Judgment Day (43 page)

CHAPTER 84 EVACUATION

Space, room, expanse—that is America,- green space, fertile land; and man, migrant man, only the traveler there.

—HAL BORLAND

T
he residents of Christ's Home greeted Mark's decision to move to the new planet with mixed reactions. Many were reluctant—especially older people—but their commitment to the Fellowship was such that they would follow Mark Shepherd, even if it took them to a new star.

Within twelve hours of the decision, shuttles were lifting residents to New Hope station, which quickly filled to capacity. The converted Seawolf submarine,
Covenant
, was opened and the former residents of Christ's Home began moving in, setting up housekeeping in the vast ship, trying to adapt to the closed spaces. Not all residents of the town of Christ's Home were Fellowship members, many people choosing to live there because they enjoyed the friendly atmosphere created by the Fellowship. The sudden evacuation by the Fellowship planted the seeds of panic among the nonmembers.

When it was clear all three thousand Fellowship members were leaving, the remaining residents panicked. Trapped inside Christ's Home by the quarantine, terrified by IT, which had infected thirty of the residents, they organized, approaching Mark, demanding to know what was happening. He told them the truth—they were leaving the planet. He tried to assure them it wasn't because of IT, but they wouldn't be comforted. Next the residents went to the barricades, talking with men in yellow environment suits. There was no sympathy there, and they ended up back in their homes, caught in a war between the sacred and the secular.

When news of the evacuation of Christ's Home reached Washington, D.C, the House moved up the scheduled vote on the National Technologies Act. Even former friends of the Fellowship dared not speak in their defense, not with IT ravaging the bodies of innocent citizens. The National Technologies Act passed nearly unanimously. In a rare all-night session, the Senate honored its tradition of open debate and then passed the legislation with no amendments. It was signed by the president only two days after Mark's decision. The Fellowship's technology was now claimed by the United States of America. Troops were moved to the quarantine line. Fry's release of the Ebola variant had succeeded, but only to a point. Now the same fear of alien plague that brought the troops to the door kept them outside.

As the troops gathered around Christ's Home and the compound, the remaining members of the Fellowship scrambled to gather their belongings and get off-planet. Priority was given to getting their people out of Christ's Home, which meant equipment had to be left for last. Mark couldn't let any of their technology fall into government hands. Devising a plan, he radioed Micah, who was still guiding the massive gold asteroid to Earth, using a fresh code that he hoped hadn't been cracked yet.

"This is
Exodus/'
Micah responded. "What is it, Mark?"

"They're massing troops, Micah."

"We knew this was coming," Micah said.

"We're getting our people out, Micah. We're evacuating Christ's Home. We're transporting night and day."

"If we abandon the asteroid we can be back within twelve hours."

"No, we can evacuate with the ships we have. We'll get our people out, but we've had to make choices—people or equipment."

Micah understood. Sensitive equipment was being left behind in order to save people. But the choice bought their people only temporary security if the secret of their technology fell into the hands of their enemies.

"We've destroyed what we can't move, but that may not be good enough," Mark said. "They can learn a lot from what remains."

"I understand," Micah came back. "What can I do?"

"I want you to complete the delivery of the asteroid, but to a different destination."

When the troops moved into town, the remaining Fellowship members fled to the launch compound, those previously reluctant to leave now anxious to be transported. Ira was carried from his home and shuttled to New Hope station, weak from fasting, emotionally dead. If captured he would die before revealing any secrets, but Mark wanted to make sure if he died it would be on the new world. By noon troops had secured the town and searched the buildings, confirming no residents were left. The sky highway was now a freeway with spheres and shuttles moving up and down, lifting a hundred people an hour.

Once the town was secured, the troops advanced to the fences of the Fellowship's launch facility, pausing there, sending in a negotiating team to meet with Mark. Many of Mark's men were armed, but they would quickly be brushed aside by professional troops.

Mark and Floyd met with Colonel Watson and two other officers a mile from the launch compound. The
God's Love
lifted off just as they stepped out of their cars, Colonel Watson watching the spaceship disappear into the bright blue sky. He wasn't wearing an environment suit, and neither were his aides.

"You are to stop all orbital flights immediately," Colonel Watson said.

"Your ships and launch facilities are confiscated."

"Our lawyers have filed a suit to overturn the National Technologies Act," Mark said. "We've asked for a restraining order to keep you off our properties, and expect it any minute."

"Until you do, we've got orders to occupy your facilities."

"That's illegal search and seizure," Floyd said.

"It became legal last night."

"Why aren't you wearing protection, Colonel?" Mark asked suddenly. "Aren't you afraid of IT?"

Uncomfortable now, Watson looked at the other officers, then back to Mark.

"We now understand that the bacteria known as IT had a terrestrial origin."

"Fear of IT was the main reason for the National Technologies Act. Now it turns out that fear was groundless and the act unnecessary," Mark argued.

"It's still the law."

"Colonel, when we're done evacuating our people to orbit, we'll surrender the complex to you," Mark offered.

"You'll surrender now."

"Be reasonable, Colonel. If my people are infected with alien diseases, then getting them off the planet is the best solution."

"My orders are to seize your facilities, and secure all technologies and alien contraband. Then I am to sterilize the premises. In two hours my men will be in place to take the facility. Remove as many people as you can in that time. Those remaining will be relocated to internment camps until we are sure they are not infected with hostile organisms."

Without another word Colonel Watson returned to his truck, leaving Mark and Floyd in the road.

"How many people do we have left to lift, Floyd?" Mark asked.

"Over five hundred. If we overloaded the shuttles we might get half of them out, but that would be tops."

"We've got to get them all out at one time," Mark said.

"There's no way."

"Genesis
could hold them."

"It's not built to land, Mark. The drive is designed to push, not lift."

"To exceed light speed the field has to envelope the ship just like the spheres. It could work."

"I don't know, Mark. Ira or Micah are the ones to talk to."

"But Ira's in no shape and Micah's commanding
Exodus."

"The
Exodus
is nearing orbit, let's wait."

"Genesis has
to come down now if we're to have a chance of loading it before the deadline. Who do we have who can fly
Genesis
for us?"

"All the pilots are flying shuttles or spheres. We'll have to divert someone."

"There must be someone."

"Shelly," Floyd said. "Shelly could fly
Genesis."

CHAPTER 85 SHELLY

... perhaps men should think twice before making widowhood our only path to power.

-GLORIA STEINEM

S
helly was in the communications center helping coordinate the steady flow of shuttles and spheres to the surface when the call from Mark came.

"Shelly, we need the
Genesis
brought to the surface. We've got only two hours to get everyone out. Can you pilot
Genesis?."

Suddenly filled with doubt, nevertheless she said, "Yes. I'll get it down within an hour," not as confident as she sounded.

She had Sandy open the speaker in Ira's room.

"Ira, this is Shelly. I'm taking
Genesis
to the surface to rescue the rest of our people. I want you in the copilot's seat. We're leaving immediately."

Whispering a prayer that God would restore his spirit, she hurried to
Genesis's
dock. Others were already aboard, powering up the systems, checking seals and life-support systems. Shelly slid into the pilot's seat, familiar with the controls even though she had never attempted what she was about to do—no one had. Once the control systems were all activated and she had all green indicators, she switched to the engineering station, powering up the drive. When flying a sphere the pilot monitored the field that allowed the globes to defy gravity and fly through space. On the larger craft gravity fields were monitored by other crew. The
Genesis
was driven by three overlapping fields, far different in power and frequency from those used in the spheres, and little of her experience applied here. As the drives came up to full power the computer configured the drives for flight in space. She would have to override the computer, reconfiguring the fields to insulate the
Genesis
from Earth's gravity. It had never been done, so she was making an educated guess—then a bony hand rested on her shoulder.

Turning to see an emaciated Ira, his good eye dull, lifeless, Shelly's heart leapt for joy.

"You're the pilot, Shelly," Ira said. "I'll handle engineering."

"We're taking her down to the surface—"

"Just do your job and I'll do mine."

Shelly smiled. A semblance of the old Ira was there—he was crabby again.

"Take her away from the station, Shelly. I'll make adjustments on the way."

At the last second, Gus Sampson slid into the copilot's chair.

"Thought you could use some help. Rob Walker's standing by the hatches, Shelly."

"Call Christ's Home," Shelly said, "tell Mark we're on our way."

Sandy cleared them, then Ira cut the ship's gravity, turning control over to Shelly, who moved them away from the station, angling toward the blue planet below.

CHAPTER 86 DEADLINE

I think you know that I believe we must be strong militarily, but beyond a certain point military strength can become a national weakness.

-DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

C
olonel Watson left his captains to coordinate troop placement around the Fellowship's launch compound, separating to meet with a muscular man with a scar on his cheek.

"I delivered the ultimatum, Mr. Fry."

"Good, Colonel. Then they'll stop flying?"

"I gave them two hours to finish evacuating their people."

Fry's brown eyes smoldered, putting Watson on the defensive.

"You don't want those cultists," Colonel Watson said defensively. "You want their facilities."

"Some of them might be of help in understanding their technology."

"The ones you want left long ago. The deadwood will go up last. Let them take their old and crippled. They'll be a burden and slow them down, drain their resources."

"What of their ships? If we move now we might catch one on the ground."

"We'd never get one intact. They've got pilots in every ship. If we tried to capture one they'll either take them to orbit or blow them up. My way is the best way. By putting a tight deadline on them they'll have to use their ships to evacuate their people and that will force them to leave the rest of their equipment behind. You'll have to make do with that."

"There better be something left, Colonel," Fry grumbled.

Colonel Watson understood the threat, modifying his plan on the spot.

"To make sure, we'll take the facility in an hour and a half, not two."

Now Fry smiled, the colonel relaxing.

"Now you're thinking, Colonel. But do we have to wait quite that long?"

CHAPTER 87 RESCUE

The sleek, aerodynamic design of rockets and other launch vehicles is a function of the need to reach escape velocity while traveling through Earth's thick atmosphere. If orbit could be achieved at a slower speed, friction would be reduced, and launch vehicles could be of more functional designs.

—
ALTERNATE PATHWAYS TO SPACE
, EDWARD NORTON

E
ven if Shelly managed to get
Genesis
through the atmosphere and down to the surface, boarding the spaceship would be a problem, since
Genesis
wasn't designed to land. The ship was essentially three cylinders joined at one end by a large bulbous drive. Shelly planned to settle
Genesis
down on two of her cylinders, but the docking and cargo hatches would be unreachable, eight feet off the ground. Under Mark's orders, three makeshift ramps were being hammered together so the passengers could board. Meanwhile, spheres and shuttles continued to pick up people as quickly as they could. Only the most prized possessions went with them: family photos, legal papers, family Bibles, family heirlooms. Members of the Fellowship had few material possessions, everything long since donated for the greater good. Nevertheless, there had been no time to prepare, no time to say goodbye to the town their children had been born in, the church where they had worshiped, or family members in the cemetery.

Evelyn's voice came over the hangar loudspeaker.
"Genesis
is fifteen minutes away. Mark Shepherd, come to the control center."

Mark hurried through the crowd, patting backs, giving hugs, passing out reassurance where needed.

"It's Micah," Evelyn said. "He needs to talk to you."

"I'm here, Micah," Mark said. "Go ahead."

"You've got to decide now, Mark. We can either deliver the asteroid or orbit it, but once we do it'll be at least two hours before we can deliver it again."

"The timing is tight, Micah. If you deliver it now, when does it arrive?"

"Sixty-five minutes, give or take five. It depends on how hard you want it to come down. We've never calculated anything like this before."

"Bring it down, Micah. Your best estimate will have to do on how hard."

"Don't be anywhere near, Mark. I'm just guessing, and once we let it
go
there's no stopping it."

"We'll be gone, Micah."

Shouts from the hangar drew Mark back.
Genesis
had been spotted. Outside he could see a black dot in the sky.

"Clear the field," he shouted, pulling and pushing people toward the hangar. Those near the doors cheered
Genesis
down, those inside taking their cues from those who could see. Mark felt enormous relief—they were going to get away.

"Mark, come back to the control room," Evelyn said over the loudspeakers.

Now the cheering stopped, the crowd looking worried.

Inside the control room Evelyn said, "It's David, Mark. He's on the radio."

David Wayne commanded the Fellowship's security force in position around the perimeter of the compound. Hurrying to the control center Mark found a grim-looking staff.

"This is Mark, go ahead, David."

"Troops have crashed through the front gate, Mark. They're coming."

"It's too soon. They said we'd have more time."

David was silent, waiting for orders.

"Fall back, David. Let them advance, but delay them. Act like you're going to put up a fight, but don't get into a battle."

"We'll do our best."

"Evelyn, the
God's Love
is coming down for you and the others in the control room. Stay in touch with Micah and when he breaks off from the asteroid let me know, then clear out."

"What about you, Mark?"

"I'll board
Genesis."

Taking a walkie-talkie so he could communicate with David, Mark hurried back outside. The
Genesis
was near the ground, dust outlining the patterns of the gravity fields that made the ship fly. Mark had seen the ship many times, but never with terrestrial cues in the background, and it looked immense, three large cylinders welded together, the large drive on the end, larger in diameter than the combined cylinders. The name "Genesis" painted on its side, above it the American and Christian flags, below it a Scripture verse. Studying the dust patterns, he could see the fields configured in an unfamiliar way—by God's grace the ship remained intact. But now its mass would be increased sharply as it packed in nearly five hundred passengers. As the fields were shut down, tractors dragged the loading ramps toward the great ship, crowds following each platform.

Forward hatches in each cylinder opened, the ramps pushed against the ship. Then like the children of Israel hurrying across the Red Sea, the members of the Light in the Darkness Fellowship climbed the ramps, disappearing into the bowels of the ship. Men and women, old and young, children by the dozens, some carried, some pulled along by parents and older siblings. Most everyone carried luggage—boxes, suitcases, duffel bags. Many children wore backpacks, used to carry books to school, now they held stuffed animals, favorite toys, or prized collections of baseball cards, shells, or stickers. Some children cried, unable to understand but sensitive to the anxiety of the adults around them.

The hatches were large but the ramps small and rickety, unable to handle the crush of people climbing aboard. Soon Floyd gave orders to limit the number of people on the ramp and loading slowed.

"Mark, come in, Mark," David's voice crackled over the walkie-talkie.

"This is Mark. What is it, David?"

"They're coming fast, Mark. Request permission to fire on them."

"No!" Mark shouted.

"Then they'll be at the compound in ten minutes."

Mark looked at the long line of people filing into the ship.

"All right, David," Mark said into his radio. "Fire over their heads and then retreat back here."

The popping of small arms fire sounded in the distance, coming from every direction. Then the air was filled with the sounds of a full-fledged battle. The crowd panicked, forgetting the weight limit on the ramps, surging forward. Floyd ordered beams brought and jimmied them under the ramps, for support.

Urging the people aboard, Mark helped where he could, lifting children, helping older people with heavy bags. Slowly the crush diminished, the flow reduced to a trickle. The perimeter guards arrived, joining the last of his people crowding up the ramps. Three of his men were wounded, one with a head wound. David rushed up breathless.

"They returned fire, Mark. We took casualties."

Now Mark's walkie-talkie crackled to life again—Evelyn.

"Micah says the asteroid has been released."

"How long until impact?"

"Twenty minutes."

"Get your people to the
God's Love
, Evelyn."

David went to make sure his men got on board while Mark made sure Evelyn and the others made it to the
God's Love
. Once Evelyn and the others were safely on the ship, Mark ordered the
God's Love
to take off. As he ran back to the
Genesis, Mark
saw the
God's Love
lift safely away and head for space. Then Mark hurried back to the
Genesis and
climbed the ramp to the open cargo hatch where the last of his people were entering the ship. As Mark reached the top of the ramp, a bullet ricocheted off the hull in front of him. Mark froze, then turned to see Colonel Watson and a squad of soldiers approaching from around the corner of the hangar.

"You're under arrest, Shepherd, and your ship is confiscated," Watson shouted. "If you try to leave we'll shoot you down." Two of Watson's men raised their weapons. One aimed a laser at
Genesis
to illuminate it for the guided missile to be released by the second man.

"You agreed to give us two hours to get our people out, Colonel," Mark shouted.

"Come down off that ramp, Shepherd, or I'll have you shot."

At the colonel's words, a half-dozen soldiers aimed their weapons at Mark.

"I've got five hundred people in here, Colonel," Mark pleaded. "Honest citizens who have committed no crimes."

"No one will be harmed if you come down now. Your people will be cared for and, in time, released back into society. You have my word on it."

Mark looked at his watch, knowing there was little time left.

"Colonel, you and your men have to clear out of this area. Remember what you told me about the danger of infection and the need to sterilize the compound? Well, I've arranged to sterilize the grounds for you. An asteroid the size of a house is going to land right here. It will obliterate everything within a half mile."

Colonel Watson glanced at the sky, then said, "You're bluffing."

"It's a heavy metal asteroid being guided to this spot by one of our spheres. They won't miss by more than a hundred yards. Do you know how much kinetic energy will be released by an object of that size, dropped from miles in the sky? It will be like an atom bomb, Colonel." Then Mark leaned back, looking at the sky as if he were trying to spot the meteor. Suddenly he froze and pointed at the sky.

"There it is."

Colonel Watson and his men followed his point and when they did Mark dove into the hatch, Floyd hitting the close switch. Staying low to avoid the bullets ricocheting off the walls, they hunkered down until the hatch was closed tight, families near the hatch screaming and crying with each round. Finding the nearest wall speaker, he called to Shelly in the cockpit.

"Get us out of here. Micah's asteroid is going to land where we're sitting."

"Quit shouting, Mark! We're working in here," Ira replied.

Joyous over hearing his old friend's voice, Mark wasn't ready when the ship lifted off the ground. Knocked to the floor, his stomach flip-flopped as the gravity fields enveloped the ship. Then he remembered the soldier with the missile and prayed it wouldn't be a short flight.