Ark II - 34. When Gravity Isn't Gravity

The next morning began again. Business resumed as normal. Sara Beth was clearly pregnant. She was in the end of her second trimester. He watched as Sara Beth had to work harder to get on her feet. Joel was not looking forward to the endless trips to the bathroom, the swollen ankles, the back pain...he wondered if Hank would feel Rita’s issues.

“How many pregnancies are there now?” Joel asked.

“Seventy-two,” Sara Beth answered with a smile.

“With a population or nearly one thousand females,” Joel began. “Somehow that doesn’t say a lot of positives about us.” He grumbled.

Sara Beth chuckled, “Most are letting nature take its course.” She shrugged. “No one on the Ark has any deficiencies in the reproductive process. Except Adel. She’s not deficient but she has no eggs.”

“Or womb,” Joel pointed out.

Sara Beth sighed, “And no menstrual cramps. No periods...”

“Hank will be the first man to know what his wife feels,” Joel marveled.

Sara Beth smiled and looked at her husband, “I’m not sure a man can handle it.”

“Why not?” Joel asked.

“The pain threshold is higher in females,” Sara Beth shrugged.

Joel’s eyes widened, “Is that so?”

Sara Beth nodded, “The pain during labor is pretty intense, but there is pain as labor starts. It can be days of pain.” She smiled as Joel’s eyes widened. “There is several weeks of false labor...”

Joel knew that was for the women to get used to the contractions. “I’ve dealt with pain before. I was trained to handle pain.”

“Not an opposing side’s torture or torment,” Sara Beth smiled. “Hours and even days of pain. Pain that causes a change in the woman. We had a woman brought in in labor but had not dilated enough. This sweet woman who barely got even cross...soft spoken and never cussed began swearing like a sailor!” She nodded as Joel’s eyes widened even more, “Yes, she called her husband every name in the book in three languages! When she was done and we took her to recuperate, she couldn’t even believe she had when we told her. She was sweet again.”

“She didn’t remember?” Joel asked.

Sara Beth shrugged a nod, “She claims not to.” She cocked her head, “Do you think Matt and Mark could hook up the artificial egg they will use for Brice’s and Adel’s baby so Adel can feel it?”

Joel’s head went back again slightly, “Using the neural interface?”

“Why not?” Sara Beth nodded, “Being pregnant is not all terrible. Feeling the baby as it grows and reacts...” she chuckled, “Ian was the kicker always kicking me right on the bladder. I went so much more with him.” She shrugged. “Adel can have the filaments inserted and those hormone rushes and other things besides the swollen belly and ankles...she can feel the baby move, and their baby can feel it’s mother and hear her voice.”

“I’m sure they could,” Joel began. “Creating the artificial egg was done so they could monitor the fetus better and adjust the settings and chemistry.”

“I suppose they will develop the artificial womb...eventually,” Sara Beth said out loud more to herself. “I just think every woman should feel the whole thing.” She smiled a bit evilly. “And every man.”

Joel nodded, “Fine.” He stood up, “I promised Kevin I would show him a workout routine.” He nodded as he grinned. “I keep my promises.”

 

They were lengthening the day...well, not really. A hour was an hour, but how it was measured, that was different. It was still the same length of time. The day’s length is sunshine was lengthening. Again, not really. The sun shone whether you saw it or not. All these thoughts threatened to give Joel another headache. He didn’t have to try too hard to get Kevin up. In a room Joel and Sara Beth used to exercise, Joel spent over an hour showing Kevin some repetitions to do every other day. He also told Kevin it was important to rotate the muscle groups; legs, arms, chest, cardiovascular, stretches...running every day. Exercises to strengthen and others just to shape. Jimmy and Ian wanted to be included so Joel instructed them on less strenuous exercises. Joel shrugged at their requests. It was never too early to learn to begin exercising.

“Dad,” Jimmy began during a set. “Uncle Tony, Uncle Scott, Uncle Joder and some others want to go down to Gaea to test the antigravity field and drive.”

Joel looked at his middle son. This was the first he’d heard of it.

“Why not test it here?” Kevin asked. “We have gravity here.”

Joel was about to answer Jimmy and Kevin when Jimmy grimaced at his brother, “Because this...” he dropped the clothe he was using for his sweat, “...isn’t gravity.”

Kevin’s eyes widened, “It’s not? It feels like gravity to me.”

“There’s no gravitational pull,” Jimmy said picking up the cloth. “There is no mass gravity pull. Athena, or the Ark is spinning the Habitat Ring slinging us against the wall...or what we walk on as the floor. You have to have mass from a star for the planets, the planets pull from its mass. Even the moon around Earth has mass, but not as much...so less gravity. It’s centrifugal force, not gravity.”

“He’s right,” Joel’s eyes widened at his son, “Jimmy, are you sure you’re only nine?”

Jimmy smiled and gave a slight shrug, “That’s what I’m told. Add the century and ahalf...maybe one hundred and fifty-nine?”

Kevin’s crooked smile and smirk, “I thought you were all about robots.”

Jimmy nodded, “I am, but I love it all. Robotics, computers...” he leaned closer, “Not like Aunt Rita.” He chuckled, “I’m into the ships, propulsion,...I love it all. The antigravity field is another interest. Uncle Tony, Uncle Scott, and Uncle Joder think it is possible the Boron Nitrate in Hexagonal Form can give the power. They want to go down on the Space ladder tomorrow. I want to go with them.”

It was dangerous but Jimmy was smart. Too smart. “If you do, you listen to Uncle Tony, Uncle Joder, and Uncle Scott!” He shook his head and turned Jimmy’s head so Jimmy looked at him. “I mean it! You say it! Now!”

Jimmy nodded, “I will listen to them. I promise.”

Joel nodded and waved at the room’s doorway, “Now clear it with your mother.”

Sara Beth entered wearing her coverall for work. It was the one she chose as her pregnancy was progressing. Again, she was now looking more pregnant. She smiled at her family entering fuller, “Clear what with me?” Her voice held the caution as wondered what she’d need to clear.

Jimmy told her everything in one breath it seemed.

“You want to go to the surface of Gaea alone.” She stated to show how that was impossible for her to even consider.

“Alone!?” Jimmy balked, “I’m going with maybe six or seven other people. They’re adults! Adults you know!”

Joel touched his middle son gently, “She’s a mother bear protecting her cub. You.”

Jimmy rolled his eyes and turned away, “And when does the mother bear allow her cub to step out on his own?” He looked at Joel. “This isn’t Earth! No one here is going to kidnap me. Where would they take me? I will be watched carefully. I want to go. I’ll be careful. I promised Dad I would listen and do what they say. I swore it!”

Sara Beth looked at Joel in look that sought his insight and support and not knowing what to do, “I...”

Joel and Sara Beth promised to never contradict each other. He wasn’t contradicting her. “He makes a valid point. The dangers of Earth we left behind.”

Sara Beth thought a moment and Joel saw her look change, “No” Her hand went up quickly and stopped Jimmy’s protest, “I am your mother.” Her smiled became a little devious and she glanced at Joel. “Your father used the analogy of the bear. I will wager there aren’t many stories, if any, about fearing the father bear. Its all the mothers’ job to protect the young.” She folded her arms over her chest. “There are not the dangers from Earth, but you still can be hurt...” she held her finger up as Jimmy started to talk again. “Yes, I know the adults going and I trust them, but...” she smiled at Jimmy. “You say it will be tomorrow?” Jimmy nodded, Sara Beth smiled, “I insist I go with you. Is there a doctor or a nurse going with you?”

Jimmy was grinning as he shook his head, “I don’t think so.”

“There is now,” Sara Beth stated. “You are so intelligent and may feel like you don’t need anyone, but until your father and I say you are, you won’t be able to fend for yourself.”

Kevin’s eyes held the mischievous look, “With bears, many of the father bears are known to eat the cubs.” He bounced slightly. “If they are hungry enough.” He looked at Jimmy, “You don’t want Dad to eat you, do you, Jimmy?”

Ian was listening and looked in horror, “That’s not true.” He looked at his mother, “He’s making that up.”

Sara Beth frowned at Kevin, “I’m afraid not. Though I don’t know why he felt sharing that information was necessary.”

Kevin shrugged, “We Humans did, too.”

“We ate our children!?” Ian balked

“Not for a long time,” Joel added carefully. “Some cultures did eat other Humans for a number of reasons.”

Sara Beth looked at Ian, “Be sure you know,” she looked at Joel, “a mama bear would kill the male bear if he tried to hurt you. Especially this mama bear.”

Joel chuckled and held his hands up surrendering, “Hunger makes you crazy. It does me.”

“I, and a few others, need to go down to oversee where we’re planting the future crops on Gaea. We could do it up here, but it would be better on Gaea.”

Ian perked up, “Are we all going?”

“You have school,” Joel reminded. “We will be going down shortly to celebrate some birthdays and other events.”

“And I need to see that the compost and other nutrients are added to the ground to make sure the plants can grow.” Sara Beth looked at Ian, “And tomorrow night is another talent night. You are performing a couple of songs.”

Ian nodded, “Beethoven’s piano Sonatas twelve and fourteen.” He sighed.

Jimmy shook his head, “How do you remember all those songs?”

“I don’t often,” Ian confessed. “Lunga had me learn it by the notes, but I often don’t play the notes, but the song. I play it enough to remember how the song goes.” He shrugged. “Lunga says I play by ear. I guess I do. I play by memory of the song.”

“And do it very well!” Sara Beth praised.

Ian smiled at the compliment, “Lunga is playing Mendelsohn tomorrow night. I want to learn his songs, too”

Jimmy marveled, “Don’t you get bored?”

Ian looked startled, “God, no! It’s so interesting! I hear a song, and I want to play it and do it again and again until I do it right.” He grinned, “Lunga says I play from my soul...whatever that means.”

Joel smiled at his youngest son, “It’s something only a few are capable of...its a true calling.” Joel was just amazed Ian had the urge to stick with it and not run off to play...anything but the piano. “You play the piano for hours. You must get tired.”

“I mix it up,” Ian explained. “If I get tired of the piano, I draw and paint. I want to try sculpting next.”

“Sculpting?” Joel asked.

“Clay or even rock,” Ian nodded. “I’ve been reading about some other artists who did a lot. Leonardo Da Vinci said he could look at stone and carved away everything he didn’t see.”

Joel smiled at Sara Beth, “We created a Renaissance man.”

Sara Beth smiled, “We did! I know he’ll do amazing things.” She looked at Jimmy, “You and Kevin will, too. You’re doing it with robots and computers, Jimmy...”

“I can’t do that,” Kevin muttered sadly.

“I told you before,” Joel put his arm around Kevin. “You are a natural leader. Your greatness will be in leadership and diplomacy. That will take creativity, believe me.”

“Now,” Sara Beth said. “We will go down to New Charleston. You and whomever will work on the gravitational field. I will work on the area for planting trees and other crops. We’ll take the Space Ladder down, work a few hours, have lunch and be back for dinner. We need to be back for the talent night.”

Joel nodded, “We’ve got some talented eggheads on the Ark!” He looked at Sara Beth, “Are you exercising?”

Sara Beth rubbed her swell and held her hand up and swore, “I will use the stationary bike, I promise. Our daughter hates it when I run. She’s not too happy when I exert myself. I do calisthenics right now. She gets fussy.” She smiled, “The reason I came in originally was to ask if anyone was interested in my Southwestern Omelets this morning?”

Kevin’s eyes widened, “The spicy Tex-Mex kind!? Love those!”

Sara Beth nodded and touched Ian, “I have the vegan version for you, no eggs, no meat or animal oils.”

“How do you make an omelet without eggs?” Jimmy asked.

“Chickpea flour and tofu paste,” she grudged a nod. “A soybean paste but very good. You should try it.”

“Why isn’t Robbie or Rob doing it?” Kevin asked.

“Because I’m your mother,” Sara Beth reminded. “They are a great help, but its my job to feed the family.”

“It’s programmed in her DNA,” Joel chuckled. “I would love a Southwestern, Tex-Mex omelet.”

“I’ll get them started,” Sara Beth said with a nod. “Fifteen minutes?”

“We’ll be on time,” Joel promised.

 

The day progressed as it was supposed to. There were many suggestions about the reply to Mars. There were many suggestions about what the reply should be. Joel could give speeches, but he wasn’t a writer. There were many others who could write much better than he could.

Tau Ceti didn’t go into stasis. Ark III was still in orbit, and they had erected as Space Elevator or Ladder. That was just prudent. The star, Cetus was only seventy-eight percent of their home system’s star, Sol. There were planets inside the asteroid belt and dust and debris that circled Tau Ceti, or Cetus. There again were the Jovian worlds outside the belt. Ark III chose the second earth-like world. The others in the habitable zone were super earths. They had the atmosphere processors on the world they chose going to make the air breathable. No dome here, but the colony was underground. Simple observation wouldn’t tell him anything. Some people were moving outside in the environmental suits to maintain robots and other things. He did notice some shrubs growing in a few places. The air wasn’t enough to support people, but these plants were growing in some crevices. The people didn’t move like they were sick or not eating enough. Joel assumed the underground was well supplied. Hank limped in with a groan.

“Are you okay?” Joel asked concerned.

“Yes,” Hank muttered and looked around. He leaned in an whispered, “I feel pain in my ankles.” He stopped Joel. “I know its Rita’s swollen ankles. I feel like mine are swollen.” He raised his foot. “Mine aren’t. She is already transmitting.”

Joel grinned, “But you’re not.”

“Not on purpose,” Hank defended.

“Neither is she,” Joel smiled. “Now, I need to go to the lab they are working with applied engineering.” Joel rose from his chair. “You can come of course.”

Hank and Joel got to the lab where Alejandro, Joder, Adel and several others were gathered around several monitors and there seemed to be several excited conversations happening at once. Some gestures at some equipment in the center of the room.

“What’s going on here?” Joel barked but the smile betrayed his true mood.

Alejandro looked up and brightened, “Just getting what we need for tomorrow.”

Hank was looking around and asked, “Where’s Jimmy?”

Alejandro grinned, “Daddy said he had to go to school today.”

Hank’s head went back slightly as he looked at Joel, “Really? He’s very sharp. I bet if you tested your boys...and my girls, they probably know enough to graduate high school or even college.”

Joel nodded, “I have no doubt, but he needs more than science and math.” He sighed and confessed, “We have to establish a community diverse in all the subjects like literature and history. Jimmy probably could pass the exams for collegiate science and robotic sciences, but history is important and geology, biology and other fields. Even Ian is super talented but his total focus seems to be the Arts, which is fine, but I want him to learnall he can about other subjects.” He looked at Hank, “Chloe is wonderful with Math. Have you noticed a subject Rachel is doing well with?”

Hank nodded, “She loves being in the kitchen. She’s made dinner a few nights and that has been great! Rita and I tell her nutrition is a wonderful field. She’s showing interests in botany. We encourage her to pursue it.”

“Fortunately,” Hank smiled. “Their teachers are not showing favoritism and giving them a broad spectrum of courses.”

“Favoritism?” Joel frowned.

“Sure,” Hank nodded. “The Commander’s children, the First Officer’s children...”

“And the teachers’ charges?” Joel reminded. Then he looked at the others. “All our children are amazing. The children of brilliant parents. I don’t want to take away their childhoods.” He shrugged. “We try to get our boys to play. We can’t get them outside...”

“Yet.” Hank pointed out.

“Right,” Joel nodded. “I know the Ark has great parents,” then he chuckled, “Granddad said the sign of a good parent is when the kids don’t wind up behind bars. He corrected that by saying not without a just cause and a plethora of truth.”

Hank laughed, “We’ve all had grandparents who protested and ended up in the hoosegow.” He looked at the others curiously, “We’ve had no indication of anyone falling behind, have we?”

“Not to my knowledge,” Joel answered. ”In the late twentieth century and into the twenty-first century the term hyperactive was everywhere and attention disorders. They had millions of children on medication which is almost unknown now.”

“With their coming up with unsugars and artificial sugars, it cut down on all those cases of hyperactive and attention disorders,” Anthony smiled.

Alejandro shook his head, “I’ve not heard of any child struggling. No learning disabilities...”

“Rob nor Robbie has said anything,” Joel said thoughtfully. “Not even a child who is just bored.”

“Are you kidding me!?” Hank balked. “Chloe didn’t think she could learn from Robbie at first. Robbie, Rob, Robot, and Apollo have convinced her otherwise! They are superior at Math....Hell, they’re all computers! They have the teaching credentials stored and use them with every student...about every subject. Rachel loves all of the teachers and loves their patience.”

“You need to ask Nayef or Leah,” Anthony suggested. “I think since we’re not nearly as pressured and stressed, the children aren’t as pressured and stressed.”

Hank nodded, but waved at the “device?” It was a cube about two feet long and wide. It was a cube! “Is that going to make us move like the Jetsons?”

Alejandro shook his head with a chuckle, “A part of it will.”

Adel had a confused face but when she remembered, she frowned. “No, Elroy. This is the generator.” She looked at Alejandro. “Elroy was my favorite character in the Jetsons. Followed by Astro.” She then pointed to a loose rectangular box thing. “We are generating the electromagnetic field which will be radiating from these.”

Angus bounced, “Put at the base of any craft or object...we apply power and the result is a push, or repulsion to gravity.” He looked up, “Show the prototype of the Harpy Lander.” Before them in the air was the Harpy Lander. The image shifted and tilted so the underside could be seen. “Those many movies and shows where the craft or object just floats above the ground aren’t here yet.”

“Yet,” Adel cautioned. “We have to create the magnets that will do that without power.”

“Agreed,” Angus nodded. “I’m sure we will, but for now...a controlled landing or take off requires power! Which thanks to Joder’s Boron Nitrate can happen! A controlled descent and a soft landing because of these!” He pointed at the highlighted areas at five places, four at the corners and one at the center. “Theoretically, if we can generate enough power, we could resist anything...a planet, a star and even a black hole!”

“Which we are not ready for,” Adel cautioned. “Our engines would overload.”

“But it will to a planet!” Alejandro added. “To Gaea.”

“This magnitic field has to be generated and when it’s off generates nothing,” Hank said his understanding.

“That’s right,” Angus said. “It makes sense’ mechanically.”

Hank’s head wavered slightly, “Thanks.”

“You guys came up with this!?” Joel asked incredibly.

“We perfected it and will perfect it,” Adel corrected. “A scientist Wilma Beck of Standford University had proposed that model we’re using now. Errol Pemrose of Cambridge University came up with the mechanics.”

“It was the power needed and maintained were the problems,” Joder added. “Which Ran gives with overabundance. My boron nitrate focuses that power to the generator.”

The image above them changed to a “jetcycle,” but not a jetcycle. There were these extensions forward and aft. The engines where it sucked the air in and shot it out the back were there.

“Our first test vehicle to carry a person will be this cycle.” Angus began and his Scottish accent became more pronounced as he was excited. “Athena is getting one ready now to take down to Gaea.”

“Which is the real reason I came,” Joel said. “I know you will be successful.” He held the exception finger up. “Jimmy is to work; not play.”

“Commaqnder,” Adel began softly. “You have a brilliant son. He may be nine years old, but he grasps and understands more than some of us do.”

“He sees physics and astrophysics in his head!” Alejandro marveled. “He sees it!” He said in awe. “He knows the formulas and equations and nsees them in his head.”

Joel’s eyes widened, “I never knew this.”

Alejandro shrugged, “I don’t think he did until recently.”

Adel smiled, “He says it all started to come together and...” she said quietly, “He saw an error in one of my equations that proved him right. He said he saw it in his head. He’s not just going on a field trip.”

“He’s a member of our team,” Alejandro stated firmly.

Joel was still reeling over what they were saying, “Fine. This doesn’t need to be said, but I will.” He inhaled slightly. “I feel that all of you are part of my family. Jimmy is my son. He thinks he’s so grown up, but he is my child. Sara Beth is going with you. You will have three members of my family with you. I have faith in you all but bring them back. You come back. All of you!”

“We will, Joel,” Angus smiled. “We’ll be fine.”

“Take the Harpy Lander down to Gaea. It’s faster going down and coming back,” Joel nodded. “Sara Beth is an excellent pilot.” He looked at all of them, “You all are pilots, but she’s the best I know of with the group.”

 

The team going had to do inventory and make sure they had everything and loaded. Joel and Hank returned to the Control Room.

“We have geniuses for children,” Hank grinned sitting at his consol.

Joel gave a nod of agreement, “Jimmy must take after his mother.” He chuckled. “I never knew what my intelligence quotient was. Granddad said it wasn’t important.”

Hank nodded, “I know mine but don’t tell anyone.” He looked at Joel, “Wait a minute, they had to have that quotient to approve you as commander.”

Joel nodded, “I was tested, but made it clear not to tell me.”

Hank gave slight shrug, “I bet it was well over one hundred and fifty.”

Joel shrugged, “Maybe. I know Sara Beth’s is one hundred and sixty.”

Hank smiled, “Rita’s is one hundred and fifty-seven. Chloe’s one hundred and sixty-five.” He chuckled, “We raised her to be our daughter, that’s all.”

Joel thought of Athena and she appeared next to him. “Damn, I like these filaments!”

“Yes, Joel?” Athena asked.

“Without giving names,” Joel qualified. “Has there been any of our young residents that struggle in school...that have a hard time keeping up.”

“Not scholastically,” Athena reported. “All are gifted students.”

“Behavior wise?” Hank asked.

Athena’s head bobbed a slight nod, “There have been a few.” She looked at Joel, “Some who want to be the center of attention. The class clown?”

Hank nodded with a short laugh and raise his hand, “Guilty.” He grinned and shrugged. “No one wants to be the teacher’s pet. It was a way to get the others in class to like me.”

“The competition should not be here,” Joel said. “No one is competing to be top of the class. The grading system was dismissed a century ago.” He looked at Hank, “Did you tell Chloe or Rachel their IQ scores?”

“Hell, no!” Hank answered instantly. “Rita didn’t want their performance to be based on the numbers. High numbers could force them to live up to them. Low numbers could force them not to try.”

Joel pointed at his friend, “Exactly.” He looked at Athena, “But Robbie, Rob, Robot and Apollo dealt with the problems, right?”

“Yes,” Athena nodded. “Finding something to challenge their minds was a bit of a trial, but Robbie and Robot found it.”

Hank grudged a nod, “I dare say some of these clowns are not introverts. If anything, they are extreme extroverts. Stage shy would not be them.’

“We should ask them to perform?” Joel asked.

“We should,” Hank nodded. “If they’re good at it. They have an outlet.”

 

It was dinnertime when the Nesmiths gathered again. Jimmy was excited to be going the next day.

Joel grinned at Jimmy as he sat to have his hamburger, “Jimmy, give me the formula for gravity.”

Jimmy looked startled a moment, “Just gravity?”

“To start with,” Joel nodded.

“Okay,” Jimmy nodded. “Force equals gravitational constant times masses...by the radius.” He wrote an the table with his finger, “F=[M1 M2}/R2.”

Joel smiled sitting down, “And the formula for Gaea?”

Jimmy smiled, “I know it.”

“You can see it?” Joel asked and touched his son’s head, “In here.”

“Sure,” Jimmy blushed. “It just makes sense.” He held two fists up. “Ran pulls on Gaea. Gaea pulls on Adonas and Brutes.” His head became Gaea as he had his fists circled his head at different speeds. “There is the mass of ran that pulls. Even Zeus has pull on Gaea,” he grinned.

“You see it in your head!?” Ian asked.

“You see all that music in your head?” Jimmy nodded which Ian laughed at. “And there you have it!”

Joel saw Kevin frown, “Kevin, can you see battle strategies in your head.?Not aggression, but defensive strategies?” Joel smiled. “You have a fleet of ships coming, can you see what’s needed for defense?”

“I can see ground defense.” Kevin nodded. “Three dimensions in space is tricky.”

“More challenging than naval battles?” Joel asked.

Kevin smiled, “Sometimes.”

“Can you improvise those plans?” Joel asked. “Different scenarios?”

Kevin’s smile grew, “It’s a game I often play.”

“No one will challenge you in a game of chess,” Sara Beth added. “You see all the moves ahead of time.”

“You aren’t competing with your brothers,” Joel said. “No more are you feeling like you don’t measure up to them.” He looked firmly at Kevin. “Understood?”

“All my children will do great things,” Sara Beth smiled at her sons and touched her swell at her abdomen.

 

Things were very excited in the Nesmith home the next day. Jimmy was ready to go as soon as his feet hit the floor. He was so excited he couldn’t sit still. He also couldn’t stop talking about it.

“All of the formulas are right! I know this will work!” Jimmy said happily.

Sara Beth gave her patient smile, “Not if you’re too tired to think.” Then she became a firm mother, “Now, eat!”

Joel chuckled, “Gaea’s been around for billions of years and will be around a few billion more. She’s not going anywhere.”

“I’ve been thinking,” Jimmy began and spooned some steaming scrambled eggs in his mouth.

“Big surprise there,” Joel smiled.

“Jimmy is a kid’s name,” Jimmy went on without thought. “Maybe I should go by Jim or even James.”

Sara Beth grinned, “It’s your name. Whatever you think.”

Ian was again enjoying pancakes. Only these were banana pancakes. “You’ll be gone all day?” He asked his mother.

Sara Beth nodded, “We’ll be back by dinner. I wouldn’t miss you playing.”

 

The whole family went up to see them off. That means all of them, except Robbie. He had a problem with being weightless. When on the Habitat Ring he was secured for weightless conditions. He had little control with movement. Rob however was enjoying the experience. Again the boys were loving it.

Joel hugged his wife, “I know you’re perfectly capable.” He touched the baby’s bulge under her coverall. She was wearing the fitted one piece now. “I will worry. About you and Daylia.” Sara Beth smiled. He hugged Jimmy. Jim. He needed to remember to call him that. He hugged his middle son. “Listen to your mother. Be safe.”

“I will, Dad,” Jim even hugged his brothers and Rob.

“I’ll be watching you,” Joel pointed to his temple. “Through Athena.”

Lief Anderson came up as did Dana Crenshaw.

“I thought you were all about fish,” Jim said smiling.

“I am,” Lief acknowledged. “Also about freshwater fish like bass, trout and a bunch of other fish. I’m looking where we’re putting the freshwater lake.”

“Lake?” Kevin asked. “Salmon, too?”

“Yep,” Lief nodded.

“How’s that going to work?” Kevin asked. “Salmon struggle to swim upstream. They won’t in a lake.”

“No,” Lief answered. “If there’s nowhere to go, they won’t. When released in the other lakes on Gaea, they can again...”

“I’m going down for the livestock,” Dana added. “The cows, horses, goats, sheep...they need to graze. There will also be the chickens, ducks and turkey.” She shrugged, “They need room to move.”

Ian frowned, “For us to eat.”

Dana smiled patiently at Ian, “I’m with you. Not all of them will be eaten. We continue to let the species live,” She shrugged, “I’m a vegan, too. I think everyone will get there like we are. In the meantime, they have to eat. This way they can.”

Joel nodded, “You’re talking about a lake, not a pond.”

Lief nodded, “Well, a pond at first. No water access in and no water access out.” His finger went up. “It won’t always be that way. Well make the other rivers and lakes habitable. The bears need salmon.” He chuckiled.

“Won’t their hibernation be influenced?” Kevin asked.

“Yes,” Dana nodded. “It will. We just don’t know how yet.”

Jim pulled on his mother’s arm, “Come on.”

 

Joel, Kevin, Ian, and Rob watched the Harpy Lander detach from the Ark as the bay doors opened and Sara Beth used a short blast from the exhaust to begin the slow movement out into the vacuum of space. It picked up speed after it was cleared.

On the way down to the Habitat Ring was when Joel got a surprising question from Ian.

“Dad,” Ian began. “Do we have a Rabbi on the Ark?”

Joel knew his eyebrows rose at the question, “What?”

Kevin grinned, “For that matter. Do we have a priest or a preacher?”

“What brought this on?” Joel asked.

“My friend Avi has to go to Hebrew School after he goes home,” Ian answered. “He’s Jewish.”

“There over a hundred people that are Jewish onboard the Ark,” Joel answered. “There are a few Muslims as well as other faiths that aren’t any of those things. People that worship Shiva, Buddha and other faiths. Why?”

“Do they have a synagogue on the Ark?” Ian asked.

Joel grudged a nod, “They have temple or a mosque where they can.”

“Isn’t where they worship supposed to be a separate and sacred place?” Kevin asked.

“Yes,” Joel nodded. “It will be on Gaea. While on the Ark they worship where and how they can. Its up to the person where and how?”

“We don’t,” Ian said.

As the elevator reached the bottom level Joel exited and stopped, “Whoa, whoa, whoa...” he looked at his sons. “We do!” He insisted and then he shrugged reluctantly, “Granted we should have done it more, but your Mom and I took you to church. We worked many Sundays. We celebrate Christmas and Easter with a Nativity scene and with the cross.” He nodded again, “We also have Santa and the Easter Bunny.” He felt like he was making excuses with his sons. He threw his arms out, “I’ve told you before. I don’t know who or what created everything. I just know there was a beginning and there will be an end. I’ve told you I don’t believe it’s an old man with a white beard...” he held the finger up, “I also don’t know he isn’t. I don’t know and I tell him or whatever I don’t.” He grinned, “I have even cussed at him!”

“You have!?” Ian said astonished.

“He can take it!” Joel reasoned, “I’m honest with Whatever. He can handle foul language.” He shrugged. “I cussed at him before we left the Earth. I prayed a lot when we were coming here.” He shrugged. “It was a miracle we got here, so who knows?”

“Did Jesus have to go to Hebrew School?” Ian asked.

Joel again looked at Ian in surprise, “My God! How your mind works.” He marveled. “As for Rabbis, Priests, Preachers and any others go...there are plenty of smart people to lead others in worship. They will just have two jobs,” he shrugged, “that’s all.”

 

Joel sat at his consol in the Control Roon. He was not surprised that his attention was often diverted. He saw Sara Beth land the Harpy Lander he also saw them get out and leave the elevator base to the appointed areas. Sara Beth and a team of seven went to the area under the dome where she said “see ya” at Jim. Sara Beth and the team went a few kilometers away to stake out where for planting what. Where the livestock were going and where they would graze. There the hay and oats would go and the lake. He watched the various crates carried to the one with Sara Beth. He knew those were full of compost that came down by the Space Elevator.

Jim and the team of seven were testing their equipment to test the antigravity field. Joel was smiling at the memory of Jim speaking on when gravity wasn’t gravity. He was very confident they would all do well on Gaea.