Dark Star Rising Second Edition (Pebbles in The Sky) (40 page)

Peter looked up at Mike.  “You know what we really need here don’t you Mike?”

“I know, I know.  We need a manned orbiter with deployable robot probes.  I just don’t know if we can afford that or convince the President to authorize it.  We have a spare Mars Transfer ship that we could use, but it would be complicated getting it there in time to do some good science before it had to leave again as the planet swung away.  After that, it will be almost eight to nine years before we have another really good window for a manned mission. I will talk to General Seale about crew status and then try and hit the President up at an opportune time.  Peter, let’s get a few of these better images released to the press and see if we cannot get the public curious and involved.  It may be hard to do now that they can see the dwarf in the sky, but it cannot hurt.  If the general public gets involved it will make it easier to get a manned mission approved.”

“We’ll get on it Mike,” said Peter.  “Robby, keep trying to get that other instrument boom to deploy.  I know it is probably a lost cause
, but just keep trying.  We are going to lose our photo shoot opportunity real soon.  That radar imager would be able to see through the fog. If the radar imager can be brought on line it could keep us up to date on what the surface of that ocean is doing after it is fogged in.”

Chapter 46

March 14
th
2042

Birmingham Relocation District

President Walden walked with his entourage through the new re-location housing development in Southwest Birmingham, Alabama.  This one housing development had been planned for over a hundred thousand residents.  The twenty story buildings were laid out in two by two blocks.  Every third block was dedicated to retail stores, restaurants, or other small service businesses.  There was a park or recreation area about every six to seven blocks.  The sides of streets were planted in maples that over the past seven to eight years since their planting were starting to branch out and provide some shade to pedestrians on the sidewalks below.  On the streets, there was a moderate amount of automobile
traffic, all of it was electric vehicles as older vehicles with internal combustion engines were prohibited in the new developments.  Twenty feet underground were moving sidewalks that could propel people up to ten mph in addition to their own walking pace for transportation around the local residential development.  Deeper underground, there were high speed rail tubes for taking residents of the area to the greater Birmingham Industrial Area and the old city.

Governor Jamison of Alabama and Mayor Tristan of the residential development were pointing out features to the President as they walked ahead of the President’s security detail.  “As you can see
, Mr. President, this development has the most modern standards of suburban living.  Most of the residents that have re-located here are from the Detroit and Chicago areas.  Relocation services are trying their best to keep local communities from up north intact as they move the populace here.  As a matter of fact, you can find some of the same old family Italian restaurants from Chicago that have re-located here to this area.  You can dine out on a sidewalk bistro almost eight months out of the year here due to warmer weather, although they tell us that will change after the encounter.  They expect our climate to be very similar to what Chicago has now, except we will not have the lake effect snows that Chicago presently experiences in the winter time,” explained the mayor.

“Tell me
, Governor, why is it that this, and most of the other re-location projects are only sixty percent full?  These new relocation areas are modern, energy efficient, have all the newest amenities, and are available at zero percent loans.  There are still millions in the northern cities however that refuse to move.  In a year from now, we are going to start seeing flooding, earthquakes, and the other effects from the encounter and people still are not willing to move.  A large portion of the industrial base has already moved due to the tax credits and other incentives offered for companies that moved their factories south, but some people are just so damn stubborn.  Is there anything else we can possibly do to entice them to start moving now?” asked the President.

The Governor was quiet as he thought for a moment, and then answered. “Mr. President, I am afraid that we are going to have to face the fact that many people are not going to leave their homes up north, on the coast, or in the earthquake regions until they get scared.

When they can see the Dwarf growing in the sky, and the ground starts shaking, or the streets start flooding, then they will move, and then it is going to be chaos.  It will start with a trickle and then turn into a flood of humanity all trying to escape to safety.  I would be ready at that point to keep order as well as possible.  Many of the people who have already relocated south or inland were the city dwellers.  Moving from an old apartment in downtown Chicago to a brand new one in a better climate was a no brainer for them, especially with the zero percent loans to help them buy a new home.  It was an opportunity for many who have never owned a home to buy one at a good price.  Others who do not want to buy a home simply lease at the subsidized prices.

You also have to look at our country’s population.  From a peak near three hundred million, I think the latest census showed that by the time of the encounter a year from now our population will be below two hundred million. With so many Hispanic immigrants going back south to their homelands, and
with the strict birth control policies implemented twenty years ago, our population is falling dramatically.  The relocation projects were built to hold around one hundred million residents.  Many have chosen to buy land or older homes here in the south so not everyone moved into them.  I believe that we will have about a fifteen percent surplus in federally built housing after everyone else relocates.”

“We may need that surplus,” replied the President.  My advisors are recommending now that we evacuate just about everyone from the Hawaiian Islands, at least until after the encounter is over.  There is considerable agreement that the volcanoes there are going to become quite active, and may endanger large portions of the populace.  Hell, the Island chain is nothing but the tops of volcanoes sticking up out of the ocean anyway.  The Prime Minister of the New British Common Wealth is also asking if we could possibly accept a couple of million Canadians that have refused to re-locate to Australia.  Australia, and the northern New Zealand Island are busting at the seams anyway from all the people from the United Kingdom and they can hardly support any more.  The British were a little more draconian and started a mandatory immigration policy last year for the last people that refuse to evacuate the home islands.  Only vital industry and farmers are going to be allowed to stay after the encounter.  It is pretty well accepted that the entirety of Ireland, Scotland, and Great Britain will probably be under ice within ten to fifteen years or so.”

“I think that the Canuks might fit in pretty well here,” said the Mayor.  Their climate and life style is similar to what most of these residents have had in the past.  If they can contribute, and have useful skills, then let’s bring them on board.” 

“Mr. President, may I offer some advice?” asked the Governor.

“Of course,” said the President jokingly. “Everyone else does.”

“No, I am serious,” replied the Governor.  “While I agree that the people relocating to our southern states should have their own congressional representation, I think that there should be a time limit on the constitutional amendment that is being made.  In order to ease their transition, let them elect representation for their federal zones for say eight years, and then the present number of senators and representatives
should be adjusted back down to an appropriate level for the population.  Otherwise, there will always be an “us and them” attitude.  People will not be assimilated into their new homes and will try to remain separate and that would not bode well for the country as a whole.  The sooner everyone accepts the new status quo, the sooner things will settle back down to normal.”

The President nodded. “That is what my advisors have also been telling me.  Right now we still have a north and south disagreement so to speak.  The politicians from the northern states hate to lose their congressional seats as the population is shifting so there is some bitter debates going on.  I am just hoping that people will wake up and smell the roses in the next year.  Things are not going to be the same after the encounter.”

The mayor laughed. “Mr. President, with all respect, we all know that you are not a politician by nature or choice.  You need to realize that when it comes to politics, nothing ever changes.  Those in power want to stay in power and those that are not, want to replace those that are.  It has always been that way and always will be.”

The entourage had reached the end of their walking tour and there was a group of several hundred people consisting of local residents and some reporters waiting where the President’s motorcade was parked.  In the group there was a little boy about six years old standing in front of his mother trying his best to salute the President.  The President walked over to the little boy and saluted him and crouched down to speak to him.  “What is your name sonny?”

“Michael Waslasky, sir,” the boy replied.

“How do you like living down here in the south in these nice new apartment buildings Michael?”

“They are really nice, but I can’t wait for it to snow and get cold,” said Michael.

“Oh really, why is that?” asked the President in surprise.

“Because I like to go ice fishing with my father in the winter time.  The lakes down here never freeze into ice,” said Michael.

Everyone laughed and the President replied. “Michael, you may get your wish much sooner than you expect.  What do you want to do when you grow up Michael?”

“I am going to study real hard and be an astronaut in the Space Force,” said Michael.  “I want to go live on Mars or some other really cool place.”

The President smiled at him and looked up at the boy’s mother. “Well Michael, you go to school and study real hard and we might just have a place for you some day.”  The President tousled the boy’s hair, waved to the crowd and walked to his waiting transportation van.

Chapter 47

August 14
th
2042

Waipio Valley, Hawaii

“Damn it,” Jessica cursed in exasperation.  “That is three that have gotten away today.”

Maria, her field partner shrugged.  “I told you we have been having trouble catching Pueo specimens for DNA samples.”

Jessica threw her bird net down and sat down on a rock to rest.  The humidity was really getting to her here in the tropical rain forest.  She had come to believe that the humidity was bad back in Georgia, but here it was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Maria and Jessica were one of five teams trying to get as many DNA specimens as possible from the Pueo, an owl endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.

They had two more weeks before the DNA Ark field office was going to close here in the islands.  There was a great concern that the volcanoes that formed this island chain, as well as several that were below sea level in the vicinity were about to become very active as the encounter with the Dwarf neared.  As many animals and plants as possible that were endemic to these islands, were being sampled and the DNA samples being sent to the Ark Projects before the volcanoes starting erupted.  If the scientist’s fears came to bear, many of these plants and animals could very well become extinct in the very near future.  Jessica had flown to Hawaii to give a pep talk to the teams still there and see how the work was progressing.  She had decided to stay and help as the work was coming to an end.  Catching these owls was giving the teams fits.  They had tried large nets strung between trees as well as trying to net them on bait traps.  They were having little luck trying to get DNA samples from at least five hundred different owls.

“Ok, let’s get back down to the ground transport,” Marla said. “Maybe some of the other teams have had more success.  This was the only nest that was known to been in this area.   We thought that there were hatchlings in it but I do not see any egg shells so she may have not laid eggs yet.”  As they made their way back down through the forest toward the forestry road Maria struck up a conversation with Jessica. 
“Where are you going to be during the encounter time, Doctor Driskall?”