Matt caught up with Peter, Jennifer and his boys just before the refuge. A fist in Silvio’s kidneys dropped the man to his knees, and another blow to a turning Ralph dropped him to the ground. Vincent was pulling out one of the printed pistols when Matt kicked it from his grip. Peter was facing him as Matt picked the weapon up and aimed it at him. “Come here.” He said firmly to her.
Jennifer looked terrified as she looked between Matt and Peter but she didn’t move.
“And what do you intend to do with that?” Peter said seemingly unconcerned.
“What I have to?”
“The commander shots a passenger; I’m sure the company PR people would love to explain that?”
“I’ll be happy to be the accused.”
“You don’t even know if it works?”
“Then I can pull the trigger?” Matt saw Peters eyes look down to the grip as Matt’s finger; watching for the finger to tense over the trigger. “So they do work?”
“At close range.”
“I assume I’m close enough?”
“You intend to kill me for her?”
“It would solve a lot of problems if I did.”
“I wont call your bluff; she’s not worth dying for.” Peter pushed her towards Matt.
Jennifer looked back at him, her fear pinning her between the two men, until Ralph grabbed her leg and pulled it. Jennifer stumbled and Matt reached out to catch her; dropping the weapon. Immediately Ralph was on his feet and coming at Matt, the force of his lunge taking them both off their legs.
Vincent and Silvio were moving to stand close. Vincent chose his time and kicked Matt in the back. He began laughing until he felt the pistol in the side of his head.
“Stop them.” Jennifer screamed out, looking at Peter.
He seemed unwilling.
Suddenly she turned the gun on Peter. “I’ve wanted to kill you for a long time,” she snarled.
Peter looked by her at Vincent and shook his head making Jennifer realize she was too close too him. She stepped away as they all watched the two still punching men.
“Now you I don’t believe are bluffing; the question is can you pull the trigger?”
“We’ll both find out when I do?”
He waited for a moment before he spoke. “Break it up.” The other two reached down to pull Matt and Ralph apart, and suddenly it was over as they both got to their feet.
“Next time will be the last time.” Peter said slowly and threateningly to Mathew. The next time you will not walk away.” He turned to go back to his pod.
“The evacuation?” called out Vincent.
Peter looked at Matt. “There isn’t one.”
Andrew was pacing the control center. “What in heavens name were you thinking of?”
Matt stayed silent; there was no defense he could offer.
Andrew stopped and stared at Mathew. “Evacuation sirens are for evacuations?”
Matt couldn’t remember for how many times Andrew had said the same words during the last few minutes.
“Matt I gave you command because I wasn’t up to it anymore; it wasn’t so you could run Earthrise for your own purposes?”
“He has to be stopped.”
“Where is she now?”
“Hiding?’
“For a couple of days, and what happens then; does she stay hiding here while everybody goes down to the surface.”
“No.”
“Then why did you do it, as soon as she goes down to the planet you can’t protect her anymore?”
“I can take his power away?”
“And how do you propose that?”
“Keep them here.”
“Keep them here; what his boys? … You think they will let you do that?”
“They are crew.”
“So somehow you keep them here; how is that going to work with you; they’ll kill you in your sleep?”
At last Matt reacted, angrily. “Then what can I do?” he snapped.
“Matt it isn’t about her, it’s about us all. You can’t use the evacuation siren… or anything for your own purpose anymore than you can expect anyone to be yours to use and maneuver. She’s trapped; we’re all trapped and like it or not we have to survive with each other for a long time to come. If we have people drawing weapons on each other how can we survive?”
Andrew tried to sound friendlier.
“Matt we can never be free of people like him; or them, but we learn to live in a societies where they exist.”
“I don’t want to live in a society that tolerates people like him.”
“But we always have; nobody wants to think they are the reason why we have criminals but we all are. Peter and his ilk supply us with the things that we legally can’t have; the prostitutes, the gambling; the drugs, the things that fall off the back of trucks. Ordinary people, who abhor criminality, are the ones who want the forbidden things or don’t want to pay the full price. We don’t have a perfect society and if you are going to stop the Peters of this world you would need to put half the population of society behind bars with them?”
Matt nodded and sat down.
“I know… or at least I can guess how you feel about her, but she’s just one person and we all need to survive.”
There was an utter silence in the communal area. This was the moment they had all lived on, the time after months of doubt and danger that they could breath safely again.
“I want you all to know that Andrew and Myself appreciate the help and cooperation we have received in the time since we were flung from Earths Orbit.” Mathew tried to avoid the eyes of those who had been in the riot. “In that time we have had too many times of sorrow and despair. We have endured many problems and yet we have come through to be here today, a day when we can hope for salvation.
What I am about to announce has taken Andrew and I a lot of anguish to decide, for as you know not all of us can go down on the shuttle. Who; I shall now announce?”
As you would expect Alisha will pilot the shuttle. Emma and Bethany will be required for the heath of the survivors, beyond that I am also sending all the other women. I am also sending Andrew as commander.”
Nobody protested but Matt didn’t expect any until he got to those that would stay.
“Those here that are crew members; signed onto Earthrise knowing the dangers: though what has happened was beyond anything that could have been expected, our visitors did not. Space travel in inherently dangerous, but as a guest leaving Earth for Earthrise it was reasonable to expect that you have a preferential treatment; when preferential treatment can be given; so all the guests will be going down.”
Matt sighed; this was the moment.
“For those of you keeping count you will have come to the realization that we already have nineteen on the shuttle. The shuttle can carry a total of twenty including crew so that leave an extra one seat.”
Anxious looks and murmurs of dissent now began to be heard.
“This is a problem not only to those of you who will not go; as well there will be shortage of trained personnel on the surface. Consequently I have chosen who I believe will be most useful during the enforced stay.”
Matt could see several of Peter’s boys talking to him in an agitated way.
“Stewart from catering will be a valuable in ensuring everybody gets fed…”
“What about us?” shouted out Vincent. “We never signed on for being marooned.” The others who had been left out quickly took up his protest and the meeting became mayhem.
“Wait?” Matt tried to speak over the now raucous noise. “Listen to me… listen…” It was no good pandemonium was now breaking out. “The others can get to Earth?” Matt shouted out as loud as he could.
Slowly the noise abated, until Vincent spoke for everybody. “What do you mean Earth?”
Mathew had put the idea out of his mind: he wasn’t sure how it could be done, but now he was forced to make it happen. “The Mars Explorer is still in orbit.” He did
n’t point out that it had been for a number of years. “It could be possible to get it operational and take it back to Earth.”
The racket returned but now it was the guest’s who were most vocal, especially Tony Holbeck. “If there is a chance any of us can get back to Earth; then everybody should be considered, not just the crew?”
Mathew nodded. “I understand that and I know everybody wants to get back to Earth, but flying a spaceship isn’t something that just anybody can do. The return window has already closed, and in the months that it will take things can go wrong that we can’t predict. It needs experienced people?”
Vincent spoke again. “Who will be pilot?”
Mathew looked at the faces. “Me.”
“Of course it will be.” Vincent shrugged. “If you’re going to save anyone’s neck, it’s going to be your own?”
A lot of faces were looking at him now. “I’ll give up that place, if anyone else can fly it.”
“She can.” Vince pointed to Alisha.
Matt countered. “She’s the only one who can get the shuttle down.”
“I can program the auto pilot Matt?”
Matt looked at Alisha. “Will that work?”
“Yes; I can set it to follow the transmissions from Earth?”
“Okay,” Matt said, feeling more relieved than he had expected.”
Alisha spoke again. “But there’s the engine?”
Everyone looked at her. “If I remember correctly it has a thermo-nuclear generator; if it’s been parked there it will have been shut down. I can make sure the ship is programmed to go back, but someone will have to re-start the reactor?”
Now everyone was looking at him.
Last Days - Orbit the Sun – Part 10 Page 3