briskly catching up to him, Joram’s curiosity won out over
discretion. He turned his face towards Zimmer and asked,
“Professor, what is this about?”
“ I’m not at liberty to say
here in the terminal, Joram,” the professor looked straight ahead
and continued his rapid pace. “While the situation was declassified
just moments before my plane landed, NASA is scheduling a press
conference later this evening, and I am not at liberty to speak of
the matter here. I’ll tell you everything once we’re aboard the
helicopter.”
Joram tried to piece the
clues together. Situation? NASA? Press conf… Joram looked at his
watch… a press conference later this evening? It was already 11:45
PM. Why would NASA schedule a press conference this late in the
evening? Something was obviously very urgent. And then, didn’t the
professor say something about a plane landing? But he was just in
class with him about 12 hours ago. Where could he have gone—and
returned—so suddenly?
The professor continued
his pace with the students following along with him silently all
the way to the tarmac where a helicopter’s blades were already
whirring overhead. A pair of airport personnel rushed out to meet
the party and assist the group and their luggage into the
helicopter. A pilot assisted Kath into the cockpit first and then
helped Joram, Reyd, and lastly the professor. Each seat had a
headset on it, and each member placed it on their heads. After the
pilot gave some brief instructions, all of the passengers were
harnessed into their seat and clearance was granted from air
traffic controllers for departure.
The helicopter lifted
slowly off the ground, and the three students gazed out of their
windows to see the lights of Southern California stretch to the
horizon in nearly all directions. A smattering of lights could also
be seen in the mountains to the north of the city. They watched
until the ground disappeared under a dense marine layer and soon
all that could be seen was the flashing lights of the helicopter
itself and the moonless sky filled with a vast array of stars of
various brightness and color. Joram admired the scene overhead. He
had only been in Southern California for a week, and he was already
missing the expansive, star-filled sky over his home in
Kansas.
Joram looked back over at
the professor who was studying the contents of a manila folder
intently. After a moment he looked up at the pilot, who was engaged
with final departure communication from the airport. The pilot
looked back at Zimmer and nodded.
Reaching for a button on
his headset, he engaged his microphone. Looking at his perplexed
trio, he spoke, “Can you all hear me okay?” They each nodded and leaned towards the professor with
intent curiosity, as if by proximity they would be able to hear him
through the noise of the helicopter better.
“ You’ll recall that Dean
Scoville came into my classroom today as lecture was finishing up.
He led me to his office, where I was given a very urgent assignment
from NASA. I have been to Johnson Space Center, where they have
briefed me on a situation of utmost concern.” He paused, not sure
how to continue. “It is our lot to solve a rather perplexing
astronomical puzzle as quickly as possible, which is why I have
summoned the three of you to travel with me to Palomar
tonight.”
He caught himself with
that statement, “By the way, I have failed to thank you for your
willingness to do this without sufficient preparation or
explanation. My apologies for not being clearer… I had to be brief
on the phone because this situation was classified when I spoke to
you.”
Another longer pause
ensued, as he was not sure he wanted to precede his briefing with
the following introduction. “There are at least three astronauts
whose lives could be in jeopardy at this very moment.”
At that, Kath gave a
start, and covered her gasping mouth with her hands. Joram leaned
back in his seat, horrified at the implication. Reyd
discretion. He turned his face towards Zimmer and asked,
“Professor, what is this about?”
“ I’m not at liberty to say
here in the terminal, Joram,” the professor looked straight ahead
and continued his rapid pace. “While the situation was declassified
just moments before my plane landed, NASA is scheduling a press
conference later this evening, and I am not at liberty to speak of
the matter here. I’ll tell you everything once we’re aboard the
helicopter.”
Joram tried to piece the
clues together. Situation? NASA? Press conf… Joram looked at his
watch… a press conference later this evening? It was already 11:45
PM. Why would NASA schedule a press conference this late in the
evening? Something was obviously very urgent. And then, didn’t the
professor say something about a plane landing? But he was just in
class with him about 12 hours ago. Where could he have gone—and
returned—so suddenly?
The professor continued
his pace with the students following along with him silently all
the way to the tarmac where a helicopter’s blades were already
whirring overhead. A pair of airport personnel rushed out to meet
the party and assist the group and their luggage into the
helicopter. A pilot assisted Kath into the cockpit first and then
helped Joram, Reyd, and lastly the professor. Each seat had a
headset on it, and each member placed it on their heads. After the
pilot gave some brief instructions, all of the passengers were
harnessed into their seat and clearance was granted from air
traffic controllers for departure.
The helicopter lifted
slowly off the ground, and the three students gazed out of their
windows to see the lights of Southern California stretch to the
horizon in nearly all directions. A smattering of lights could also
be seen in the mountains to the north of the city. They watched
until the ground disappeared under a dense marine layer and soon
all that could be seen was the flashing lights of the helicopter
itself and the moonless sky filled with a vast array of stars of
various brightness and color. Joram admired the scene overhead. He
had only been in Southern California for a week, and he was already
missing the expansive, star-filled sky over his home in
Kansas.
Joram looked back over at
the professor who was studying the contents of a manila folder
intently. After a moment he looked up at the pilot, who was engaged
with final departure communication from the airport. The pilot
looked back at Zimmer and nodded.
Reaching for a button on
his headset, he engaged his microphone. Looking at his perplexed
trio, he spoke, “Can you all hear me okay?” They each nodded and leaned towards the professor with
intent curiosity, as if by proximity they would be able to hear him
through the noise of the helicopter better.
“ You’ll recall that Dean
Scoville came into my classroom today as lecture was finishing up.
He led me to his office, where I was given a very urgent assignment
from NASA. I have been to Johnson Space Center, where they have
briefed me on a situation of utmost concern.” He paused, not sure
how to continue. “It is our lot to solve a rather perplexing
astronomical puzzle as quickly as possible, which is why I have
summoned the three of you to travel with me to Palomar
tonight.”
He caught himself with
that statement, “By the way, I have failed to thank you for your
willingness to do this without sufficient preparation or
explanation. My apologies for not being clearer… I had to be brief
on the phone because this situation was classified when I spoke to
you.”
Another longer pause
ensued, as he was not sure he wanted to precede his briefing with
the following introduction. “There are at least three astronauts
whose lives could be in jeopardy at this very moment.”
At that, Kath gave a
start, and covered her gasping mouth with her hands. Joram leaned
back in his seat, horrified at the implication. Reyd
Similar Books
