03Rise of the Beast, page 18
The scientists and members of the press filed into the large lecture hall at NASA’s Johnson Space Center outside of Houston, Texas. There was a real buzz in the air; there had been all summer. Comet Florence had now been tracked for nearly a year and a half. Its orbit was continually being refined as ever more positions were plotted. For the past three months, the Earth’s orbit had placed the comet too close to the sun in the sky to be observed by Earthly observers. Now it was far enough from the sun’s glare to be observed by space telescopes in orbit of Earth.
It had now been observed by the aging Hubble Space Telescope. NASA had actually overridden several safety protocols in order to point the telescope so close to the solar disk, but the risk had paid off. They now had in their possession images that would answer the question as to whether the Earth was still in imminent peril. On this October morning the world would know what, up until now, only a few scientists and high officials knew.
Four experts sat on the stage before the assembling crowd. One of them was Dr. Sam Florence, the comet’s discoverer. Today was the day of truth. Were we still on the crosshairs of Comet Florence, or were we to be spared by an act of complex gravitational interactions?
This briefing was being carried by every major network around the world. Soon the world would know the answer to the most pressing question of the millennium.
The hall lights went down as Dr. Henry Brown, the new director of NASA’s planetary exploration division, took center stage. He took a moment to introduce the members of the panel. He spoke of their contributions to the program. All the while, the tension in the room grew. Dr. Brown paused for just six or seven seconds. He would keep the crowd in suspense no longer. His growing smile was encouraging.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is the unanimous opinion of this committee that we have dodged the apocalyptic bullet. Our best estimates give us a closest approach to Earth of Comet Florence of 183,000 kilometers, 111,000 miles, with a statistical margin of error of approximately 36,000 kilometers, 22,000 miles. That’s places it about halfway to the moon at closest approach. In short, the odds of impact with the Earth as it currently stands, are one in 40 million.”
The swell of relief that swept through the room was something to behold. It quickly broke into wild applause. People cried and hugged each other. Human civilization would go on. Dr. Brown went on to display a set of PowerPoint slides of the comet’s path and how that path was derived, but to most of those present, this was of only secondary concern.
“We’ll have ringside seats to one of the most incredible spectacles in human history. Now, there are still some concerns,” cautioned Brown, “very serious concerns. Yes, Earth itself is safe; however, we are going to pass through the comet’s outer coma, its tenuous atmosphere. How serious a problem this is depends largely on how dusty the comet’s coma turns out to be. Certainly, it will produce a meteor storm the likes of which no one has ever seen. But it is highly unlikely that any of these meteors will reach the ground. Most will range from the size of specks of dust to grains of sand. It will be a spectacular display from horizon to horizon lasting several nights, but it will pose no hazard to those of us on the ground. The problem is that these particles might sandblast many of our satellites in Earth orbit. We could be looking at losses in the billions of dollars if Comet Florence is a particularly dusty comet, like Halley. Then again, it might be a comet like Temple 2, with very little dust, producing little or no damage to our network of satellites. We just don’t know yet. But satellites can be replaced; our Earth can’t. It might be noted that, as a precaution, the space station will be evacuated during that period of time. In addition, all commercial, government, and military space flight will be suspended for the time we are in the coma. We’re just playing it safe, that’s all.”
“Does this mean that the comet intercept mission will be abandoned?” asked the MSNBC correspondent.
“In part,” replied Dr. Brown. “The two deflection missions carrying large nuclear devices will be canceled. There is no need for them, and at this point, the risks outweigh the gains. They were by far the most expensive aspects of the project. However, a smaller vehicle, that shall be launched next year, will loop around Jupiter and use its gravity assist to swing it around and follow the comet on its path through the inner solar system. It will provide us with valuable information about the comet’s structure. It will also warn us in advance if anything unforeseen happens.”
“Like what?” asked the correspondent.
Dr. Brown chuckled. “Well, if we knew that, it wouldn’t be unforeseen. No, seriously, what we are still concerned about is explosions of gas and dust on the comet’s surface as it grows closer to the sun. This could increase the amount of dust in the comet’s coma, increasing the hazard to satellites in Earth orbit. A worst case scenario would be an eruption just before the comet reached us, filling the coma with dust at the worst possible time.”
“For a time, NASA would have had us to believe that the comet had us on the crosshairs,” noted a reporter from the Post. “What has happened to change that?”
“Thoroughly evaluating the paths of astronomical objects like comets takes time,” noted Sam Florence. “In many ways, we were in uncharted territory, observing the comet both from Earth and a satellite in deep space. There was a point when things looked very grim. However, tiny gravitational interactions have been playing with the comet during the past year, to say nothing of the inevitable inaccuracies of our own scientific measurements. We have gone from a Doomsday scenario to what may be the most spectacular sky show in human history. I suppose people need to wind down and enjoy the show.”
The press conference went on for another half hour, but the atmosphere had changed. Gone was the dread of calamity, replaced by the excitement and exuberance of an incredible display of nature at its best.
Still, as Sam Florence left the building and made his way to his car, he was troubled. Something was wrong, though he knew not what.
Autumn turned to winter. Chris and Serena kept a close eye on the goings on at the New World Faith Center. That wasn’t difficult; the center was increasingly in the news. Lusan had been called the greatest faith healer since the apostles walked the Earth. The comparison made Serena cringe. She knew the truth. It was a real smoke and mirrors act. Lusan’s invisible minions brought about the poor soul’s infirmity, and Lusan gave that spirit the cue to leave. Then they could oppress someone else, and the cycle repeated itself.
Lusan was about to embark on his second crusade, a tour that would take him to virtually every country in Europe. Using the Internet and armed with the Freedom of Information Act, Serena did her best to trace the Center’s business deals. It had become a real spider’s web on an international scale. Still, it perplexed Serena; what was Satan up to? He had his hand in government, biotechnology, and high technology electronics. There was so much going on. It just didn’t fit together, at least, not yet. Most peculiar was his organization’s purchase of a small South Pacific island that was to have become an exclusive resort. It had been the worldwide meltdown, and the great recession that followed, that had put an end to that project way back in 2008. Since then, the nearly completed structures had rusted and rotted in the damp tropical air, with no buyer in sight. Lusan had picked it up at bargain-basement prices. What would he want with a South Pacific island in the first place? That would be a difficult question to answer because his private island was off limits to outsiders. It was just another odd piece in the puzzle.
Winter held New York City in its icy grip. It seemed that this winter might be even colder than the last. Scientists were calling it a Maunder Minimum, the onset of a little ice age that was only partially offset by global warming. Snow filled the air, drifting through the great canyon formed by the tall buildings of the city toward the boulevard below.
Leland James glanced up from his computer, looking out across his large, well-furnished office and then out the window at the falling snow. Never in his wildest dreams had he envisioned such a life as he had now. When he’d accepted the job of chief financial officer for Lusan’s ministerial organization over a year ago, he’d imagined a task much more limited in scope. Yes, he was equipped for the challenge. He held a degree in accounting and had significant experience in business administration. But now he oversaw the finances of a global corporation. Some of it was nonprofit, other aspects were not. Even with the assistance of his well-trained professional staff, Leland was easily putting in 50 to 60 hours a week. There was just so much to oversee. That and Krissie’s demanding schedule gave him and his wife very little quality time together.
Krissie would be accompanying Lusan on his European tour next month. Again, they’d be apart. He would miss her terribly; he always did. Still, the show had to go on. There was a world to reach out there, and they’d all need to do their part to accomplish it.
Lusan had his hands in enterprises ranging from his ministry, to mining, to manufacturing, to scientific and engineering enterprises. An infrastructure that any other entrepreneur might have taken a lifetime to put together, Lusan had done in a little over a year. Then again, he wasn’t just any entrepreneur, was he? He was an angel, as were many of the other administrators of his organization. To Leland’s knowledge, he was the highest-ranking human in the corporation.
Leland could now spot an angel in a crowd of humans. Even when the angel was in disguise, as they always were, Leland could point them out. That fact had impressed Lusan. It was a significant accomplishment, requiring a degree of spiritual discernment that most humans lacked. Angels had an invisible aura about them that Leland could sense at a glance. Humans didn’t have that aura. At least most humans didn’t. There were some people in the organization that Leland couldn’t figure. They didn’t have the aura of an angel, but they didn’t seem quite human either. They were something in between. They were an odd breed. They had a tendency to make Leland feel uneasy. As the months had gone by, Leland found himself dealing with an ever-greater number of these people. He’d even seen that aura appear virtually overnight in people who had previously not exhibited it. Leland had never asked Lusan about those people.
His attention returned to the computer spreadsheet before him. “Deuterated water?” he said, under his breath. “What are we going to do with 80 kilograms of deuterated water, build a hydrogen bomb?”
When Leland ran into a line item that was unfamiliar to him, he always looked it up. He’d been doing that a lot lately. Deuterated water was also called heavy water. It was used by nuclear physicists. This shipment was heading toward the island. That was another thing. What did Lusan need with an island in the Pacific?
Lusan had said something about the angels needing a place where they could be alone, among their own kind. Still, Leland suspected that there was something more to it than that. He’d authored the purchase of heavy equipment, dynamos, turbines, and all manner of electronics for the island. It seemed to him like this was a bit more than an island resort for angels.
“My friend, Leland,” said a cheerful voice from the other side of the office.
Leland looked up from his spreadsheet to see Lusan all decked out in his finest business suit. “Looking good this morning, boss,” said Leland.
“Thank you very much,” said Lusan, stepping to Leland’s side. “I need you and your staff to find me some items. They are items we shall need for our construction projects on the island. I need it to be expedited.” Lusan handed Leland a computer jump drive. “I could have sent this to you by email, but I wanted to drop by personally. We rarely have time to talk anymore.”
Leland smiled. “No we don’t. Saving the world seems to be a full-time job.”
Lusan laughed openly. “Oh, my friend, it always has been. I’ve been in the business for a very long time. It hasn’t gotten any easier, I can assure you. But working with people such as you makes it all worth it.”
Leland popped the jump drive in the USB port of his computer and scanned Lusan’s list. His eyes opened wide when he saw its contents: “1,845,000 metric tons of concrete, over five kilometers of heavy rebar, and enough lumber to build a small town. This is some order.”
Lusan cocked his head in such an odd way, for a human, that is. “Is there any problem with the order?”
Leland hesitated. “Well, no. I can get these materials all right. The cargo and dock facility on the island is complete. The runway is also repaired. Still, it is only 3,400 feet long. We can bring in crews and light materials on it, but it won’t handle large cargo planes. The existing roads into the interior of the island have all been repaired, no problem there. We can get these materials in there, and get them to the job site.
“That is good,” replied Lusan. “It is important that we get the preliminary work done before the onset of typhoon season.”
Leland nodded; then he could keep his silence no longer. “My heavens, Lusan, this is a huge investment. You have sunk over a billion dollars into this project already. The whole island only cost us 48 million. What are you doing out there?”
Lusan hesitated. “It’s a secret, a project of great importance.” Again he paused. “But no, not to you. Yes, I’ll tell you what it is Leland. I’ll tell you, but there is a provision. You must tell no one else. It must remain our secret. It is too sensitive a matter for the world of humans to know, at least for the moment.”
“You have my promise,” replied Leland. “It won’t be like the last time. You can confide in me.”
Lusan placed his hand on Leland’s shoulder. “Oh, my friend, I hold no ill will toward you about what you told your grandmother. No, that is in the past; it is forgotten. Indeed, there was nothing to forgive. I understand why you did it. But back to the issue of the island—I am involved in a scientific investigation, a project that fuses the fields of physics and engineering. In very fact, that is what it is. I am prepared to demonstrate a practical nuclear fusion reactor that will produce limitless power for humanity. Think about it, my friend. What is the root source of human discontent and strife? I tell you it is want—want for energy, for food, for water. But energy can be the key to the other two. Indeed, fusion power will save the environment of this planet. It is totally nonpolluting. It leaves no carbon footprint.”
“Yes,” confirmed Leland. “But we humans have been trying to make nuclear fusion work for over half a century. We haven’t had any luck.”
“So, give us angels a chance,” said Lusan. Leland looked at Lusan incredulously. “Do you actually know how to build one?”
Lusan shook his head. “Do I know how to build one? No, I don’t. That has never been my purpose in God’s Kingdom. I am not a builder. I am, and have always been, what you humans might call a manager. It is my task to coordinate the efforts of others. And, if I may be so bold as to say it, I am the best. That is why I was selected to lead this project. But there are others, angelic scientists and engineers, who do understand this thing. We will coordinate our efforts with those of our human counterparts to build a full-scale prototype of just such a reactor. They have been working on the design for nearly a year. We will build it on that island.”
“But why there?” asked Leland. “The costs of the construction that we have undertaken on that island have been made even higher by its remoteness, its isolation.”
“But that is just the point,” replied Lusan. “It is because of its isolation that we build there. Understand, we have never built a unit exactly like this one. There are certain risks. We understand the theory, but that is just what it is, a theory. It is a far cry from actual experience. If something happens, something very bad, it might be best if it happened in a remote location. We can ill afford to place the general public at risk. Now, understand, the risk factor is low, but it is not zero. It is not in my nature to take risks when human life is involved. I’m sure you understand.”
“Yes, I do,” replied Leland. “I think I understand now. I assure you, your secret is safe.”
Lusan laughed again. “I never had any doubts. Now, obtain for me a good price for those items. Though extensive, my resources are not unlimited.”
“You got it, boss,” replied Leland. “I hope, at some point, I’ll get to see this wonder of engineering for myself.”
“Oh, be assured you will,” said Lusan, “you and your lovely wife, too. I’ll see to it that you get the full tour of Lusan’s island of wonders.”
“Oh my heavens it’s cold out there,” remarked Sam Florence, stepping into the warm control room of the Discovery Channel Observatory.
Ken, the 62-year-old observatory assistant smiled. “Eight below zero, according to the thermometer. Welcome back to the high country, Sam. It’s a far cry from Phoenix.”
Sam smiled and sat down beside Ken at the control console. “Ten minutes until morning twilight. This observing run is just about over.”
“You got two clear nights back to back,” noted Ken. “You had no equipment problems this time around. We didn’t even have to pray over the equipment.”
“You might not have, but I did,” noted Sam. “I do every night I observe.”
That comment made Ken laugh. “It’s probably not a bad idea. I reckon that you’ll have a mountain of data to go through before you come back this way again in April.”
“I only took three images of the comet,” noted Sam. “Mostly I was searching for new snowballs beyond Neptune. I computed the position of the comet, got a new orbital solution. I think I can safely say that there is a zero percent chance of impact with Earth.” Sam paused. “You know, Ken, I had really convinced myself that this comet was the Wormwood spoken of in the book of Revelation. You know, the flying mountain cast into the sea.”
“You’re not the only one who thought that,” said Ken. “Still, the end of times, she is a coming, you mark my words. The Beast is already among us. He ought to be, oh, about 35 or 36 years old about now.”
