Luke Marusiak: Lifeboat Moon

The group stared in rapt interest. There was a lot of rumor about Tina and Thad’s creation but this was the first most had seen of it. One person in the back whistled.

“Two of these remote stations have been built, they are cabled into Moon Base Initio, and we plan to stretch them out in an arc of expansion and exploration. It’s a model for what will become a lunar suburbia — without all the melancholy drama.”

There were chuckles at the suburbia comment. The image of the two domed outposts was tangible proof of their progress and resilience since the pod crashes.

“We’re going to turn our exploration north. For there’s something momentous Director Hayashi will share with you all.”

Katsumi came to the podium. He had a naturally stern expression that he tried to soften for the crew. “We never thought it possible but we’ve received a signal from China Station — the station on the moon’s equator.”

There were expressions of surprise in the assembly. China Station, long given up for dead, had reached out with a cryptic signal nearly a year after the gamma ray burst. “We only discovered this signal with our recently installed crater edge dish,” Katsumi said.

Mark realized Katsumi dissembled with how he worded that remark. The truth was Japan Station kept their radio frequency shields up after the gamma ray burst and only now had Moon Base Initio installed equipment able to receive their signal. No matter, it was a welcome puzzle — a welcome indication that the 188 crew of Moon Base Initio weren’t alone.

Mark looked at Katsumi and saw his hopeful expression. He inhaled. We need to put past animosities aside and unite humanity. He believed that whatever was left of China Station needed Moon Base Initio. Mark was already making plans for a long range expedition to visit them. But that would wait.

“As Major Martelli indicated, we will expand our outposts north in as large a steps as we can to find our fellow travelers — to find the rest of humanity so we may chart our future together.”

Mark smiled at the last comment and led the assembly in raucous applause. He stood beside Katsumi and regarded the group’s joyous excitement. “Let the celebration begin!”

Sally and Mark clung to each other after the presentations and enjoyed the first Moon Base Initio dance. They rocked to classic earth pop music. Lunar produced music would take a while but that didn’t matter. The crew of the cave dwelling — jointly agreed to be named Moon Base Initio signifying the beginning of a new human adventure — reveled in the celebration.

Couples paired off across the dance floor, moved with steady beats, and laughed at their survival and success. “We really did it.” Mark beamed. “We really did it.”

“You did it Mark,” Sally said, staring at him with shining eyes. “You became the hero everyone needed. You became the hero I needed.”

“You’re pretty heroic yourself babe.” He leaned in and kissed her.

Sally cupped Mark’s face in her hands. “I’m going to have to put my heroics on hold and take a new role.”

“What role is that?”

“Mother.”

Mark gaped wide-eyed. “Really?”

“Yes and I’m not the only one.”

“We need to tell Zeke his fears were misplaced. We reproduce just fine on the moon.”

“Zeke knows. Habi’s pregnant too. Once we all had a future to believe in, we began to create it.”

Mark hugged Sally tight. “All it takes is love.”

Sally giggled and swayed to the music. “Yes, all it takes is love.”

The two clung to each other as the rest of humanity in Moon Base Initio did the same. For all of the struggle, uncertainty, and misgivings; they were now charting a new human path. Mark felt tears well in his eyes and buried his face in Sally’s shoulder to mask his expression. He whispered the truth that saved them all. “All it takes is love.”

Luke Marusiak is the author of the Good Fight Series historical fiction that follows five passionate characters who strive to make a difference from the turbulent 1960s to the turbulent 2010s. He also brought his passion for business to the Excellence in Business Leadership Series .

In his recent book, The Patent , Luke displayed his enthusiasm for technology in telling the tale of the struggle to control a patent with world changing potential.

In this book, Lifeboat Moon, Luke spins a tale that asks the question, if humanity lost everything (earth, families, animals, trees…) would life still be worth living? Some on Moon Base Armstrong say yes and others disagree. What do you think?

Luke was raised in Western Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S. Army culminating with the 1st Infantry Division in Desert Storm. He worked in the Silicon Valley from the early 1990s working in semiconductors, hard drive media, and vacuum chamber systems in positions from process engineer to Chief Operating Officer and CEO. He draws on his family, friendships, and experiences for his writing. He currently resides in Washington with his wife.

For more information visit: www.lukemarusiak.com

The Patent

Foundations of Excellence

Functions of Excellence

Methods of Excellence

Marx & Ford

Fear & Hope

Loud & Clear

Gold & Glory

Copyright © 2018 by Luke Marusiak.

Library of Congress Control Number: 1-6175003541

ISBN (print book): 9781973591641

ASIN (ebook): B078HVRRLZ

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 01/15/2018

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