Salvador Mercer - Lunar Discovery

“The first rocket is an Energia IV, and our sources tell us the Russians are planning to launch three of them in a row starting today,” Smith said, looking around the table for reactions. He needn’t have searched too hard.

“What do you mean by ‘in a row’?” Lisa asked.

“As in one today and the next two shortly thereafter,” Smith said.

“How shortly?” Jack chimed in.

“We don’t know… yet,” Brown said, advancing to the next slide where an Energia IV was fully fueled and ready for takeoff.

“We should have something soon. Today’s launch is to retrieve our astronauts from the Russian Pride ,” Smith finished.

Rock looked around and saw a bit of surprise on everyone’s face except for Tom, who had a look of I told you so written across it as clear as day. “So that’s why the president has to go public,” Rock said.

“That and what we already discussed,” Smith said. “It was rather abrupt of them, and our people have been incommunicado since Sunday. The Russians are passing messages to them, so that tells us they know. Well, that and their current activity.”

“I told you…” Tom said, grinning as if he had won some sort of contest.

“Do the Russians have that kind of lift capability?” Jeff asked.

“Well, they are currently booked for nearly a dozen launches over the rest of the year,” Marge said. Everyone looked at her in bewilderment. “What? I watch the news, too, you know.”

“That’s not news, Marge,” Jack said. “Not normal news, at any rate.”

“She’s correct,” Smith said. “We’re surprised they were able to swap out the payload in only five days.”

“That’s not too difficult to believe,” Rock said. “They keep a crew module at the ready as part of their emergency procedures. Wouldn’t be too difficult to swap the payload module.”

“I didn’t realize you knew so much about Russian space program procedures,” Brown said, narrowing her eyes.

“Smith, didn’t you share my file with your colleague?” Rock asked, looking at the man.

“Need to know,” Smith said, “and she didn’t need. Brown, Mr. Crandon spent several years as our NASA liaison with ESA and Ruscosmos as part of our joint space exploration venture a few years back.”

Rock felt his boss Lui lean in closely before he spoke. “At least he used mister this time.” Then just as quickly, he leaned back.

“Understood,” Brown stated.

“So what’s the plan?” Rock asked, eager to finish this meeting and get to work.

“You and your team find a way to get to the moon within three months. No limits on your resources.” Smith nodded.

“That’s impossible,” Lui said. “It will take that long just to organize a plan and start allocating human resources, not to mention physical assets. My people will need more time.”

“Sorry to hear you say that, Director Lui,” Smith said uncharacteristically. “You can tell the president yourself in person when she arrives tomorrow evening.”

“Well now, that’s just great,” Tom said. Everyone sighed.

Home

Houston, Texas

In the near future, Day 7

The reentry was successful, and Julie felt relieved there were no complications. Despite the thrill of being an astronaut, she was always a bit anxious when she had to use Russian equipment to reach space and back. The mere act of being an astronaut was far more dangerous than any actuary chart could illustrate.

She was upset that she only had two days to spend with her family. There were no explanations, only orders. Craig and she were to report to NASA headquarters for extended duty on Monday, and that was that. It was so odd.

Maybe not so odd at how quickly they were flown back from Hawaii. They had landed less than a thousand miles west of Honolulu and were picked up by a joint fleet of Russian and American naval ships and then quickly flew to Hawaii by helicopter and then flown directly to Houston and released with the medical exam being performed on the plane.

She was in good shape, no muscle atrophy due to the rigorous exercise program they utilized while in space, but the sensation of being home only twelve hours after leaving the Russian space station remained surreal for her. This was definitely not being done by the book.

She had slept Friday night in her own bed, restless and constantly being reminded that gravity now had a hold on her, and she had woken early, disoriented and a bit frazzled. That soon disappeared when she had the chance to spend the day with her family.

Later that night, dinner was exceptional and not only because she could eat it with her family, but because it was solid and not that liquid goo she had been eating for nearly two months. Sure, they had a few solids like candy, granola bars, and dried fruit and meat, but nothing substantial. Nothing that would fill the belly like it did on earth. That part she did not miss about being in space.

“When do you want to put the kids in bed, hun?” her husband, Ed, asked, picking up a few plates and putting them in the sink.

Julie looked at Thomas and Olivia in the front room watching one of her childhood favorite shows, Tom and Jerry , on Nick at Night when the show was cut short and replaced by an empty podium with what looked to be the presidential seal. “That’s odd,” Julie said.

“What is it?” John asked, looking to the living room as well.

“Seems there is something urgent on the news, but I’ve never known them to cut into a children’s program on cable before,” Julie said, moving around the table and grabbing Olivia and setting her in her lap, hugging her tightly.

“Why do they do that?” Thomas asked, not too happy at the interruption.

“Something important?” Ed joined the family.

“I don’t know,” Julie said. There’s no news announcer and no sound, just the presidential podium at the White House.”

They didn’t have long to wait. President Powers began her address and within ten minutes had explained the events that had occurred on the moon a week ago. She ended by stating that the United States of America, working closely with our British and Japanese allies, would be sending a team of specially selected and skilled astronauts to the moon to investigate. There was no press personnel, and when she finished, the screen paused for a minute before the children’s show resumed as if nothing had happened.

“Daddy, what does that mean?” Olivia asked, wiggling in her mother’s lap.

Ed looked at Julie, eyes wide, mouth moving but nothing coming out for a long moment. Finally he managed a few words. “I think it means Mommy’s going to the moon.”

“Now that’s bitchin!” Thomas said, half jumping, half running around the room. Neither parent seemed to notice.

Rock sat in his recliner in his study, watching his wife’s reaction. Sally had been with him for over three decades and was used to his long and unpredictable hours. All of their children were grown and out of the house.

“So that’s what you’ve been up to?” she asked.

“Yeah, it will get worse before it gets better.”

“So for all week you kept this to yourself?” she asked, a hint of hurt crossing her countenance.

“We’ve been through this a dozen times before, Sal. You know I can’t discuss some matters,” Rock said.

Sally looked at him in amazement. “We’re talking about goddamn aliens here, pardon my blasphemy.” Sally came from the Bible Belt, so she often apologized for her language. Rock was used to it. “Couldn’t you have told me about this, at least?”

Rock sighed. “Probably, but with the DC trip and countless meetings, debriefs, and other crap, I haven’t had the time.”