Paul Gillebaard: Moon Hoax

Once the hatch was completely open he found maneuvering around it difficult. With the hatch in his way he couldn’t move to locate the camera so he blindly reached behind him, feeling for it. He shuddered when he accidentally bumped into Viktor’s floating arm, which was completely limp. Peter felt a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach as he gently pushed the arm down and continued feeling around for the camera, finally locating the long lens already connected to the camera. He grabbed it and pulled it behind him as he maneuvered to the entrance. He awkwardly tried to pry himself out of the small hatch, feeling like a cork coming out of a bottle. Once he had the backpack portion of his suit outside the opening, he was free to push off with his hands.

As he drifted out he got a clear view of the magnificent moon below him, but he couldn’t enjoy the sight as his thoughts were with Viktor. Once he was completely out he pulled on his tether line, swinging his body around so he was aimed back toward the entrance. He tugged on the line and floated back to obtain the camera floating inside the Soyuz by the entrance. As he popped his head back in, he saw his partner’s lifeless body strapped in his seat, both arms floating out in front of him. It was a sad and eerie sight.

Viktor’s sun visor was still open, allowing Peter to clearly see his now bloated face. Viktor’s features were slightly distorted due to the swelling caused by the vacuum of space. It was heartbreaking seeing his friend’s joyful character washed from his face. Peter squeezed his body partly back in so he could reach Viktor’s visor. Closing it, he put his head down and said a quick prayer. He looked back at his partner’s reflective visor. “Viktor, I’m sure you’re in a better place.”

He worked his way back out of the cabin and grabbed the camera. It was time to get down to business and make sure his friend’s death wasn’t a waste.

STEVE RUSSELL STRODE TO THE U.S. designated seating area in the UN General Assembly hall with his assistant, carrying a mound of paperwork. He was chosen as the main speaker by President Edwards for this session requested by the United States. Plopping the paperwork down on the desk next to the U.S. delegate, Steve started to pull out a chair when Jose Fernandez, the Uruguay delegate at the adjoining desk, leaned over.

“Looks like you start some fireworks today, yes?”

Steve, preoccupied, briefly turned to Jose, extending his hand. “You don’t want to miss this one.” After shaking Jose’s hand, Steve shook Andy Lansford’s hand before taking his seat.

Without saying a word, he looked back at China’s seating area to see if they were present. He was disappointed to see no one there. Hoping maybe they were blocked from his view he moved his head slightly, but unfortunately his adjustment didn’t help. Their absence pissed him off.

As he looked around the hall, he was surprised how packed it already was. Steve was sure the Chinese would make an appearance, even if they knew the session was to address their lies. The Assembly would take their absence as an admission of guilt and China definitely didn’t want to give any impression they did an injustice to America. He was sure they would show up.

As Steve swiveled back around, Andy asked him, “So are you ready?”

Starting to shuffle through his papers, Steve answered, “I better be. My team and I were up all night trying to put this thing together. Fortunately we got in some good early pictures of some landing sites, which should shock the Chinese. I just hope they show up. I want to embarrass the crap out of them like they did us.”

PETER FLOATED NEXT TO MARIA 1 on the back side of the moon as he began to pass into the sunlight, too busy to notice the spectacular view lighting up below him. He was working with the camera, trying to figure out how he could maneuver with it. At the speed he was traveling, he calculated he would have around thirty seconds to take close up pictures of his dad’s landing site before he would be out of range. During this fly-by he would have to track perfectly—gradually moving the camera to stay locked on and focused. Since this might be his only shot at getting the high resolution pictures, he decided to practice aiming the camera at selected spots on the moon while he was on the back side. He tried a couple times and found at the speed and altitude he was flying, staying on target was difficult. He was getting frustrated and decided to give his eye a rest.

When he looked up from the eyepiece the most stunning sight was developing in front of him. Slowly coming around the moon was his home, Mother Earth, its tip slowly starting to peek out. He couldn’t believe how vibrant and bright the colors were over the dull gray moon. This was his first opportunity to witness the phenomenon of an earthrise, and he was in awe. Though he had seen famous earthrise pictures before, none could come close to the actual experience. As he floated, mesmerized, it suddenly hit him that he was the first human ever to view an earthrise during a spacewalk. Instead of having to look out of a small spacecraft window like all the astronauts before him, he had the freedom of moving around and this amazing 180 degree view, giving him goose bumps.

Everything he had ever known was on that small beautiful planet.

As he traveled and the earth rose, he saw less than half of it was lit, as if the bottom portion was cut off.

Peter’s helmet radio suddenly came alive. “Maria 1, this is Mission Control, do you read me?” said Dmitri.

Peter shook his head, focusing back on the mission, and instinctually looked back at the lighted portion of Earth when answering. “This is Maria 1, over.”

Dmitri, his voice sad, asked, “Are you outside of Maria 1, over?”

Peter solemnly answered, “Roger.”

“So Dad is dead?”

Peter decided to be straight forward with his friend. “He passed away peacefully. His last words were how much he loved you and Anya.” Peter allowed a long silence before he continued. “I’m sure he is sitting with your mom right now, over.”

After a few seconds, Dmitri answered quietly, “Roger.”

Peter decided not to say anything and allow Dmitri some time to reflect on his father. Peter went back to working with the camera and practiced shooting more pictures, improving each time.

After a few minutes, Dmitri came back over his radio with a determined voice. “Peter, you will be coming over your dad’s site in nineteen minutes, over.”

“Roger,” said Peter.

“China was still thirty minutes behind when we lost radar signal. They have made no effort to catch you, over.”

“Roger.” What was China up to?

Dmitri went on to give Peter the coordinates along with specific landmarks to look for. Feeling comfortable with the information given, Peter continued practicing as he kept an eye out on where he was, hoping he would be ready. He couldn’t blow this opportunity.

Before Peter knew it Dmitri said, “Peter you’re just two minutes out from the target, over.”

“Roger.” Figuring he would be in range in a minute and a half, he stopped practicing and got ready for the real thing. He held the camera to the side as he intently studied the terrain passing by below, taking notice of the key landmarks approaching. Though he was full of anticipation for seeing his dad’s site up close, he had a job to do and he couldn’t get too nostalgic. There would be time for that when he downloaded the pictures later. His main focus was taking as many accurate and close up pictures as possible.

“You’re coming up on Aggie Crater, over,” said Dmitri.

Peter was ahead of Dmitri, having already located the crater which was only a few miles from his dad’s site. Peter was very familiar with the crater, named by his father after his university, having seen pictures in his father’s office. “Roger.” He looked into the eyepiece and aimed the camera in the direction of the site hoping to locate the largest piece of equipment left behind, the LM Descent Stage.