Dark Star Rising Second Edition (Pebbles in The Sky) (35 page)

They caught up with Brianna as she was sitting in the shade of a column fanning her face.  “Wow, I know it gets hot at home, but this is unreal,” she complained.

“It is the humidity more than the heat,” Brett explained.  “Washington is famous for its late summer humidity.”

“Dad, I don’t understand why they are leaving the monuments.  Why can’t they just move them south like all the stuff in the museums?” asked Brianna.

Jessica tried to explain.  “Honey, you probably were too young to pay much attention to it, but there was a big national debate on that a few years ago.  Many people wanted to move the national monuments, but there are some of the monuments that could not safely be moved.  Look at the Washington monument over there, and the Lincoln Memorial.  They would be very difficult to move without damaging them.  And think of Arlington Cemetery, moving all those graves would be considered a desecration of the graves of the fallen heroes.  So rather than moving some, it was decided to leave them all.  Even the monuments in other places like the Statue of Liberty in New York City are being left.”

“What will happen to them dad after the dwarf comes?”

“Many places along the coast here in the east will be flooded by the tides,” he explained.  There may even be large tsunamis or tidal waves to come ashore and up the rivers flooding many cities.  Most of the monuments here in Washington should be ok.  After the encounter though, it is going to get very, very cold here in the winter time.  It will snow for months and sometimes years at a time depending on whether it is a short or long winter.  Eventually, many of the northern cities are going to be covered by ice and snow.  All the monuments here will be buried in snow and ice.  They may remain here for a long time or maybe even for eternity.  We just don’t know for sure how cold it will get.  Someday, our ancestors may dig them out and marvel at them and wonder what they meant to us in the same way that we look at the ruins of Greece and Rome.”

“Come on Brianna, we need to get moving if you want to see the White House,” said Jessica as she pulled Brianna to her feet.

“Mom, is it true that you have talked to the President at the White House?”

Jessica laughed.  “Two of them dear, although I am afraid that I have not met President Howard yet, although that may be a good thing.  Your dad and I liked President Montgomery very much, but the last President was not so fond of us.”

“Why not?” asked Brianna, as she tried to reach out and touch a squirrel that was waiting for a handout and seemed to have no fear of humans.

“Let’s just say that he did not admire our work as much as President Montgomery did.  He caught a lot of trouble over the problems they had with the vaccinations that were given to many people all over the world.” Brett explained.

“Is that why we had guards at our house for so long?” asked Brianna.

Brett reached over and rustled her hair up.  “You are full of questions today, aren’t you?”

“I am just curious, that’s all.  There is nothing wrong with that is there?”

“No” Brett laughed.  “Curiosity is a good thing.  When we ask questions and then go looking for answers, we sometimes figure new things out.  That is how your mother and I got involved in the work we are doing.  By asking questions and trying to find the answers, we were able to work out the methods we use to store the DNA of all the animals and plants in the DNA Ark.”

“Mom, all of that DNA you are storing, do you think that all those different types of animals are going to die during the encounter?”

Jessica sighed, “Brianna dear, the reason we are saving all that DNA is just in case they do not survive.  Yes, it is true that there are many species that will not survive the climate changes that are going to happen.  Some will not adapt to the cold or the change in seasons and die off.  Others though, will probably flourish.  Some plants and animals will have new places to grow and have less competition.  Animals that like the cold like caribou, reindeer, polar bears and such will have vast new territories that they can roam.  Other species that like the hot will not do so well.  Many plants may also die off as a result of the strange seasons we are going to have.”

Brianna chewed on her lip then asked, “What about people?  Are we going to die off?”

Brett gently took his daughter by her shoulders and turned her to face him.  “Brianna, people are the most adaptive of all the animals.  We can change our environment or adapt to just about anywhere there is food, water, and air.  Right now, there are people living at the South Pole and in the hottest deserts.  We have people living on the space stations, on the moon, and soon on one of the moons orbiting Mars.  In all those places, we have had to adapt and change the environment to suit our needs, and we have done so.  Yes, the world is going to change, and people are going to have to change with it.  Humanity will survive, and find a new way to flourish.   Do not worry about that my girl.  You live in a most interesting time.  You might even live to see the day that humans live on Mars or the new planet Elpis. 

Some of the greatest advances made in the history of humanity were made in times of stress and disruption of the ordinary way of life.  You are going to see things in your life time that will affect humanity for all the future.  Quit worrying and let it happen.  You might even find yourself taking part in making history if you study hard and apply yourself to your work, whatever that may be. Now, let’s get moving. It was not easy arranging a tour of the White House. I had to pull some strings, and I do not want us to be late and miss it.”

Chapter 40

October 5
th
, 2033

Pasadena, California

“Now, we expect you to fly to Houston as soon as Peter calls you with the news,” said Susan as she leaned
over and gave her father a kiss.  “With population controls the way they are now, you are only going to get one chance at being a grandfather and this is it,” she laughed as she patted her swollen belly.

Peter stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her
stomach.  “Your grandson is going to need you to teach him how to use a telescope as soon as he is able to stand and reach it,” he grinned as he kissed Susan’s neck. “You know it was my grandfather that gave me my first telescope when I was just ten years old.”

Eric Casselman grunted.  “Maybe if he had given you a fishing rod or a golf club instead we would not have a Brown Dwarf bearing down on our solar system.”

“Maybe so,” replied Peter, “but then I would not have gone to school at Cal Tech and met your daughter and you would not be going to be a grandfather in two months.”

“That is true, and I am grateful for the way it worked out.  I just hate that you both have to move to Houston.  It will be hard to see the boy grow up there while I am out here.”

“You could move with us, you know,” said Susan.  “I am sure you could find a part time job teaching in a small college there now that you are retired from Cal Tech.  It will keep you from getting bored out here all alone.”

“Don’t fret child, I am not alone.  I go golfing at least three to four times a week and have weekly outings to visit some of the coastal vineyards.  In ten years, this may all be gone and it needs to be enjoyed while it is still here.  Also, when I walk the beaches here, I can still feel the spirit of your mother laughing as she runs through the warm sand the same as when we had that brief summer together.”

Susan looked at him seriously.  “You really loved her, didn’t you father?”

“Yes I did, and I will never forgive myself for letting her go.  I should never have let work come between true love and myself.  I plan on living out my days in the warm California sun that we should have shared together.”

“That was then, dad, and this is now.  Please take care of yourself and we will call as soon as we get to Houston.  The new house is all set up except for the nursery.  Peter picked us out a good one in a neighborhood that is not too close to a relocation site.  I love you dad,” she said as she kissed him.

Eric
stood to usher them out. “All right, you guys, enough of the goodbyes.  I will see you in a couple of months when the baby is born. Right now you have a plane to catch.  Peter, you take care of her, do not let her eat too much, and make her rest.”

“I will need lots of help doing that,” Peter said.  “She is getting so involved in this DNA Ark project she is not home half the time.   Since she was promoted to the assistant research director at the Armadillo DNA Repository she never comes home on time.  It is probably a good thing she got pregnant when she did or we would never be together enough to make our one government allowed baby.”

Susan elbowed him in the ribs and gave him a mischievous squinty eyed look.  “I could have just had you cloned at the lab you know. Then, I would have had a little Peter to raise as my very own.”

Peter snorted, “That would not have been half as fun as making it the old fashioned natural way.”

She just grinned. “I don’t know.  Computers and machines can do some pretty nifty things now days.”

“Enough of this,” interjected Eric.  “I don’t need to hear about my daughter’s sex life or her toys.  Now out, both of you, the taxi is waiting for you.”  He gave her one last kiss and Peter a big hug.  “You take care of her Peter; she is all I have left of her mother.”

Peter nodded. “I will Eric, I will.  We’ll let you know after we arrive in Houston.”  Peter turned and helped Susan navigate the curb with her enlarged belly and skewed balance.  After they were both in the car, they waved as the taxi headed toward the airport.

Chapter 41

June 11
th
, 2038

New Washington, Georgia

General Seale, Chief of Space Force
, sat in disgust as he listened to the whining and bickering of the politicians.  He was attending the first meeting of the Incident Mitigation and Recovery Committee and like most congressional committees; it was mostly a waste of time.  There was more in-fighting going on among the six senators and six house representatives than was usual.  If you combined that with a power hungry FEMA chief, a weak president, and a total lack of common sense, then this is what you ended up with.  At the moment, the committee chairman, Senator Juan Gonzales from Texas, was drilling Mark Harper, the FEMA chief, on the status of the relocation effort.

“Mr. Harper, do you mean to tell the committee that we are six months into
the mandatory re-location period and that only three million people have left the northern zone and moved into the federal housing projects in the south?”

With a tone of disgust the FEMA chief replied.  “Senator, what would you have my department do?  We are offering transportation, relocation services, and re-employment services to
everyone leaving the northern zone states.  All they have to do is contact any of the FEMA field offices that have been set up in every county north of the Southern zone.  We have spent millions on broadcasting infomercials educating the people on the need to start re-locating now and not wait until the end.  We have been bending over backwards trying to tell them that the smart ones will move now and get settled and set up a new home and transfer to a job in the south.  Unfortunately, most of the population is very resistant to leaving the perfectly good homes and jobs they have right now.  There is no perceived threat as of yet.  Since there is no mandate in place to force them to leave, most are unwilling to do so.”

Representative Deborah Jenkins from Vermont spoke up.  “Senator, in defense of Mr. Harper, let me speak.  The majority of my constituents, though they are well aware of the events set to unfold in five years, believe that this is all pre-mature.  Recently some climatologists have been suggesting that the climate may not worsen as much as projected.  People are asking themselves why they should leave their house, their farm, their job, and move to a federal housing project in the south and have to start all over again.  Many of them live
on property that has been in their family for hundreds of years.  They want to know why they should give up all that they know and love for something that may happen five years from now.  Everyone knows what the southern states stand to gain.  Their population will swell; they will have more industry, more tax revenue, and more constituents.  Texas stands to gain more than anyone.  Are you sure that your stated concern is not personally or politically motivated, Senator Gonzales?”

Senator Gonzales stood and glared at her, gasping like a fish out of water as he turned beet red with anger.  Representative Jenkins just eyed him coolly as he fought to control his temper.

“Many people also suspect that certain senate leaders in the south believe that a burgeoning population in their district would help them in a bid for nomination in the next presidential election,” she added.

General Seale felt nauseated as he heard chuckles from some of the other members of the council.  President Howard, who was
also attending this first committee session, finally spoke up.