Extra:
The rest of the flight was uneventful. The view from the portholes was mostly of a black void, but the Visi-screens placed strategically around the cabin showed what we couldn’t see from the portholes: Earth in a way none of us had ever seen. There was just a sliver of it showing, like a quarter moon, and I could make out part of Europe and Africa, but mostly all I could see was cloud cover. Ahead of us, the familiar moonscape as it appears from Earth, only closer and sharper, no longer distorted by Earth’s atmosphere. It, too, was in quarter phase because of our angle to the sun. By the time we were ready to land, the Moon would be full.
We would land near where the pioneer Apollo astronauts landed, in a relatively flat plain, a maria, which would be ready for the Welcome Wagon, as the Moon folks called the portable landing platform. It was like an enclosed passenger stairs, but built to be a cocoon-like multi-person space suit, with breathable oxygen, protection from the scalding sun, and a way to transition from the atmosphere of the shuttle to the atmosphere of the MoonPort, the front door of the Moon colony. In other words, this transition was what kept you from getting fried and/or asphyxiated. No one was sure which would come first.
Hard to believe that we would land on the near side of the moon and that it would be daytime for at least two weeks before nighttime set in, also lasting two weeks. Made me wish I’d packed a sleep mask.
I sensed, rather than felt, our craft turning slightly. Maybe it was the light that changed as we moved in a different direction from where the sun had been. I had been looking at clouds covering the blue Earth and now they were gone. Looking in the other direction, I caught a glimpse of Eagle’s Landing, its gleaming clear geometric dome breaking up the bleak, monotonous moonscape as we neared the MoonPort.
The jolly mood in our spacecraft changed when the shuttle landed. Most people seemed confused, not knowing what to do next. Gravity was back, but it was much lighter than on Earth. Mrs. Meeney again latched onto Kris’ arm for dear life. The hatch opened and a delegation from the Moon headed by Dr. Hawks welcomed us on behalf of WWC who made all these wonders possible, and the scientists, researchers, and staff workers who kept it going.
They led the way through the narrow portal of the MoonPort and walked us through the glass enclosed shuttle pad with a view of the forbidding Moon landscape that reinforced just how isolated and vulnerable we were. It was beautiful, of course, with the smooth mountains in the background and the black sky contrasting with the ash-gray that covered everything on the Moon.
The noise level rose as swarms of Moon workers greeted their families and friends, but the two children were still alone. Thom and Sara looked expectantly toward the open entrance to the colony.
Hawks, too, seemed to be looking for someone. He and his assistants scanned the disembarking visitors. I wondered who he hoped to see. Bubb-ya himself? Not likely. A man of Bubb-ya’s leadership talents belonged firmly on Earth. I found myself looking around also.
We walked down the sealed passenger stairway, through the bleak passageway through the MoonPort, and into the great room of Eagle’s Landing, a huge domed structure made out of glass mined and manufactured on the Moon. The dome was supposed to rid the colony of that claustrophobic environment that made living in the early Moon stations so psychologically difficult.
An ubiquitous Visi-screen, this one placed just past the entrance to the great room, crackled and blinked into life, showing Dr. Henry Hawks welcoming us to the Moon. It was disorientating to watch Dr. Hawks watch himself in the hologram. I was already feeling a little warm and short of breath and wondered for a moment if there were really two Dr. Hawks. Strange research, maybe?
All down the MoonPort passageway, the sensation that I was on a trampoline grew. It wasn’t just me. One by one, the children took little leaps and were practically airborne, little Neil Armstrongs without the space suit.
Hawks went on about how delighted he and the Moon workers were at having so many of their families here to celebrate the Wintermas holiday. They were pleased to have a visit from Santa, the universal spirit of brotherhood and good will toward men, to help celebrate.
“Oh, yes. Not to worry if you are feeling a little short of breath. Nothing at all to worry about. It sometimes happens up here.”
He smiled with practiced ease and looked sincerely at the camera.
“In fact, I know you must have many questions. Of course, you do. So we will have a town meeting tonight, 5:00 P.M. in the Great Domed Hall, just before dinner. Think of it as Freshman Orientation to Eagle’s Landing. After dinner and all day tomorrow, we’ll have guided tours of the colony. You can sign up with my assistant.” The uniformed man standing next to Hawks, grimaced to the group, apparently his idea of a smile.
Some of us looked up through the dome into the nothingness of the Universe and, for a moment, I could feel the apprehension run through the group. The children didn’t seem to care, but some of the older ones were fearful. I watched a few of the workers and saw them shoot guarded glances at each other. I tried to take a deep breath and failed. We were so dependent on whatever life support kept this desolate place going.
“Dinner is at 6:00 tonight, and we’ll all meet tomorrow evening in the Great Hall for a party and preparations for a visit from Santa on Saturday night, December 24th! Meanwhile ....” he broke character for a moment to look off camera, straining to hear something. He shook his head at his uniformed assistant and looked annoyed until he realized he was still broadcasting live. He turned back to the screen and smiled again.
“There are…ah…a few rules…ah…guidelines we have for your safety. Just a few..” He went on with more confidence. “Remember to stay in designated areas at all times, though you can move freely through those areas. We’re not a police state. Ha ha ha!” His assistant tried a smile and I was afraid the Great Dome might crack.
“We’ll have the gravity back to normal in a jiffy. It’s still a bit light for Earthlings. Also, your personal Visis won’t work so well up here, especially the instant and Visi-messaging, as you might have noticed on the Mir SpaceMall. It becomes unreliable the nearer to the center of the colony you are, which means, unfortunately, your living quarters. But the internal Moon Visi-system is at your disposal. There are monitors and places to plug in your personal Visi-systems located strategically through Eagle’s Landing, including in your rooms. The internal system should help the Moon-to-Earth transmissions.”
Thom squirmed and muttered, “I had no trouble with reception on Mir….”
I muttered back, “He seems to be saying that the transmissions are going to be unreliable.”
Thom shook his head. “Figures,” he said.
“And remember,” Hawks went on, “for your own safety and the safety of the colony, stay out of restricted areas and don’t go exploring without a guide. Anyone from the colony will be glad to escort you to whatever you want to see. The crew and I hope you have a wonderful stay on Eagle’s Landing.”
He glanced off-camera again as the Visi-screen dimmed to black.
The group broke up, some of the new friends promising to meet again at dinner, others plugging in their personal Visi-messaging for news from those they left on Earth.
Thom squinted at his Visi-system, but whatever message he was waiting for was not there. He looked up for Sara. She was also checking for Visi-messages and shook her head and went over to him.
Thom and Sara stood alone, looking up through the clear dome into the black sky above. Now that the crowd had thinned out Thom scanned the room but saw no one he recognized. As usual, Mrs. Meeney had her eye on them and when no father came to claim them, she took Thom and Sara firmly by the hand and led them toward the living quarters.
Suddenly the kids broke away and ran to a man on the edge of the moving crowd. He was tall and thin, with sandy blond hair, cut short. His bright eyes anxiously scanned past the moving crowd.
It was a relief to see their father. I guess it was a relief also to Mrs. Meeney. She was back stalking Kris and I could tell he was beginning to sweat.
I followed Jarod and his family and introduced myself to him. He warmly shook my hand.
“Thom was just telling me how you and that Mrs. Meeney over there were kind to them during the flight. Thanks for watching out for them.”
“They are great kids.”
I looked meaningfully at Thom and said, “Thom is especially resourceful.” Thom looked scared, then smiled back at me when he got it that I wasn’t going to rat him out about the knife incident on Mir.
I knew Jarod had a lot of catching up to do with his children, so made my excuses. Jarod, studying his son’s face, stopped me and said, “Why don’t you come with us? I have a quick call to make to their mother so she’ll know they arrived ok, and then I’ll show you where the rooms are and where you can get a snack before dinner. What do you say?” I glanced quickly at his son and saw Thom relax.
“Sure. Why not? I need all the help I can get coping with this new environment. Thanks.” Off we went, down the cramped hallway, at almost normal Earth gravity. At least we weren’t bouncing anymore.
Thom hung back a little, not as animated as Sara, and Jarod scooped Sara up on to his shoulders and headed for the tunnel leading to the living quarters.
I looked back through the small port. Earth was so far away and seemed so small. The black void was still there and I swear I was having trouble breathing. Normal gravity had returned, but I felt light and in a strange way, free.
I hurried to catch up with Jarod and his family. They were headed to Circle One, where the living quarters were, and there were several locks to go through to get into the final, most secure circle.
Extra:
We ducked into a room that looked like a large phone booth equipped with a public Visi-system kiosk. Jarod told me that transmission was better in this room. Something in the walls. I looked around at the plain room and the few plastic seats facing the large screen, wondering what was in the walls that would block or free up transmission. Transmission was never blocked on Earth, unless someone or some warring corporate entity blocked it on purpose.
Jarod anticipated my questions. “It is a corporate thing. WWC blocks transmission every now and then for reasons known only to them. They monitor the information that leaves here very closely, but can’t be so careful with incoming, so they block it sporadically to discourage people calling here. Most of the lab work is proprietary to them and corporate espionage has gotten epic with companies competing for world dominance. Believe me,” he chuckled ruefully, “they guard their secrets. But why now during the holiday season sure beats me.”
Looking around at the Visi-equipment, I wondered how closely WWC was monitoring what went on here. I wondered if Ted knew about this. Of course he did. Ted just knew things.
Jarod tried the connection to his wife back on Earth.
“Funny,” Jarod said, frowning at his Visi-phone. “I got her, but lost the signal almost right away.”
Thom said, standing by the door, “She probably hung up on you.”
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