The End of Eden (Water Worlds 1)

Chapter 8

8

A week after the dual launch, the Record was full of news that China had exploded nuclear devices in orbit. The rest of the world seemed very angry. This apparently violated a great number of treaties.

China remained silent. The government always kept the details of its launches quiet until it was certain the mission would be a success, but I knew no official announcement would ever be made. For once, I knew more than the Record.

Father explained it all: "The Fenghuang craft use a version of a nuclear lift shield, which amounts to a big dish that focuses the expanding gases of a nuclear explosion. Your Mother worked on the lift-shield project at the Beijing Institute of Technology with Dr. Han, and the science is very sound."

I was surprised yet again by this woman. The more I learned about her the more I realized what a remarkable life she had of her own. Now, I could add gifted scientist to the list.

"With luck," Father continued, "the shields will be used twice. The first time as a kickstart out of high-Earth orbit. That will allow the craft to intersect Apophis' position much sooner than with conventional thrusters alone.

"The two craft are designed to stay close to each other and take a long elliptical journey, using the gravity of Venus and then Earth again, to slingshot out to the approaching Apophis. It will take nearly two years, but still that should be plenty of time to push the asteroid off track."

If I closed my eyes, I could see the circles in my mind.

Father continued. 

"Once the ships are in position next to Apophis, a second set of focused explosions should shock it out of the way, missing the planet completely on its next approach. Maybe by as much as six or seven Earth diameters. With luck, the force of the combined blasts could even push the asteroid out of the plane of the ecliptic altogether, and we'd never have to worry about it again. One day it will be remembered as China's gift to Humanity!" 

Father seemed sure of it.

Once the world guessed what China was up to, the Record was full of opposition. Some voices were afraid that an explosion would fracture the asteroid rather than nudge it, peppering the world with flaming chunks. 

Others, that China's rockets would rain fallout over the planet. Still more insisted the asteroid would miss us completely if we simply left it alone. But no one was willing or able to confront China, and I think most governments secretly hoped we would succeed. 

We were all quite proud and sang many new patriotic songs in school. But I was not allowed to go to work with Father like I used to. It didn't matter to me, though. It was all boring talk and calculations in the control room anyway, now that the launches were done and everything was in the AI's hands. It was years of effort and hardly anyone knew as many details as I, and I was secretly very proud to be in Father's confidence.

Mother became a very important part of Father's work, too, and more and more I was left to cook and clean for me and Joo Chen after school. They would arrive home together late at night, and were almost always smiling and sometimes singing old songs. I know they enjoyed each other's company very much. 

It was quite a romantic time, really. Men and women joined together in a cosmic battle, fighting an impossible enemy. They were nervous and excited and happy all at the same time.

Then came an unusually cold winter day in 2033. Father had been away for weeks, but we spoke with him nearly every day. He couldn't talk about his work or give us any details on air, but I knew when something was not going well. He couldn't hide that from me even across the great distance between us, and today, he was looking worried.

After goodbyes, we clicked off.

Mother felt it too.

"Today," she said, "we will see if your Father has saved the world."