Space Hoax

12 EARTHORBIT

Sweat was developing all over his body as Peter strutted up the stairs toward EarthOrbit’s main entrance. Overhead, low, scudding dark clouds obscured the sun, promising thunderstorms. It was starting out to be a typical, hot and muggy August day in Houston. Peter was dressed in a navy blue suit with a patriotic, red tie. As much as he hated wearing the monkey suit, he needed to give the impression he was executive material.

There was nothing remarkable about the large white building as he arrived at the entrance. He wiped the few beads of sweat off his forehead before opening one of the glass doors that led into the lobby. A gust of cool air greeted him as he entered. He quickly located the reception desk and aimed straight for it. As his footfalls drummed up an uneven echo in the empty lobby, he did a relaxed scan of his surroundings. The lobby had an old ’60s feel with wood paneling decorating the walls. He was surprised to see old pictures of NASA rockets symmetrically placed instead of photos of their own rockets. Though the furniture looked new, it was all in a futuristic ’60s design. Peter assumed the owners wanted those entering to feel nostalgic for the old triumphant NASA days. They were probably hoping to influence NASA big wigs that EarthOrbit was of the same mold. The company was definitely taking a different approach than SpaceQuest’s ultra-modern facility. Peter figured this was just one of the many differences he would encounter between the two competing companies. Though he was a big fan of SpaceQuest and their operation, he had to be open-minded. He would have to adapt to EarthOrbit’s style if he wanted to be a part of their team.

Peter smiled at the beautiful blonde sitting behind the metal desk as he approached. “Hello, I’m here for an interview.”

“And your name is?”

“Peter Novak.”

The receptionist pursed her lips as she carefully surveyed a calendar on her desk. “Oh, yes, you’ll be seeing Mr. Riddick.”

Just hearing the name made the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

“Please have a seat. He’ll be right out.”

“Thank you.” Peter walked over to the nearest seat, an awkward-looking lounge chair made of polished metal. It looked like it was made from a large section of steel pipe that King Kong seized at both ends and twisted around until the two ends met, and then put a crease in the middle for a human to sit in. Not very practical, but interesting to look at. The feel of the chair was just as he suspected. He tried to adjust himself, hoping to improve the comfort, but he wasn’t having any luck. He glanced around at the NASA pictures along the walls; some were the Saturn rockets that took men to the moon. A smile flitted across his face when he pinpointed his dad’s, which strangely made him think of Anya.

He decided to fire off a quick text, knowing it was early evening for her. He quickly pulled out his smartphone and unlocked the screen. He simply typed, “I love you.” He kissed his finger before placing it over the words on the screen then hit the send button. He confirmed the sent message before powering down the phone, insuring he wouldn’t be disturbed during his interview. As his finger lingered over the power button, the phone buzzed. He looked at the screen to see a text from Anya.

“Ditto.”

A splash of joy shot through him, just what he needed. He placed his finger back on the power button when he was startled by another buzz. He looked down to see a new text.

“Double ditto.”

He smirked. Man, she types quick.

Peter’s concentration was broken when a soft, electronic buzz of an unlatching lock broke through the lobby’s still silence. Peter looked up in the direction of the hum to see a door gradually open. As the silhouette appeared, Peter instantly knew it was Chris Riddick. Every muscle tightened in his body as he quickly sent a smiley face to Anya before powering down the phone and placing it in his pocket. He plastered a smile on his face as he stood to greet the seventy-one-year-old man. Chris walked with an arrogant strut as he emerged from the shadows. The lights penetrated his pale, sunken face, which was expressionless. His green eyes never wavered from Peter’s.

As the man drew near, Peter pretended to be thrilled as he extended his hand. “Hello, Chris.”

Chris stopped just shy of Peter and studied him. After a weighty pause, he reached for his hand. A cautious smile crept on his face as they shook hands. “Hello, Peter.”

Peter was about to start with pleasantries he’d prepared when Chris let go and oddly turned back around. In a cold voice he said, “Follow me.”

Peter shrugged as he trailed the man.

After traveling through a short maze of hallways, they soon entered Chris’s office. Peter was impressed by the large suite with its stunning interior. A large, mahogany desk stood toward the back with two brown leather chairs across from it. By the entrance was a quaint sitting area, with an elegant leather couch across from a couple of comfortable, plush chairs. The office had a modern look, different from the lobby. Chris never had it so good at NASA.

Chris hastily pointed to the couch as he positioned himself in front of one of the posh chairs. “Why don’t you have a seat over there?”

Never missing a beat in his step, Peter walked to the couch with assurance before taking a seat. “Nice office.”

With a slight smirk, Chris fell back into the chair. “Thanks; one of the perks of working in the private sector.”

Peter was surprised by an unexpected stab of anger as bad memories began assailing him like shards of broken glass. Sitting across from Chris reminded Peter of the many heartbreaking meetings he had had with the former NASA man when he had been given one lame excuse after another on why he was being bypassed for yet another shuttle crew assignment. Peter briefly looked away to clear his mind.

Chris’s face tightened. “I thought it was kind of rude how you blew right past me at CIA headquarters a few months back.”

Always one to get right to the point, Chris was evidently done with the small talk. Peter clearly remembered their last encounter and was pleased to hear he pissed off the old man. Though his brush-off was intentional, he had to convince Chris otherwise. He decided to use the moon mission as his excuse. “I’m sorry about that, Chris. My mind was elsewhere at the time. I was still dealing with Dad’s death, and considering leaving SID to take on the mission to the moon. I had a million things going on in my mind at the time. I must not have heard you say hello. I definitely didn’t mean anything by it.”

Chris leaned back in his chair trying to read Peter. Chris cleared his throat. “I did take it personally, especially since we hadn’t seen each other for awhile. I wanted to give you my condolences on your dad’s passing. Remember, we had worked together on a mission. But you just ignored me. It felt mean spirited, like you had some issues with me or something.”

Peter wanted to scream I do have issues with you. You’re one big, back-stabbing prick. Instead, he took a calming breath as he raised both hands in surrender. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just extremely focused. I mean, I was considering leaving SID and flying a mission to the moon. Hopefully you can understand the magnitude of such a decision and how I was preoccupied.”

Chris intertwined his fingers across his belly. He didn’t look convinced. “All right, I accept your apology.” He straightened up in his chair. “So how did you get involved with SpaceQuest anyway?”

Since Chris had access to classified information before he was put on leave from NASA, he probably knew the agency was working with SID on a secret mission to the moon. Peter needed to come up with a plausible story. He decided this was an opportunity to appear willing to give confidential information, with the hope it might sway Chris’s decision. “Originally, going to the moon was a government operation before it was killed for being too risky. I had been introduced to the CEO of SpaceQuest, Allen Ferguson, before the operation was cancelled. I had made up my mind I was going to attempt it, with or without SID. I was doing this for Dad. After some private meetings with Allen, I was able to convince him how patriotic the mission would be for SpaceQuest and how docking with the International Space Station would improve their chances of getting a big contract from NASA.”

“You’re right, they did get a big jump on us, and we want to change that. But before I get into details, I have to first be honest with you, Peter. I was not the one who wanted you in here for this interview. Walter Goings, the president, was. He was excited to hear you were interested in the job and asked me to interview you. However, I personally question if we can work together. I feel you still harbor some resentment toward me.”

Hoping to persuade Chris otherwise, Peter quickly jumped in. “I—”

Chris arrogantly raised his hand. “Don’t bother trying to convince me otherwise. If you get the job, your ability to keep the past in the past will be something that will have to prove itself out over time. However, I have to say, I feel your experience with SpaceQuest is invaluable. I think there is a lot you could offer us.”

Peter smiled, even though his blood boiled.

Propping his elbows on his knees, Chris leveled a cold stare. An awkward silence filled the room. Peter wasn’t sure if his former boss was trying to make him feel uncomfortable or what. Does he want me to say something? He decided to stand his ground and just stared back. Finally, Chris blatantly asked, “Do you still have any association with SID?”

Prepared for the question, it was time for Peter to do his best acting job and flat out lie to the man. He vehemently shook his head as he answered with strong conviction in his voice. “I burned that bridge when I went against orders to fly to the moon. I knew I wouldn’t be welcomed back if I took on the mission, but as I said before, I did it for Dad. I had to restore his legacy. As his son, I owed it to him. Besides, you know how much I wanted to get into space.” Peter couldn’t help putting in that little dig to his old boss for never assigning him a shuttle seat. The comment didn’t seem to faze Chris as he studied Peter, apparently looking for any sign he wasn’t telling the truth.

With a blank look, Chris responded, “All right.”

Having a difficult time reading the man, Peter was unable to tell if he was coming across as convincing. Regardless, Chris couldn’t inform anyone within the company of his SID background. That knowledge was classified information, which by law he was prevented from sharing.

Chris’s whole body seemed to relax as he leaned back in his chair. He moved off the subject as if it wasn’t even discussed, addressing Peter as if he was just another candidate interviewing for the open position. “I should point out that EarthOrbit’s philosophy is different from SpaceQuest’s. That company seems set on not bringing in any NASA or aerospace employees that worked within our space program. They apparently don’t want to take advantage of the years of experience that’s out there, which EarthOrbit does. That’s why we’re based in Houston, so we can snatch up NASA’s top engineers and managers as they are let go due to the retirement of the Shuttle.”

Leaning back deeper in the couch, Peter crossed his legs. He was convinced Chris was a fan of EarthOrbit’s style because they gave him a job. SpaceQuest would have never hired such a washed-up old timer, especially one who had just been fired. Their thinking was to stay away from old school engineers and managers who were content with the bureaucracy found at NASA. SpaceQuest instead sought young energetic employees eager to be a part of a flat management structure that allowed decisions to be made more efficiently and quickly.

Chris started twirling his thumbs. “EarthOrbit has tried to mix the good of NASA with what makes a private company successful. We sub out a lot of our work like NASA did. Parts are built all over the world, and all the assembly takes place here. Again, it’s so we can take advantage of the expertise that already exists in the world.”

Peter uncrossed his legs. Taking advantage of experienced companies to make parts made sense. He could see some benefits in their style of operation.

“As you know, we have successfully delivered a few satellites into space. We feel we are farther along than SpaceQuest, but yet we have not been able to secure a contract with NASA to service the space station. That’s our goal and why I was brought on board. We feel such a contract would solidify us as a world leader in space travel. The position you are interviewing for will support me in this quest, as well as oversee astronaut selection and training. We are gearing up to be the first private company to successfully put a man in space and return him safely.”

Peter tried to look impressed, even though SpaceQuest had already pulled off that mission, returning him after he had saved the cosmonauts. Of course, Chris and the rest of the world were unaware of the rescue. “This all sounds very interesting.”

Chris leaned forward. “Good.” With no expression, he looked at his watch. “Well, I’m sorry, but I have to wrap this up. I have another meeting I need to get to. I’m glad you were able to come in. Again, my biggest concern is if we can work together.”

Alarms started going off in Peter’s head. Had Chris cut the interview short? Was it because he had already made up his mind? Peter also hadn’t asked any probing questions for getting some intelligence in case he wasn’t hired. He swallowed his pride and went into damage control. “I just want you to know I would be honored to work for you again. I have grown a lot over the years and came to realize how good I had it at NASA. I definitely regret leaving the agency. Not only am I positive we can work together, I believe we’ll make a great team. I have no doubt my NASA experience along with my SpaceQuest knowledge will allow me to help EarthOrbit dominate the space business.”

Chris had a smug look as he leaned back in his chair. “It’s interesting how the tables have turned over the years, and you now need my support. I remember when you left NASA, and you arrogantly said you didn’t care what I thought. This is just like what happened with your father and me. I used to always look to him for his approval and help. Then his career suddenly depended on me.”

Peter had no idea what Chris was talking about and wasn’t even going to acknowledge it. He was convinced the guy was full of shit. Seeing the man sitting there so righteous with his legs spread was like an invitation for Peter to walk up and kick the SOB in the nuts. He had to remind himself he was there to do a job, so he took a deep breath. “As I said, I learned a lot over the last few years.”

“Well, good. Your words do sound nice.” Chris rose from his seat. “Let’s see what Mr. Goings thinks. I’ll take you over to his office to meet him.”

Peter stood. He was sure he had struck out with Chris. His last shot was to convince the president and hope that he was the final decision maker.

WHEN PETER EMERGED out from behind Chris’s shadow as they entered Walter Goings’s office, he was blown away by its sheer size and elegance. It had the same amenities as Chris’s, but was much more impressive. There was a fancy, mirrored bar, a private restroom, and an adjoining room with a large conference table. The centerpiece of the large room was a model of the Zeus rocket sitting on a marble table with a spotlight shining down on it. The white rocket with red lettering seemed to glow. Goings was working intently at his computer as they entered. Chris’s voice interrupted the president’s concentration. “Walter, I would like to introduce you to Peter Novak.”

The fine-boned, handsome man with silver hair stood and approached with a skip in his step. Peter estimated the man was in his late fifties. He had a big grin on his face as he extended his hand. “Peter Novak, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

They met halfway, right next to the model rocket. Peter grabbed the man’s hand and gave a firm handshake. “The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Goings. I appreciate this opportunity to interview with EarthOrbit.”

“Call me Walter. So what do you think of our facility?”

That was an odd question, since all he had seen was the lobby and Chris’s office. “Nice so far. Of course, I haven’t really seen much.”

Walter turned to Chris with an eyebrow arched. “Didn’t you give him the tour?”

“Sorry, Walter, I’m late for the assessment meeting.”

Walter appeared frustrated as he looked Peter in the eye. “Don’t worry. I’ll personally give you one after we’re done.”

Chris patted Peter on the back. “Well, I better get going. Good to see you again.”

Doubting his sincerity, Peter played along. “Thanks, Chris. It was great seeing you too.”

Chris gave a quick wave to Walter. “We can talk later.” He then turned and bolted out the door.

Facing the four-foot model rocket, Walter put his hands on the marble table. He proudly eyed the company’s future. “This is the Zeus II rocket that will soon take our astronauts into space, launching from our spaceport in Nevada.”

Peter was aware of both, the rocket and the spaceport. He had always been impressed how far the company had come building their own launch facility, something SpaceQuest did not have. Having such a facility gave them the flexibility of launching when and how they wanted, not having to rely on NASA. The Zeus II, with its three-engine design, had already had some successful test launches from the site.

Slowly sliding his hands toward each other along the curve of the table until they touched, Walter leaned in. “EarthOrbit is proud to stand on the shoulders of the many space organizations that have passed before us.” Walter took the weight off his hands before pointing to the engines on the bottom of the model. “For example, those three engines are actually modified Soviet engines from the 1960s that were designed to send Russians to the moon. Those liquid oxygen and kerosene engines have been in storage for over three decades. We have modified them to include modern U.S. electronic controllers, ignition systems, control valves and even thrust vector control systems. And the rocket will be fully reusable. In fact, the first stage has successfully passed all tests proving it can fly on its own. It is designed to fly back to the spaceport by re-igniting one of the engines. Once safely overhead, the engine will shut down as the parachutes are deployed, landing it carefully back at the base.”

Walter then pointed to the top of the rocket. “And there is the Iris capsule, modeled after the Apollo spacecraft.” He turned and gave Peter a wink. “Which of course you know a little about.”

Walter was obviously acknowledging Peter’s heritage, which appeared to be a good thing.

The energized man turned. “We are hoping to capture lightning in a bottle, just like NASA did with the Apollo program.” His eyes settled on Peter. “We are one of only three companies vying for the precious NASA contract to send astronauts to the space station. Two months ago, Spaceplanes was the company to beat. They’re practically in bed with NASA with their Orbital Space Plane, which was based on NASA’s HL-20 spaceship that never flew. NASA would love to award the contract to a company using their old design, justifying the hundreds of millions of dollars they spent on the project.”

Peter was familiar with the HL-20, which was basically a mini-shuttle designed without engines to be a lifeboat for the International Space Station. NASA wanted an emergency spacecraft that could save at least seven astronauts. But after spending a ton of money on the project, some genius in the organization pointed out they could just dock a couple of Soyuz’s at the station to do the same thing. NASA was forced to shut down the project due to the shortsighted policy planning by the White House and Congress.

With his back to the model, Walter leaned back against the table. “At that time, two months ago, our company and SpaceQuest were basically tied behind Spaceplanes. Of course, that was before your little stunt to the moon.”

Peter took a step back as he shrugged.

“Now SpaceQuest has leapfrogged both companies and is sitting in the catbird seat. Unfortunately, EarthOrbit is now a distant third. I want to change that. There will be only one contract of this magnitude awarded, and we want it.” Walter crossed his arms. “Do you think you can help us get it?”

Peter enthusiastically responded, “Yes, sir.”

Walter smiled as he pointed toward his desk. “Good. Come on over and have a seat.”

“Thanks.” Peter walked straight toward the chair across from the president’s desk and sat while Walter circled to the other side.

Walter seemed a bit giddy as he fell back in his chair. “I have to say, I’m honored to be sitting across from a man who was just at the moon. That was some stunt. Just too bad it was with SpaceQuest’s equipment and not ours.”

Peter relaxed. His hopes of getting the job were improving. Walter’s enthusiasm was encouraging. “Thanks, Walter. I’m positive your equipment would have also done the job.”

“I’m confident it would have. Well, I look forward to hearing more details on that mission.” Walter paused as he opened a file in front of him.

He planned on hearing more details? When? Peter took that as saying he had the job.

“You have an impressive resume.”

“Thank you.”

“EarthOrbit prides itself on bringing in qualified engineers and managers from America’s space program. We are not looking to reinvent the wheel. We want to learn from NASA and the other space agencies around the world. Take what they have accomplished and build on it. Your background with NASA along with the time you spent at SpaceQuest would make you a great addition to our family.” Walter leaned forward and put his hands on his desk. “And that’s what we are, a family. We are a close-knit group of hard-working individuals that have fun together, working as a team to make EarthOrbit the leader in the space business.”

Peter got the impression Walter was a proud American. He doubted the man could be a part of any type of conspiracy. If something was going on, it was probably without his knowledge. “It would be an honor to be a part of this family.”

Walter smiled as he fell back in his seat. “Good.” The thin man laid both arms out along the chair’s armrests. “You know I am in this business because of men like your father. I was a very impressionable teenager when we went to the moon, and America’s success in space eventually set my life’s course. After that first step on the moon, I was destined to be in the space business. My hope was to be an astronaut like most teenagers at the time, but of course that didn’t happen.” He brought both hands together and set them in his lap. “I’m sorry about the passing of your father. He was a great American.”

Walter sounded sincere. “Thank you, I appreciate you saying that.”

“You know, I met him once. In fact, it’s kind of a funny story. We were both in a corporate jet flying from California to Houston. The pilot offered to let your dad sit in the co-pilot seat. Back where I was sitting, I could see the pilot let your dad take the controls. Eventually the pilot left for the restroom at the back of the plane. There were probably four of us in the galley, reading and talking.” Walter held up his two hands together, pantomiming the plane’s wings. “Your dad started to lightly rock the plane back and forth, but in such a way no one could feel it. I happened to be looking out the window and noticed the rocking. Knowing your dad had flown all kinds of jets, I decided not to say anything and see what he was up to. Each rock seemed to sway the plane a little more each time until your dad spun us completely around.” He guffawed. “He did a full barrel roll, and a pretty damn good one at that! None of the other gentlemen felt it or noticed anything. It was the funniest sight, seeing the pilot with a stunned look come running out of the restroom with his zipper halfway down. He ran past all of us and snatched the controls from your dad, yelling, ‘What are you trying to do, kill us?’ Your dad just smiled and walked back to his seat.”

Peter laughed. “I never heard that story. But that was one thing about Dad, he loved to roll planes. He wanted to roll everything he flew. He would roll a 747 if he had the chance!” Peter was beginning to like Walter.