The Earthrise Trilogy (27 page)

Chapter 11.

The Return

"How's it coming Tris?" Steve asked, on entering the workshop.
 

"It's going well Steve, we still have some minor niggles to iron out, but a few more days ought to see it completed."
 

"Good work, let me know if you need anything."
 

Steve left feeling distinctly old. Young Tris had really taken over the whole department and obviously loved every minute of it. Before he'd gone too far, he turned and called back, "Hey Tris, fancy coming with us when we go and fetch them?"
 

"You bet!" Came the excited reply. Actually, Steve had an ulterior motive for inviting Tris along on the trip; he wanted him to survey the main ship with a view to making modifications to it. Steve was developing a retirement plan of his own.

The walk back to the settlement seemed shorter each time he did it. The news from Earth had really intrigued him, did he have the same abilities as Jake? Steve wanted to find out, but Clare met him half-way.
 

"Hi Hun, penny for them."
 

"What? Oh, sorry Sweetie, I was miles away."
 

"You were thinking about Jake," she said. "That's right, how did you know?"
 

"After that last radio message, it's what everyone is thinking about, should we find out what we can do?" She teased, but before he could answer she was off running like the wind. Steve set off after her, and to his amazement, he soon caught her up. It was no effort at all so they kept going until they reached the lake. It was still no effort, so they set off around the edge of the lake and soon reached the other side.
 

"This is wonderful," Clare said, giggling like a school girl, "I don't feel tired at all, and we've run a couple of miles."
 

Steve didn't answer, he had something else on his mind. He accelerated away from Clare and cut in front of her. She stopped running and just looked at him with her mouth open. Steve had run onto the lake, but wasn't so much
in
it, as
on
it.
 

"Come on," he shouted, "see if you can do it too." Clare was not one to pass up a challenge, so she started after him. She hit the waters edge and kept going.
 

"Weeeee," she screamed out in glee, "I'm running on the water." She was so focused on herself that she didn't see Steve standing some way off to her right. He just stood and watched the woman he loved having the time of her life. When she did eventually see him, he was sitting cross-legged on the water with his head resting on his hands staring at her. She slowed to a walk and came over to him.
 

"Pull up a wave," he said laughing.
 

"Is this for real?" she said, as she sat by his side.
 

"Oh it's real all right, I'm wet through, and the water's freezing.

"Sweetie, while we're here and on our own, can I run something by you?"
 

"Of course Hun, what's on your mind?"
 

He thought for a moment before speaking.
 

"I've been thinking about John and Lisa, and how they've sort of retired. Do you fancy doing something similar?"
 

Now it was her turn to think awhile.
 

"Yes, Hun, I've been thinking along those lines myself, but I was waiting for you to suggest it, now, what's this idea you've had?"
 

Steve was staggered at her perception and said, "Come on, let's get off this water and I'll tell you on the way home."

❧

The group arrived back at the cabins still somewhat elated at all that had happened. Dave and Mary had been holding hands most of the way, as had Jake and Martha.
 

"There must be something in those berries-" Jake said, but Martha cut him off.
 

"It's called youth," she said, with a rye smile.
 

"Ah...So that's it. We're all having a second childhood. No wonder I feel so funny."
 

She gave him a dig in the ribs. "Is that, funny, funny, or funny, funny?"
 

"Oh, definitely the second funny," he said, "especially when you're around."
 

"Ah," she said, "that funny! Would it help you to know that I feel
that
funny about you too?"
 

Jake smiled at her, at last he could stop being professional.
 

"Hey Zeek," he called out, "it's going to be a double wedding!"
 

A loud cheer went up, and Betty and Martha looked at each other and both mouthed, 'Yes!'

Celebrations went on late into the evening. No one noticed it getting dark until Sarah attracted everyone's attention.
 

"Look everyone, the moon is rising." They all turned to look at it. It was a beautiful sight, shining as usual against a black sky, but a wonderful green colour.
 

"Look Jake," Zeek said, pointing, "it's a green thing!"
 

No one else got the joke, but Jake and Zeek knew exactly what it meant.
 

"It's not all green," Danny said, a few seconds later, "there's a blue patch."
 

He pointed it out to the others, and sure enough, there was a patch of blue just discernible.
 

"Berries?" Betty asked, "They're blue."
 

"Could be water," Martha said, "though our lake is green too."
 

"Well, we'll find out soon enough folks," Jake said, "we'll be back up there in a few days."
 

The Thomases went to bed, but the others stayed up, enjoying each other's company, much too excited to sleep.

❧

"Blue you say, OK Jake, I'll pass it on. It's about time we did a survey up here anyway."
 

Bill told Steve what he had heard over the radio.
 

"Blue?" Steve was puzzled. "Just when I'd got used to everything being green too!"
 

Bill laughed. "We need to do a survey Steve, how about it?"
 

"I guess so Bill, but Clare and I have other plans, why don't you organise it after we get the prodigals back?"
 

"OK I will, I could do with a change of scene to be honest, and it'll be fun."
 

The two would have chatted further but were interrupted by a low flying ship.
 

"Tris must have got it working," Steve shouted, over the roar of the engines.
 

"YEAH," Bill screamed just as the ship suddenly went totally silent. "Don't you just hate it when that happens?" he said.
 

Steve just laughed. The ship landed in total silence.
 

Tris climbed out grinning from ear to ear. "It works!" he said, "Isn't she a beauty."
 

"So it's rocket powered magnetism?" Steve asked.
 

"Got it in one, it's a souped-up Keracraft. We just need to see how it handles a payload and we're ready to go."
 

"Excellent Tris," Steve said, enthusiastically, "this really is excellent, come on let's go for a ride."
 

"Sorry Bill, it's only got two seats."
 

"Never mind, I'll walk," Bill said, smiling, "go, and have some fun."

Steve and Tris jumped into the new ship and took off. "The magnetism is good for about a thousand feet," Tris said, "after that we need the rockets. We can fit bigger motors for orbital flight, but these small ones are fine for atmospheric travel."
 

They rose to the limit of the magnetics and Tris fired up the rockets. The ship tore away from the settlement.
 

"Head South Tris, there's something I want to take a look at."
 

They flew south for almost an hour when the Blue appeared over the horizon. Tris descended and went back to the magnetic drive. "It's awful big Steve," Tris said, "looks like one of the bigger craters has flooded."
 

What they were looking at was the beginnings of the first sea on the moon.
 

"Water must be seeping up to the surface," Steve said. "You know what this means Tris...Rain!"
 

"Oh no, really?"
 

"Afraid so. Once it starts evaporating we'll get clouds, and where there's clouds there's rain."
 

They did a rough survey of the new sea, it was already well over one hundred miles wide, and looked set to expand much further. They set course for home and arrived an hour or so later. Steve asked Tris to fit the bigger motors ready for the trip to earth. They determined to set off as soon as this was done.

❧

"Hi Hun," Clare called as Steve entered the house.
 

"Is she home yet?" Steve asked.
 

"Yes, she's in her room, shall we do it now?"
 

"May as well, let's go in together."
 

Steve and Clare went to Hope's room and knocked.
 

"Come in daddy, I've been expecting you."
 

Steve and Clare entered and closed the door behind them. They all sat on the bed to talk. Hope could see that this was not going to be an ordinary talk, so she waited quietly for them to begin. Steve spoke first.
 

"Sweetie, you're a big girl now and we feel that you are old enough to make this decision for yourself."
 

Now they really had her attention.
 

"Your mom and I are going to retire, like John and Lisa have done. We're thinking of taking a trip...Erm...A long trip, and we wondered if you wanted to come with us. We will be gone for a long time Hops, so think about it carefully."
 

"I'll come," she said, straight out, "somehow I knew what you were going to say, I've known for a few days. I want to come with you, OK?"
 

"Sure it's OK sweetie," Clare said, with a few tears in her eyes, "We just wanted you to have the chance to make your own mind up, that's all."
 

"I couldn't imagine life without you Hops," Steve said, touching her arm, "if you'd have said no, we wouldn't have gone."
 

"Oh daddy, you are wonderful, you to mommy, I'm so blessed to have such wonderful parents."
 

The whole thing ended up a soggy, but happy huddle.
 

"That settles it then," Steve said, a while later, "I'll start making the arrangements first thing tomorrow."
 

There was a scratching at the door, it opened, and in fell Rufus.
 

"Yap yap."
 

"OK fellah, you can come too."

❧

"I think that's everything Dave," Mary said, handing him yet another box.
 

"I'm sure it is," he replied, "I didn't know we had so much stuff, I hope it can all fit in the ship."
 

Jake walked in at this precise moment.
 

"What do you think Jake, will we be able to get this lot in the ship?"
 

"In the main ship certainly, but I don't know what size the smaller ship will be. We may have to leave some of it behind, but don't fret, there's plenty of everything in Eden, you won't lack any good thing."
 

"It sounds so wonderful," Mary said, "I can't wait to get there."
 

"Is Danny about," Jake asked, "I've got some news for him."
 

"Yes, I'll fetch him for you...DANNY," she called. He was outside at the back of the cabin playing.
 

"What is it mom?" He said, on entering. It was Jake who answered him.

"Danny, I've discovered what that blue patch is. It's the beginnings of the first sea on the Moon, and in accordance with time honoured tradition, we're going to name it after the person who discovered it...The Daniel Thomas Sea, congratulations."
 

Danny blushed bright red, but it didn't stop him from jumping up and down and shouting a lot. Dave and Mary joined in, well, it's not every day that your son gets a sea named after him.
 

When the noise had died down enough so he could be heard, Jake also said, "By the way folks, they're leaving Eden today to come and get us, they should be here in a couple of hours."

❧

"OK Steve," Tris said, "everything is ready, we can leave whenever you like."
 

"I'll be right with you, just give me time to say goodbye to this gorgeous young woman."