raised her hand, holding up her omni. “With your permission, I’ll send you the data now.”
Excited conversation filled the room. Tania had to let go of her glass so that it wouldn’t break in her clenched fingers. This can’t be happening. Is Juarez really claiming that she knew nothing about this? That the whole web of corruption was the work of one noble man who got overzealous in his love of America?
The President looked at Tania for the first time, brimming with serene confidence. “Mr. Witty and Doctor Black should have verified their claims before making them public. Now, the Vice President’s poor judgment has become an international embarrassment. This is why we have the Truth in Politics Act: to protect politicians from such libel.”
It was all Tania could do not to hurl her glass at the President. The chairman glowered. “Doctor Black? Why didn’t you check your information?”
Geraldine squeezed Tania’s arm. “Plead the Fifth,” she whispered.
“It’ll sound like I’m the guilty one,” said Tania indignantly.
“Just do it!”
“If I may,” said the President. “Doctor Black’s actions were illegal, and unethical. And her false allegations certainly violated the Truth in Politics Act. But she has somehow enabled the international cooperation that I myself have tried so hard to achieve. I hope you are lenient with her. And I can assure you, that I plan to seize the opportunity that Doctor Black has provided us. Once we regain control of the shield we’ll throw the full resources of the US and Chinese governments b
ehind Pax Gaia. It’ll still be our shield of course, but we’ll do what the world wishes.”
“Doctor Black?” asked the chairman.
“Counsel advises me to plead the Fifth.”
***
The committee filed out of the room, leaving Tania and Geraldine huddled at the table, struggling to hear each other over the noise.
“I don’t get it,” said Tania. “How did Juarez cover her tracks this quickly?”
“How?” Geraldine scowled. “She’s the President. And half her cabinet is involved in this. As well as some of her better-connected opponents.”
“So the VP takes the fall, and she pardons him at the end of her term,” said Tania. “But surely if the committee investigates, they’re going to uncover the truth. Juarez’s documents won’t hold up. Will they?”
“You don’t think the President can fake a paper trail?” asked Geraldine. “Besides, the guilty have confessed. Why investigate, when the truth could be so much messier? When the truth could find you looking in the mirror?”
The recess dragged on. Ten minutes. Then twenty. After an hour the committee filed back in.
The chairman scowled. “We’ve examined the records,” he said, shaking his head in disapproval. “Due to the confidential nature of the financial information, we’re classifying the documents for 150 years. But they support the President’s testimony. Doctor Black, you’ve made harmful allegations, with no evidence. Do you have anything to say in your defense?”
“Plead the Fifth again,” said Geraldine.
Juarez smirked from across the table. Paul Smith pointed his finger at Tania and cocked his thumb.
Fuck this. Tania rose to her feet.
“The Fifth,” Geraldine hissed. “Tania!”
“With all due respect sir, the President is lying. There must be thirty people in this room who can confirm everything I’ve said. But they don’t dare, because she’s shown how ruthless she can be.”
The room growled like an angry beast. “Order. Order!” yelled the chairman.
“Are you insane?” Geraldine, hauled at Tania’s arm. “My client pleads the Fifth!”
Tania twisted loose. Geraldine put her hands to her face in despair.
“Where is your courage?” Tania shouted. “Do you really think anything has changed? Juarez is trying to destroy your planet for her own enrichment. Your fucking planet. Your home. And you want to let her off? You want to give her back the shield, so that she can finish the job! Look outside. Look at what’s happening on the streets. We have an opportunity to change things!”
“Arrest her,” yelled the chairman. Security guards sprinted from the back of the room and seized Tania by her arms. She struggled to free herself, but they twisted her off her feet and dragged her towards the door.
“Wait!” boomed a stentorian voice. The room fell into shocked silence. A man in his midforties, with jetblack hair and goatee, stood up four rows behind where Tania had been sitting. “I can confirm all the allegations.”
Juarez’s smile turned plastic. One of her lawyers jumped to his feet. “I object! This isn’t some kangaroo court where everyone with a grudge can take turns slandering the President.”
“New evidence should be submitted to the committee through proper channels,” agreed the chairman. “I promise you, we’ll look at it.”
“You promise, do you Jackson?” The man chuckled. “Would it make your job easier if I went for a solo walk by the river tonight? I saw what you did to that poor woman in New York.”
The chairman’s face flushed with anger, but his earlier confidence had faded. “Security!” he yelled. “Arrest him.”
The two guards holding Tania looked at each other in confusion, not sure who they should haul out first.
The goateed man held up his omni. “I’m the President of Terillium Holdings, and I’m broadcasting my confession live to eNews. President Juarez hired me to broker the land purchases. I have records, including taped conversations up to last night.” He looked at the chairman. “Do you remember, Jackson? You and the President discussed arranging a helicopter crash for Doctor Black.” He made a show of pushing a button on the screen. “There. I’ve just sent all the documents to eNews, in case you need a transcript to remind…”
Pandemonium. A dozen people leapt to their feet, their panicked cries drowning out the remaining words. “I’m Senator Friezen. I want immunity in exchange for my testimony.”
“Me too! I also have evidence. I’ll testify for immunity.”
Juarez looked at the Terillium President, her face twisted with betrayal. “Why?” she asked. “Why are you doing this Eduardo? We would have made you rich.”
“I signed up to profit from a catastrophe I felt was inevitable, Isabel,” he said. “I didn’t sign up to create that catastrophe. When I saw what people are willing to sacrifice – people like Tian Jie and Tania Black – I couldn’t look my children in the eyes anymore.”
Chapter 55
‹JIE, WE’LL BE HONEST. Your situation is not good. You don’t have enough fuel to get into an orbital trajectory. And we don’t have a vehicle that can intercept you in time. You’re moving too fast. But we do have one possible solution.›
Hope? Jie tried not to let it shine too brightly. Of course they have something. They always have something. Like the doctors dealing with his grandfather. Always presenting one more option, so that everyone could cling to the shared illusion that there was still a reason to fight.
‹What’s your plan for cheating physics?› asked Jie.
‹The main engine is mounted on a metal plate outside of the heat shield,› said the controller. ‹Instead of detaching the engine mount and going straight to reentry, we’re going to do an aggressive aerobraking pass through the upper atmosphere with it still attached. With luck, it’ll act as a second, temporary heat shield, absorbing 25% of your velocity as it melts away. When you exit the atmosphere at the end of the aerobraking, we’ll detach what’s left of it. And then, when Earth’s gravity pulls you back in, the real heat shield should be able to slow the rest of your descent.›
Jie peered out the window at the welded metal platform. That’s my heat shield? ‹There’s no better plan?›
‹There’s not even a worse plan,› said the controller.
‹Let’s do it then,› said Jie.
The freefall descent continued. Every few hours a warning sounded, followed by a few seconds of thrust as the controllers tried to milk every newton of braking force out of the Earth-moon system’s gravity fields. But overall, Jie’s trajectory continued unchanged, an accelerating plunge. He passed the hours talking: to Cheng and Zhenzhen. To Sally.
He streaked through the moon’s orbit, but the cratered ball was on the other side of Earth, a tiny white marble in the distance. It would have been nice to use the moon’s gravity for braking. It would have been nice to see it up close one last time. But it was not to be.
And as fast as his descent now was, it seemed that on Earth events were developing with ever more rapidity. The Chinese government, realizing that President Juarez was a toxin they could ill afford to be associated with in the next election, announced that they were putting their support behind Pax Gaia. They even offered to provide technical expertise to Tania’s team to help them operate the shield initially. In Delhi, a million marched, wearing masks against the radioactive dust. In London, banner-wielding 350-protesters shut down the city for two days. In the United States, tanks roamed the streets of Washington as the last of the Juarez loyalists were arrested in what had nearly become a civil war.
Tania called him two hours before reentry.
“Our final obstacles just fell,” she said. “The US Congress has agreed to a Pax Gaia referen-dum, Jie! Chinese style. Everyone can vote, but people who pass issue awareness tests get an extra ballot.” Her voice bubbled with enthusiasm. “Even the skeptics now say that Pax Gaia is what they wanted all along. We did it! You did it.”
Earth filled the window now,
a multi-colored patchwork of extraordinary depth and texture. The whole planet seemed alive, from the drifting clouds to the hundred shades of green vegetation. “What will happen tomorrow?” Jie asked. “When excitement wears off, and people realize we have to do hard work?”
“It’s going to be painful,” said Tania. “Sulfuring was our last good path to stability, and we were too short-sighted to take advantage of it. And there’s a lot of ugly politics behind our victory. I did things I’m not proud of. The system does that. Sucks you in.” She smiled. “But I think we have a chance. If we keep Pax Gaia pure. Keep money away from the decision making.”
“I hope you’re right,” said Jie. “But I may not be around to see it. Will you keep in touch with Cheng? If I do not come home?”
Tania’s smile became forced. “What are you talking about? You’ll be celebrating with us in a few hours.”
“Rajit explained the odds to me,” said Jie. “Please. Just promise. Zhenzhen is amazing, but she’ll be raising him alone.”
Tania nodded. “I’ll help him any way I can,” she said solemnly. “Even if he gives up on insects.”
***
‹Jie, you are twenty minutes from first contact with the atmosphere. Check for loose equipment and strap yourself in. This will get rough.›
Jie cinched the food boxes to the floor, then lay back on his couch and tightened the harnesses. Helmet on. Gloves. His heart pounded the minutes away.
‹We’re starting your final deceleration burn in five, four, three, two, one.›
Gravity returned, a steady 1.3 Gs for several minutes as the spacecraft burned its remaining fuel to stay on the razor line between destruction and freedom. With a sputter, the engines died and weightlessness returned.