by Keith Martin
* * *
She had bet all the chips she had on this one hand of cards. She met Joshua at the Med Lab, at the time she was just short of turning sixteen and was helping her parents with the work in the Med Lab. To her he was always the ace pilot Jackal. The file said: Six foot, two inches, one hundred and eighty-five pounds, Blue eyes, Blond hair, Healthy as a horse. She said “WOW.”
She took on flight training to be closer to him. But so far it had all backfired. It had been endless hours of simulator classes and a ton of training. She had no idea how to get close to this man whom was never on base more then a few hours at a time so she fought through and did her best. She was the top student in her flight training class. That’s how she got herself placed on this mission. It was a perk of being the best, so she fought for it with all of her being... and here she was.
Her Earth memories were like a dream she once had. She had come to the Moon two days after her fifteenth birthday with her father and mother who were staffing the base hospital. She had been on the Moon for over four years now. She was a full-grown woman and feeling like it was time to start something new in her own life also.
Dr.’s Ed and Dianne Craft had found each other in college. Ed asked for her hand in front of a hundred guests at a graduation party. Ed, being the hopeless romantic that he is, and the fact that Dianne loved him, sealed their fate.
She said yes to his plea. They married ten days later.
Eleven months later Samantha came into the world.
* * *
Samantha had fallen in love with Joshua when she first laid eyes on him. Still just a child at the time she only told her mother of her love for Joshua.
Her mother agreed that Joshua was a good man and well worth the catching. However, if she wanted Joshua to live, she should wait until she was eighteen. “Or your Dad will kill him.” She advised.
Well, she was no little girl any more. She had come into herself as she passed through the years. She was finished crying herself to sleep thinking she would never get to be with him. She knew it had been stupid of her to fall so hard for him when she was so young. But she was of age now and she planned to catch his eye and was aiming for his heart.
She didn’t want him thinking she was making all the moves. Joshua was rarely ever in the bar. He wasn’t looking for a party girl. That much every woman on the Moon was sure of. The chatter passed around between the female population on the Moon was all about Joshua being the most eligible single man on base and he was moving too fast to catch.
She knew her big break had come when she was told that she had finished first in her class and she was going on a mission to Mars. For two weeks they would be stuck together in the ships cabin. It would give her the time she needed to help him fall in love with her or she would know she was just dreaming and it was time to grow up and find a good man.
With only two Commanders certified to make this flight, Joshua and Pete, the plan hatched the second she was informed that Pete would be Commander for her flight to Mars. She had invested a years training to fly with Joshua, not Pete. She got to work on her plan of attack right away. Pete walked into her lab for his preflight exam. She was taking his blood sample herself. The only way Pete wouldn’t make this crossing was if he fell ill.
“Hi ya Pete.” She greeted him with a bright smile. “What’s new?”
“I get to be alone with you for two weeks, that’s what’s new!” He responded with enthusiasm. He was looking forward to spending time with this beautiful woman. His eyes had not missed the fact that Samantha had natured into a full-grown stunningly beautiful woman that had a figure to die for in the past two years. He had heard of her turning of age at the bar when some miners whom were quite lit batted about Samantha’s name. “Ripe for the market.” He had over-heard them say. He was ready to take a shot at picking her fresh from the vine.
“Why would you be all in flames about that? You know you’re not my type Pete. And I’m definitely not your type.” She flamed his tail feathers to the bone.
“But for a woman like you, a fella could change!” He tried to launch any kind of defense.
This was the only part of her plan she was uneasy with. If she wanted to fly with Joshua she had to make her move now. “Pete, I have a favor to ask… and I’m willing to bargain for it.”
“This sounds fun. What’s up?”
“Do you know Connie, the server in the mess hall?”
“Blond, blues. Wow, that Connie?” Con Man exhaled lustfully like a fool in heat dreaming of thoughts of her.
“Yes that Connie.” Samantha rolled her eyes.
“Everyone knows her. How could a man miss her? But if a man looks too long, she will scratch his eyes out!”
“That’s true…. But I know her well; we even went to school together on Earth. I could put in a good word, for the right guy.”
“So who do I have to kill?” He took the bait.
“Just be sick.”
“Come again?”
“Be sick...too sick to command the mission to Mars.”
“OK, call me thick headed, but you’re going to have to explain this one to me.” He was confused and looked like a deer in the headlights.
“You catch a cold on paper, right now. You get grounded from this flight, Joshua takes the flight with me, and you get a date with Connie and you forget we ever spoke of this.”
“But this is my first Comma…” He started to complain. She cut him off at the knees.
“And you get to be next to Connie, Five-one, One o five pounds dripping wet, D cups, no belly, and that backside.” She chummed the waters.
“Ok…OK…OK. It’s not fair to dangle the bait so hard. I’m hooked. What do I have to do?”
“Act disappointed that you got grounded for this mission around Jackal. Act sick around Jackal. Like a cold is coming on.”
“What about Mission Control? If the Old Man ever gets wind of this we are both dead meat! Don’t get me wrong I’m in with both feet, after all he can’t kick me off the base.” He assured her he was game.
“I think you’re going to fail your blood test Con Man.”
It hit him at once. “I see… have your sights on the top dog do we?” He teased her. He liked the idea of the two as a couple. Joshua needed a good woman and she was one of the best around.
“Agreed?” She wanted his commitment.
“I’m your man.” He swallowed the hook whole.
“Great! I will talk to Connie tonight and set it up for Friday night… and Pete.”
“Yea?”
“Connie is a fantastic girl…don’t screw this up and you could find someone to give you some real attention for once, not just some bimbo.” She was not selling her friend cheap for this favor. “And we are both expert shots at the range!” She warned him.
“I read you loud and clear Blue Angel.” Then he asked with a smile. “What’s wrong with bimbos?”
It was all arranged. A quick check in the right box on a form and Pete was grounded. She was going to Mars with Joshua, just as she had dreamed ever since she had heard of the honor of this flight for graduating top in her class. She would slowly wrap herself into his strong arms or die trying.
How she was going to do this with her limited experience with men, she did not really know at all. But if there was one thing she was clear on because it was a part of her, when she set her sights on something she got what she wanted. ‘Could it really be this easy?’ She asked herself as she put her plan in motion submitting the forged blood test and felt her feet leave the ground.
* * *
Ashley called Karen as soon as she explained to Shianne what their father helped her to see. As the phone rang, she couldn’t help but think that Karen had been right. All she needed was to look at this from a different perspective. With this new view... things looked quite simple. She looked at the clock, realized it was only 8am at the lab. She hung up, and dialed the lab switchboard. She asked that Karen be awakened right away and ordered she
be given breakfast in bed.
She knew when Karen got this news she would be working non-stop until they were sure this was the answer. The operator said she would personally wake Karen and ask her to call right back.
Karen had left instructions to only wake her for Ashley’s call. She too, was trying to get some much-needed rest.
Shianne was freaking out. She was so excited she couldn’t sit. Ashley estimated if this was going to work; it would take just a few days at best to try it out. In just a few days, they would get to be with their father. Of course it was going to work. It was simple and would be easy to do. It was going to work and would again change the world, as they all knew it. It was the first step to saving mankind.
Dad couldn’t come home, so they were going to him. That’s all their minds were thinking of. The big picture lost in the hearts of two women just wanting to feel a fathers love.
After ten minutes, the phone rang. “Good morning Karen.” She picked up the phone and greeted her friend. “Where are you?”
“Sitting in bed with a breakfast tray in my lap. Tell me what’s up or my old heart is going to burst.”
“So what’s for breakfast this morning?” Ashley teased her.
“Young lady, you had better come clean right now?” Karen demanded. She knew Ashley hadn’t called her just to chew the fat at this hour. “Looks like two sunny side up and hash with ham and the coffee smells great. Thanks Ashmo, now spill the beans?”
“Well we need two space suits, one for me, and one for Shianne. Pete is piloting G-2 remotely and is on the way down with a big tank of Moon air as we speak. We purge the suit with Moon air. By the way; Dad is the one who gave me directions in finding this.”
Karen was shocked at how easy this seemed to be. She understood fully just how massive of a step this would be towards saving the human race. But Ashley just stepped out yesterday? “I can see why his kids turned out so smart.”
“When can we get started Karen?”
“It’s up to you Ashley. You tell me what you’re going to need and it will be where you need it. I’m on my way there to help you now. As soon as we get off the line ill have Free warm up a ride for me.”
“Vandenberg it is then, they have an air tight chamber we can use if I remember correctly. The runway is right there, so if everything works out right we can catch a ride to the Moon right away. I will see you at the base this evening; the air will be here in a few hours. I want to have everything ready when G-2 arrives. I’ll call Dad to find out when G-2 lifted off. I’m sure he is lighting a fire under the crews to get this down to us.”
“OK Ashley. Call my cell phone with any new news. I’m on my way now. I’ll have Free assign me a pilot.” Karen was now fully awake and moving. “Ashley how did this happen?”
“I called Dad. I was in tears because I miss him and Joshua so much.” She inhaled deeply clearing her thoughts. “I was beating on myself… for failing.”
“Ashley!” Karen chastised her for such foolishness.
“I know, I know. He asked me to tell him everything we had done so far. I gave him the condensed version of three years worth of research. While complaining how none of it was working for us and he started to laugh at me.”
“No… He didn’t?” Her smile was filling her face just thinking of it.
“He could see we had figured out a lot more than we had seen for ourselves. He told me it was right in front of my eyes, and then led me by the hand until it came to me.”
Karen had to sit back to regroup. It had been right there the whole time. So obvious once you stepped back and looked at everything known about the virus. “The world is deeply indebted to your father for his insight. We can never repay him for this. This could be the first real step in saving us all!”
“Sure we can, the price is one group hug, all four of us together again.” Ashley named the price she knew he would charge for his work.
“Then let’s get this done Ashley. Keep your cell on you so I can reach you as things start coming together.” Karen ordered.
“Sounds great, I’ll be awaiting your call then. Bye now.” She hung up and redialed her father.
Answering the phone he said. “Pete will load the tank in an hour and he’s using the remote control to pilot the ship down to pick you girls up. We’re sending that oversized Liquid Oxygen tank that we emptied when we first got up here. We can pump it to three hundred pounds per square inch; this will give you all the air you need and it is pure Moon air from the greenhouses. Pete will stand by while you set up. If it works like we think, he will transport you both up to the Moon from here.” He was way ahead of her.
“Thanks Dad. I’ll let you go then, keep your fingers crossed for us.”
“No need for that, you’re going to do just fine.” He said his goodbyes and got back to work. He had a base to help run.
Ashley felt dizzy from the emotions rushing through her heart and from the adrenalin pumping into her system. She knew she had to clear her head before she got started. She asked Shianne to walk with her.
On this moonless night it was pitch black outside and stars filled the heavens with billions of points of light. The Milky Way glowed like a frozen band of fog in the night sky. It was quite cool out, the air smelled of livestock and morning dew, both loved this time of the day. Dawn was running to start the day, an hour would have the ranch up and alive for the day.
When growing up, Dad would wake them all to go fish the pond. He’d have the truck loaded with their gear and wood for a fire to keep warm while cooking their breakfast. Everywhere he took them turned into a lesson of some type. He made a great teacher, but he just wanted to be a great dad. After an hour or so the suns light started to creep up on the day. Stars slowly gave up their hold on the night sky and the clear light of a warm day took command for a while.
12 A New Dawn Breaks
The barn owl gave a hoot as it flew to its roost for the day. Finished with hunting rodents off the driveways and open areas around the ranch for the night it was time to settle in for the day. It never went hungry hunting these areas that offered no cover for prey and provided well for its hatchlings on the easy pickings of rodents.
Meadowlarks screeched out their morning song, sounds of the calls echoing off the hills, a lonely yet comforting sound.
The girls didn’t talk as they walked. Their father had taught them to enjoy the sounds of Mother Nature. To learn from the sights, sounds and smells of the world.
Dawn was breaking over the hills when they heard the old bull bellowing greetings to the new day. As far off as it was, the sound filled the air. The massive Brahma’s call woke the horses; they answered with a round of whinnies and snorts.
The rooster strutted from the coop crowing its dominance over the pastures, master of the entire ranch in his own mind. A cat started its day by attacking him from hiding and only his quick reflexes saved him once again. He strutted off and continued to crow in the day keeping his eyes on the cat.
The cat rolling in the warming dust of the corral, indifferent to the bird at all, its morning game of attack the rooster done for the day. It was all a part of the cycle of life on the ranch, the give and take of life unfolding with each passing day. And after all, a cat has to start the day some how.
“You know how to feed them as well as I … get to it. I’ll start a fire for Ma and get breakfast started.” With a quick kiss on Ashley’s cheek, Shianne ran for the house giggling. “Welcome home sis!” She shouted back as she ran.
* * *
Ma was just putting coffee on when Shianne walked in with an armload of wood for the cook stove. Otto had installed the old wood fired stove for times when storms took out the power and holiday baking. Now each morning Shianne stocked the wood locker for Ma and enjoyed woodstove cooking. “How is your sister?” Ma asked as Shianne stacked the wood neatly in the locker. She knew Ashley was going through a lot right now.
“She feels better. The walk did her a world of good! Sunrise was a
mazing.”
“Where is she?” Ma asked, looking out onto the back porch to see if Ashley was bringing in more wood on her sisters heels.
“Feeding the stock.” Shianne said innocently.
Ma looked at her with daggers for eyes. “You’re a hard woman Shianne Chisholm.” And went back to preparing breakfast proud of these women for their strength.
Shianne knew she wasn’t in any real trouble; Ma hadn’t used her middle name.
* * *
Ashley switched on the barn lights; all the stock reacted knowing it was feeding time. The barn became a chorus of bellowing, whinnying, and clucking. She was pleased with how clean everything was, the fresh paint made things bright. Shianne had been very busy around the place. Opening the raised feed locker, a large tabby cat came from beneath the feed locker to greet her. Dad had designed it to help feed the cats if they were away from the ranch. The feed locker had the cat’s house under it. No mice venture too close to this feed source without being picked off.
Dad had shown them how to feed the animals when they were just learning to walk. The chores got rotated often so each would know how to take care of everything. Feeding the livestock was a chore they all loved to do.
First it was time to spoil the horses. She turned them out to pasture while filling their water trough with fresh spring water and then forked some hay into the there stalls. There were four cutting horses in the ranch herd, and this started their day right. She ladled three scoops of oats, a gallon of crack corn, two cups of molasses and mixed it together in the five gallon bucket then she poured it over the hay and stood back to watch as the four returned to get there fill. It had been a long time without the animals to spoil a little; so today she was giving them a real treat. If you tried to feed them in the barn, they would push you around getting at their food. It was their way of demanding room, so the family constructed a long feeding trough just outside the back doors under a good roof. It gave them all the room they needed to eat, with a cool clean drink across from them in a cedar tub.