Salvador Mercer - Lunar Discovery

“You should have found time for this,” she said, turning back to the television and changing the channel to one of the major stations that were now discussing the president’s address to the nation.

So much for operational security now , Rock thought, and the president is going to owe me big time for this one. Rock wasn’t sure how long Sally would hold this grudge. Better to get back to work and let her cool down. The news was too surreal, and despite knowing about it all week, he was sure many of his fellow Americans would be digesting this for a long time to come.

People’s Republic Space Command

Outside of Beijing, China

In the near future, Day 9

Hun Lee didn’t see this one coming. It was Monday evening, and earlier that weekend, the president of the United States just dropped a bombshell on the entire world. The reaction in his department today had been swift and brutal. Director Chui was taken from the Beijing offices under armed escort, and any pretenses of being discreet, or even secretive, were non-existent.

Several cabinet politburo members were dismissed from their positions, including the Minister of the Air and Space Bureau and the Minister of Scientific Affairs. The entire country was talking about the incident, despite the strong censorship of the internet and an ironclad grip over every media outlet. Most news, indeed facts, could be quashed by the state-controlled media, but this bombshell had a life of its own. It managed to worm its way into every part of Chinese culture and society.

Hun never bothered to leave his office, waiting for security to arrive and escort him to who knows where. He had telephoned his wife and told her he loved her. She returned the sentiment and then cried. That told Hun all he needed to know. He turned the volume up on his small flat-screen television mounted to the wall.

The entire State Council had met and issued a statement. It appeared after trying all day to suppress the information, they must have decided to roll with it instead. Better to control than conceal was an old Chinese expression, and the Communist party followed it well. The Chinese Lunar Mission Explorer was simply maintaining radio silence while it investigated the phenomena, and much attention was paid to the fact that the Chinese were the ones to have made the historical discovery. The Americans’ statement had even said as much. Lies were most effective when mixed with truths.

Hun found this line interesting as he half expected his government to resist for several days till something could be concocted. Saving face was something the West did not understand about his culture. Unusual that the Americans went public with something so groundbreaking, and Hun was ruminating what the motive could be.

Then he heard the commotion as well as the rhythmic, pulsating steps of high boots that could only signify the arrival of the state’s security forces. His time had arrived.

“Commander Lee,” a man in military uniform stated as he entered his office with two armed guards followed by another older man, also in uniform. Hun could see several more military staff through his window outside in the hallway, several of them bringing in electronic equipment.

“Yes, I’m Hun Lee,” he said, standing and coming around to face the men in front of his desk. They could take a lot away from him, but he would go with his dignity in front of his staff, if nothing else. He looked through the doorway and could see the faces of several of his team members who had not left the office despite the work day having completed over an hour ago.

“This is General Wang,” the younger officer said, pointing to the older man as he stepped forward and looked at Hun from head to toe.

“Sir,” Hun said.

“I’ll be taking over as director of the People’s Republic Space Command. You and your team will take orders directly from me and my staff. Are we clear, Commander Hun?” The general was no nonsense, straight to the point, not surprising in a military professional.

“So I’ll be staying?” Hun said, his facial expression giving away more than he knew.

“Of course. You’ve only recently been appointed to mission lead, and as its commander, you’re in the best position to execute the next phase of our space operations.”

Hun didn’t like the way the man used the word execute , but his surprise at not being sacked overwhelmed his good sense, and in a sloppy gesture better he had left undone, Hun Lee saluted the general. “Yes, sir, General Wang. Your first orders, sir.”

Hun realized how he must look, but he didn’t care anymore. He was sure the general wouldn’t understand his confusion, and it didn’t matter as the man’s serious countenance started to display the faint outline of a smile. “Get us back to the moon. Colonel Wu will prepare a lunar rocket for our first mission, and then you and your team will take over once we have reached lunar orbit,” Wang said, nodding to a man in uniform just behind him. The general then turned, exiting the office and asking one of his aides where the director’s office was located.

When the room cleared, Hun walked back to his desk and sat down, placing his head in his hands and not caring what his staff thought of him for a moment. He breathed easier and then realized he had no idea how to accomplish what the general just demanded. Hun started to feel dizzy again.

Vostochny Cosmodrome

Siberia, Russia

In the near future, Day 9

Vlad set his phone down and sighed. The heavy launch would continue in a few hours despite the change in plans. Those damn Americans had no idea how to keep a secret. No wonder they had to be a republic. No sane government would have done what they did, the way they did it. What did they think they were going to accomplish? If it was worldwide chaos and pandemonium, then they pretty well were succeeding from what the news reports were indicating.

“Something bothering you, boss?” Aleksey said, entering Vlad’s office without knocking.

“Have a seat, Alex. I take it we’re prepared, then?”

“Of course. We’ll have the heavy ready for launch this evening. We just missed the morning window, so we’ll have to wait for twelve hours,” Alex said while sitting and wiping his hands on his jumpsuit. “Small problem to take care of.”

Vlad understood that a lunar launch had only two optimal windows within to launch efficiently. One consisted of a direct launch, slinging around the curvature of the earth and straight toward the moon. The other one did the same thing, but only after circling the earth first, using the increased speed of any launch vehicle at its perigee for a boost assist. It took more time, but the escape velocity was higher and actually resulted in a quicker trip. They had missed that window and now faced the direct launch, which burned more fuel but was manageable by the Energia X rocket.

“Yes, I received the report and passed it on to Moscow this morning before the American announcement,” Vlad said, looking across at his chief engineer and setting down his pen he had just picked up.

Alex chuckled. “That was a stunner. Didn’t see that one coming. I take it the Gordust reached its new orbit?”

“Yes. Didn’t Yosef tell you?” Vlad asked.

“No. Yosef was working on securing the orbiter, and they were having problems with the exploding bolts. He feared they weren’t going to fire reliably based on the way the orbiter was wired so we didn’t get a chance to talk yet, but they finished not long ago.”

Vlad smiled. Yosef would work all day and all night if he had to. He felt confident the orbiter would be ready to go in time as the report indicated. “Good, so he finished early. Still, that’s cutting it close, only a few hours before launch. We’ll have to fuel it soon, and I wouldn’t have cleared that if you hadn’t finished the preparations on the orbiter.”