CHAPTER 6

Brooke sat in front of the television, watching the Rus rocket lift off from Russia. “Have fun, Robert.”

Her own plans were on hold. The Drumdat Energy Corporation had managed to convince the courts to put an injunction on NASA preventing the launch of the habitat rocket to Mars. She had read through the documentation several times and nothing gave her the impression it would be going away anytime soon.

As she curled her knees up to her chin, the tears came. It just isn’t fair! If they did not launch in the next two weeks, the aligning of the planets would put the whole project back two years. With the talk in the news analyzing everything, they probably wouldn’t be going at all.

She pressed at her eyes with her palms, then threw her hands down in fists of frustration, pounding the sofa. “This is stupid. Crying isn’t going to do anything about it. I’ll go make myself some tea to calm down.”

She shuffled into the kitchen and put on the kettle. Sorting through the different teas in her cupboard, she settled on rose hip, thinking the sweet flavor was what she needed. Wrapping her robe a little tighter, she suddenly felt a chill pass through her, followed by a sensation of loneliness. Jeez! Robert’s only been gone a week and already I miss him.

Steaming cup in hand, Brooke settled on the sofa once more. Grabbing the remote, she scanned through the channel menu. Maybe she could find a good movie to watch. After rejecting a number of choices, she settled on a nice romance on the Hallmark channel. Ever since she was a little girl, she knew she could rely on a wholesome family movie from them.

At a commercial break, she started to rise to refresh her tea when a news flash came on.

This just in. The drone space habitat held up from going to Mars by court injunction has lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center. Rumors abound as to how this could happen. Full coverage at eleven.

Spilling her tea, Brooke pawed for the remote and spun through the channels to find the all-day news. Her first stop at CNN provided full coverage. On screen, the giant Ares V cargo launch rocket still sat on the launch pad. Though activity around it gave the impression a launch was a go, it had not moved. The image didn’t jive with what she had heard on the other station.

“What the—”

A reporter. This footage shot was shot just before the rocket subject to the court injunction lifted off.

The engines roared to life, and oh so slowly, the big ship started upwards. As it climbed, the acceleration was clearly visible as it picked up speed. It went through a rotation then discarded the attached boosters. Though the camera still followed it, it appeared as nothing more than a bright dot in the night sky, on its way toward Mars.

“My god, they really have launched!”

The image of the reporter filled the screen. We take you now to the briefing room at NASA where Administrator of Operations Bartholomew Higginbottom, is expected to provide an explanation.

Brooke ignored the spilled tea and perched on the edge of her seat, waiting for whatever would come on next. An empty podium showed on the screen. She recalled her last time in that room, when Robert’s return trip to the moon was announced. After a brief moment, Bartholomew made his way to the dais. After swiveling the microphones to his short stature, he adjusted his glasses and lifted a script. She knew Bart too well to think he winged it. He probably wrote the script over five times.

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I want to thank you for coming. At 4:33 p.m., by presidential executive order, the launching of the Ares V was ordered. At exactly 8:42:15 p.m., our mission to send a space habitat to Mars was launched. All reports are in and the launch has been a complete success. We expect it to rendezvous with the Red Planet in three months, at which time, barring any incidents, it will land at the targeted location and begin the process of preparing the habitat for human occupation two years from now. I will now take questions.

The room exploded into an uproar as reporters fired questions. Bartholomew smiled and motioned for quiet.

Allow me to circumvent a lot of these questions by stating whatever interpretation you want to put on events, despite all other bodies supervising our jurisdictions, in the end, it is the president who calls the shots, and his words to me were quite clear. “Get that damned rocket into space!”

Before any more could be said, her telephone rang. Identi-call showed it was one of the other astronauts scheduled for Mars. “Hi Jesse.”

“Can you believe it?”

“It’s mind boggling. Who would have thought it?”

“Certainly not me. I figured, with the lawsuit, we were headed for a two-year delay. But for the president to do what he did is suicide. They’ll have his nuts in a wringer by tomorrow. My guess is they’ll impeach him. Now we’ll never get to go.”

Brooke allowed a slight giggle to escape her lips. “No, Jesse, don’t you see? They’ll have no choice. Firing that rocket and habitat off sent billions of dollars moving away from Earth at twenty-five thousand miles an hour. They’ve got to send us. We’re going to Mars!”

CHAPTER 7

“You were lucky to survive this, Sammy.”

He waved his hand nonchalantly at Janice. “Pfft! Luck had nothing to do with it, Jay baby. Those bozos in the Senate knew better. Who would want to be the guy to pull the plug on the first manned mission past the moon? Not one of them. It was a sure thing.”

Janice sat down and consulted her comp pad. “I don’t consider winning a non-confidence vote by two an easy victory. Even some of your staunchest supporters voted against you.”

Sammy chuckled. “Yeah, and just like me, each and every one of them getting huge campaign contributions from Drumdat. Their votes were bought, plain and simple.”

“Speaking of bought, not only have they cut you off from donations, but their lawsuits are eating away your reserves. You won’t be able to run for a second term.”

He frowned for a moment. Damn it! I hate when she’s right. I need to think on this. Rising, he retrieved a cigar from a humidor. “I’m going outside to get some air. Besides, you know how the staff hates it when I smoke indoors.”

“That’s because you always choose the Blue Room to do it. Tours go through there, Sammy. You can’t go stinking it up with cheap cigar smoke.”

“Cheap? Who said anything about cheap! These Cohibas are damned expensive. I’m just glad my predecessor finally opened up trade with Cuba. Without these…. You’d know what a cheap cigar is if I had to smoke American ones.”

Janice peered at her pad. “Sammy, hang on a sec. You won’t believe this. Nate Drummond is holding online to talk to you.”

“Put it through.” The screen on his desk changed to the image of the owner of Drumdat Corp. “Good afternoon, Nate. How can I help you?”

“Sammy, you got through this one by the skin of your teeth. But, god damn it, I’ll see you sunk before this is over.”

“Nate, Nate, Nate. Don’t take it so personally. Why don’t we sit down and talk. Work this out. I’m sure we can figure out something. When can we get together and smooth things over?”

“I’m in town. I can be there in fifteen minutes.”

“Fifteen? Great. I’ll be out on the South Lawn.” He terminated the call and reached for the humidor once more. “He can’t resist one of these. He’s a scotch man, too. Have the staff bring out a tray with some of the good stuff. I’m going to work.”

Janice smiled and headed for the door. “Don’t sell the farm.”

“It’s the pound of flesh I’m worried about. It would put one hell of a crimp in my manly figure.”

***

As his car rolled through security, Nate sat in the back looking out the window toward the South Lawn. There’s the bastard now. “Driver, pull over up ahead. I’ll walk around.”

“Yes sir, Mr. Drummond.”

The limousine pulled to a stop and he climbed out. Rushing to greet him was Sammy’s chief of staff, Janice Roberts. He couldn’t resist looking her up and down, from head to toe. I can see why he keeps her around. She is one fine looking lady.

“Good day, Mr. Drummond. The president is expecting you. If you would be kind enough to follow me.”

“I know my way, girlie. You best stay here. I wouldn’t want to hurt your sensitive ears with what I’ve got to say.”

She hooked an arm into his. “Believe me, Nate. Hanging around Sammy, I’ve heard it all before. At times, he could make a sailor blush.”

He gave her a sideways glance. Despite his mood, her spunk made him smile. “If ever you get tired propping up this bum, come see me about a job.”

“You never know. Come three years from now, I might be taking you up on that.”

They found the president in the process of lighting a cigar as they neared. “Hello…puff…Nate…puff…I brought one…puff…out for you.”

Apparently satisfied he had enough of a light going, Sammy put the lighter down and extended a Cohiba. Nate shook his head, and then looked to Janice as he accepted the cigar. “You got anything to drink with this?”

“Scotch, Mr. Drummond? I have a selection here. Anything you prefer?”

He glanced over the four bottles, all single malts from Scotland. Recognizing one, he indicated it while trying to light his own Cohiba. By the time Janice handed him his drink, he had seen the red circle of his cigar being fully lit, had given one final inhale and allowed the smoke to seep from his mouth. If my doctor could see me, he’d scream. “Okay Sammy, the only thing missing is the barbecued ribs. But I didn’t come out here for a soiree. We’ve got business to discuss, serious business.”

“I appreciate that. And while out here getting some fresh air, I’ve come up with a fresh idea. What do you say toward about being partners on Mars?”

“Partners? What the hell are you getting at, Sammy? There ain’t nothing on Mars I’d want. It’s too damned far for any commercial venture.”

“I know. No, I was thinking more along the lines of property domain. Obviously, my people will get the notoriety and acclaim for being on the Red Planet first, but any and all items and or science resulting will belong to Drumdat. Who knows what might be discovered. It’s an open-ended opportunity.”

“Bah! They won’t find anything of any size worth keeping.”

“Are you so sure? Those methane plumes aren’t just Mars rocks having a bad case of gas. Think smaller, Nate. If microorganisms are discovered, it could have immense possibilities.”

He’s talking potential bio-lab developments. “I’m listening.”

“You’ll have the inside line, first crack at the stuff for a year. I’ll guarantee it.”

He took another drag on his cigar, then a sip of his scotch. “I don’t know, still sounds pretty risky.”

Sammy came over and wrapped a big arm over his shoulders. “Nate, what’s risky is you continuing on with your lawsuits. What have you got to show for it so far? Nothing. And cry foul all you like, there’s no way the habitat is coming back home. It’s pulling into Mars orbit next week. NASA has a go to commence landing procedures as soon as it does. Now tell me, don’t you think it would be better to be onboard?”

The bastard has me over a barrel. Alban says the lawsuits are fifty-fifty at best. As bad as this deal sounds, something is better than nothing. “Alright, Sammy. Here’s my counter offer. I get the complete package. Everything that comes off that planet is mine, no one year limit. I’ll even provide the crew vessel. But I still retain ownership of both it and the habitat, in case there’s ever a need for them again. Deal?”

Sammy pulled at his chin. Nate waited. Finally, Sammy held out his hand. “Deal, but you gotta go public about supporting me and all.”

He grabbed Sammy’s hand. “Deal. I’ll have Alban send over the paperwork.” He dropped his cigar in the ashtray and placed his drink down. “I’ve got to get going. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. President.”

Janice escorted him back to his limo. As he climbed in, he gave her a quick wink. “See you in three years.”

Once the door was closed, he told the driver to head for the hotel. Either I just made a whopper of a mistake, or the deal of the century!