Before 24 Billion and Counting

Chapter19 Part 3 A possible way out and love found on the way

Too stunned to argue I shambled to my allocated room and crashed out.

Three hours later Ellen was gently shaking me from a sleep so sound I had completely forgotten where I was or what had happened.

She stood, dressed practically in shorts and a T shirt, ready for any outdoor activity. Her muscled legs and arms were revealed, and enhanced by the darkness of her skin. No wonder Lewis had been entranced by Rebecca on their trip to Mars and beyond to Rosetta.

"Coffee dear. Get up and shower. You won't get one for a couple of days, and the way you're unfit you'll sweat gallons. There are clothes in the bathroom. You'll have to leave yours behind and the holo-camera of course. We won't be able to carry anything we don't absolutely need and we do need eighteen litres of water. Just take your passport, ticket and credit cards, and the discs you need and the data stick. I've packed some food, a hiking tent and sleeping bag."

I took the coffee mug from her and set it on the bedside table. Then I held her hand and pressed it to my lips.

"Ellen, you look magnificent. God you've have been supremely busy this morning. Are you sure you want to do this? I could go down to the checkpoint and try to brazen it out - not involve you."

"And what about Kelly, and getting our facts about Rosetta out to the world, so we can all make choices. Not just government, the military, and commerce. But everyone."

"OK. But if everyone makes a choice is it going to be rational?"

"This was the discussion we should've had with Jacob and Will yesterday."

"True. But we didn't. What I'm trying to flush out is whether if this goes public, that this calamity will overwhelm earth in 100 years time, the whole populace will say 'governments and the United Nations should sort this out'. But the moment some National administration creates a Rosetta tax that might raise the necessary funds there'll be hell to pay and they'll be voted out. So officialdom won't want Rosetta made public. And unless a fund is started to be raised now earth won't be able to finance the expedition foreseen in Chris' account."

"So you're saying that we should cave into NASA and the rest and keep quiet."

"No, just that you and Jacob and Will should discuss the point and tell me what you want me to do when I get back. I won't release anything 'till you tell me."

"Ok," she leant over me and kissed me with a mildly peppermint flavoured kiss ,"You're giving us the option."

I crowded her into a hug which we shared.

"Now get up," she commanded, "there's no time for this - for us."

"Yes ma'am."

The clothes she gave me were presumably her late husband's. Shorts and a top with a lot of pockets, and a baseball hat which I took an instant dislike to.

"You'll have to wear it," Ellen said, "the sun gets very intense. Besides, if you want to look like someone else it's very unlike your usual garb. Might delay your recognition for a few critical seconds."

"Hmm."

We ate a substantial breakfast, and we picked up the rucksacks she had prepared.

"Jesus," I exclaimed, "What's in here - I thought you said I couldn't take the holo-camera."

"Nine litres of water. There isn't any where we're going, and it could take two days."

"You've got the bedroll and I've got the tent. I've got a first aid kit and we've both got a coil of rope, just in case."