America One: War of the Worlds (7 page)

Martin Brusk offered, as he had done so in Beijing, to build South Korea a space shuttle, like the one that had landed. For a new space shuttle the Chinese Premier had quickly forgotten the three tons of gold, and the same happened in Seoul. Martin Brusk would take the five tons of gold as payment for building the two space shuttle bodies, much like the two shuttles he had built for Astermine.

Martin Brusk was as good a businessman as he ever was, and it saved an extra ton of the returning gold from Mars for more Rare earth metals that he needed.

Martin and Ryan were working out the payments and who got what as Jonesy flew them onto Australia. Ryan still had the other countries to pay for the loans of fuel, but Canada had already put the repayment off until the second Opposition in less than three years’ time.

By the time they reached the island, it looked like Ryan Richmond could have enough cash from the first mission to complete the build of
America Three
.

“Looks like a large reception down there?” smiled Jonesy to Saturn as he brought
SB-IV
in directly above the island’s airfield. They could see a group of four people outside in the morning’s light of the rising sun outside the main hangar where the shuttles always parked.

SB-V
was already re-entering earth atmosphere high above the United States and was due to land next to
SB-IV
in about 30 minutes.

“Don’t mention Bob’s or Beth or Monica’s white hair,” stated Saturn to her father, who’s greying hair had been halted for 14 years.

“Yes, don’t insult your friends by telling them how old they look,” added Maggie knowing that it was certain that her husband would open his mouth in greeting and say the wrong things. That was why he hadn’t been at the lunch in Beijing, and the dinner in Seoul. Now it was breakfast in Australia, and it was time for Jonesy to see his old flying buddies, and the word “old” was very important. What Maggie told him didn’t really help.

Saturn took over and landed
SB-IV
from 5,000 feet altitude as her father ordered her to do so as he wanted to get out fast and greet his old flying mates.

Seeing the age of his old flying buddies did give Jonesy a shock. Seeing the younger age of their old flying buddies certainly gave Bob Mathews, Beth and Monica a shock. They hadn’t realized that the time out in space for the “OldGeners” was actually an age-saving device.

Jonesy had always considered Bob Mathews to be one of his special friends. They had often flown together throughout their lives, and always seemed to be as one with flying as each other.

One knew what the other was always thinking and the reactions times due to suggestions was always rapid. They had flown Transports together, C-17s, and C-5s in the 1990s, and a few years earlier, when they were fresh out of flight school as budding Second Lieutenants, they had flown fighter jets, first the F-16 Fighting Falcons, and then the first F-15E Strike Eagles in 1989 that had arrived in the ranks of The United States Air force, and at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina.

Both men would have stayed with the 336
^th
Tactical Fighter Squadron flying F-15s in North Carolina, but Jonesy’s mouth and both their drinking and bar brawl habits got them moved to flying Transports—C-130s out of Fort Bragg.

It didn’t really matter what they flew as every type of aircraft had its own set of ways to fly it and both men had excelled in every aircraft. To them a C-17, or even a C-130 turboprop was as interesting to fly as was a modern fighter jet.

“You been to a plastic surgeon, Jonesy?” Bob Mathews asked hugging his old partner.

“No, I see you haven’t either,” replied General Jones.

“You haven’t aged a day since we said goodbye in Nevada, what 15 years ago?” Bob added not believing how young his old flying buddy looked in front of him.

“I can see fishing doesn’t help in the age department Bob. No, we were asleep for 14 damn years, and now look at me. Maggie, Ryan, Kathy, Michael Allen and I were put to sleep in these weird and out of this world cryogenic sleep chambers for 14 years, and now look at what we all look like, bleeding kids compared to you. Hi Monica, Beth, like your white hair” nodded Jonesy to Bob’s crew.

“Well, fourteen years of sleep, doing nothing, and having nothing more than a face lift, I’m glad I’m old. Jonesy, I’ve had the best 14 years of fishing a man could ever have while you were acting like Sleeping Beauty,” replied Bob Mathews, very used to Jonesy and what came out of his mouth.

“I’ve heard about your fishing from Saturn and young Mars,” replied Jonesy. “The only problem with not getting old on time, is that I’m still expected to work. A bit of a bummer when I also wanted to go fishing, Bob.”

“I know you are only here for a couple of days. There isn’t enough time to head out, but next time make sure you get a couple of weeks so that I can take you out, and you have your own boat waiting for you down in Brisbane. It has been waiting for you for a couple of years now.”

A couple of days on the island was very relaxing. Apart for one aircraft arriving from Canberra to pick up the Aussie politician, it was very quiet.

Mary Collins and Martin Brusk had arranged to be picked up in Seoul by an Israeli military aircraft at a later date. Both wanted to stay on and do some business with the South Korean government.

Astermine had a small crew that now stayed on the island permanently to look after the company’s assets. Bob, Monica and Beth were in and out and called the island home between fishing trips. Captain Pete was now in charge of the island, and had been happy when Dr. Nancy had finally arrived back after making sure the returning OldGeners were fit to live on Earth.

Joanne, Roo, Joe and her second child also called the island home from home. They enjoyed the quiet life away from the politics of Washington, did not need her secret service detail there, and waited patiently for their return flight to Mars.

Three of the NextGeners, several scientists, and a team of five Russian scientists were the only other crewmembers on the island.

The beaches were great, the pool adequate to teach the children to swim, and the Australian beer cold.

“One more flight to Mars Maggie, and I think we should call it a day,” stated Jonesy one evening over sundowner drinks.

“What happens if Ryan needs us?” she asked her husband, not really caring where she flew into space again or not.

“There are enough astronauts, and within a decade, the third generation, our grandchildren will be taking over as commanders and flight captains. I honestly don’t think we old pilots are in demand so much anymore. Saturn won’t even let me captain her shuttle. It looks like Lunar will command
America Two
, or young Mars Noble. Pluto Katherine wants command of
America Three
, and there is no way my tired old legs are stepping on any asteroids again. I think it’s time to see what retirement packages Ryan has in mind. Hell, I don’t even know if I’m at retirement age, or like Bob, long passed it. There, the boss is coming over, I’ll ask,” Jonesy continued as Ryan and Kathy walked over. The little drinks robot Jonesy wanted to keep as a pet handed the couple a glass of wine to the Richmond’s as they walked around the side of the pool.

“It’s time Maggie and I went fishing,” stated Jonesy tactfully as Ryan and Kathy sat down at their table.

“I was thinking you would say that once we got here,” smiled Ryan.

“I was thinking just the same thoughts,” added Kathy smiling at her husband. “Mars, is fine if you want to burrow down like a mole, but Earth is still paradise, especially this beautiful place.”

“Ask Bob to organize you two a boat,” stated Maggie enjoying her glass of wine. “Let the kids do the flying and leave us to live out our lives right here.”

“I agree with you,” replied Ryan staring at the darkening horizon where the sun had disappeared several minutes earlier. “We need some cash, retirement cash, so if we can get the next load of gold young Noble states is just there waiting for us to pick up. Let us all go and pick up our retirement checks, and let the kids, and grandkids carry on after our final odyssey. We have done our part for humanity, space exploration, and opening up the solar system for future travel. I believe Martin Brusk, shocked at how young we look, now feels very old and wants to join us here.” VIN Noble walked up with his son.

“How much gold did you say was waiting for us, Mars?” Jonesy asked his son-in-law.

“Captain Pete tallied it up at 7,000 tons Commander Jones,” replied Mars respectfully.

“I wish I could get a “Commander VIN Noble” just once out of my son,” interrupted VIN getting his and his son’s order of two cold beers from the robot waiter.

“Is that Earth tons, or Martian tons?” asked Ryan. “I forgot which weight he was talking about when he gave us his report on arrival.”

“Earth tons Ryan,” stated Captain Pete himself as the hard working robot scurried off to get the captain and Dr. Nancy two cold beers.

“And that doesn’t add what could be in the tunnels that weren’t blown out by the explosion,” stated Mars.

“We can’t bring all that back” suggested Jonesy trying to visualize what 7,000 tons of gold looked like. “A few ingots is all Maggie and I need to complete the payments on our boat and head out into the wild blue sea yonder with Bob and his girls. Bob, what gas does your boat use?” shouted Jonesy as Bob Mathews, Beth and Monica joined them.

Once the robot was given the next order, Bob replied. “I use to use only diesel, but now it’s sort of a hybrid diesel boat since Martin Brusk gave us two massive lithium batteries that re-energize with the water flow underneath the boat’s keel.”

“Tell us more Bob,” asked Ryan.

“Well, Martin gave me these two massive battery packs when he arrived for Saturn and Mars’ wedding. They weigh about 200 pounds each and are rectangular about four feet by three feet by six inches high. They came with a dozen lines that are strung underneath the keel of the boat and somehow gather energy while the hydrogen gas engine runs. It is really weird, and you never know when the engines are going to turn on or off.”

“You can be at full speed, or trawling for fish,” added Beth.

“Suddenly the engines go silent and the speed of the boat stays the same,” stated Monica.

“At cruise speed the engines go silent for up to a couple hours. It seems that the batteries re-energize themselves from the forward movement of the boat, even when they are working,” continued Bob getting his beer from the robot.

I’m going to name my buddy waiter robot here, ASS Robot,” stated Jonesy petting it on the head as it passed by. Everybody looked at him quizzically wondering what he had said, and only a couple of the men knew what ASS really meant in Jonesy’s world. Maggie and Saturn never hearing what he said, as usual ignored him.

“When we are trawling, the engines can go quiet all day,” continued Monica looking weirdly at Jonesy as well.

“Night cruising is the worst,” stated Beth. “The diesel engines can give you a heart attack when they suddenly turn on again during the night. Very eerie, but I heard we might be given some quieter hydrogen gas engines soon.”

Mars and Saturn have the same power design in their boat, and so do you VIN, and so do you Jonesy, Maggie,” stated Bob. “Martin told me on his last visit that within a decade, my hydrogen engines will be replaced by re-energizing batteries that replenish 85 percent of their power from the movement of the boat through the water, and the other 15 percent will be achieved from a Nano-type paint he is designing.”

“A black painted boat?” Jonesy asked.

“No, a white Nano-painted boat,” replied Bob. “A paintjob that doesn’t look any different than what my boat has on today.”

“What about rainy days?” asked Kathy Richmond.

“The 15 percent is produced on a rainy day,” replied Beth. “On a sunny day up to 30 percent of the boat’s energy will be more like it.”

“What happened to plain old gasoline or diesel engines?’ added Jonesy. “Or jet turbines, I don’t even see those anymore.”

“You haven’t seen nothing yet,” stated Mars Noble to the older generation. “Wait until the U.S. comes online again. I believe you will see wonders in new technology within the next twenty years.”

“Maybe that’s why God only allows us a century on this planet,” stated Maggie Jones. “Maybe all this new stuff is just too much for one generation to take.”

“I agree with that,” added Jonesy. “I think that fishing for the last 14 years could have been a good idea.”

“But look how young you look, like a damn kid,” Beth stated to the much younger-looking pilot than her partner Bob.

“Yeah, but if we had been left on DX2017 for another round, we could have all had heart attacks looking at all the new technology these kids, and old Martin Brusk will have come up with by then,” replied Jonesy shaking his head.

“Well, one more visit to The Martian Club Retreat for all of us, and then we can go fishing with new electric boats,” suggested Ryan.

“Don’t include Nancy and me in your plans, Ryan” stated Captain Pete. “Bob’s boat is heading out tomorrow morning, and Nancy and I are twenty feet behind him in ours.”

Back in Nevada several days later the astronauts began training for the next Mars mission, 65 days away. The Chinese Premier, and the other countries kept their word, and the fuel supplies from the different countries was flown in by the five shuttles. It took a month and several flights to get the supplies of Liquid Hydrogen into orbit.

The Canadian fuel came in by truck. The Australian supplies were flown in by their Transport fleet by robotic pilots, which made poor Jonesy cringe when he saw what was flying the aircraft: computer boxes.

Israel and Martin Brusk sent in what they could and the Australian Transporters helped to bring in the South Korean supplies over the next month. Still several flights were needed with Astermine’s shuttle fleet to take up the Chinese liquid hydrogen. The fuel cost would have been enormous if Astermine didn’t have the blue shields which brought down the fuel usage in atmospheric flight enormously.