10
"...I guess it was just a miracle that she wasn't even hurt, just a miracle! And the paramedics tell me her mom is going to be just fine, too. Isn't that fantastic? My heart goes out to them both, especially the little girl. She reminds me a lot of my own daughter back home in Texas. That reminds me. I haven't been able to call my family since the quake hit. They need to know I'm all right."
"If they're watching GBS News, then they know it now, Mr. Carr! Brad, back to you!" The TV reporter paused a few seconds and then thanked Chester for the live interview. She immediately went further into the devastated area presumably to search for more "stories within the story" for the global audience to ingest. He had told her off camera about the death, destruction, and his own near brush with death, but the only thing she was interested in was the story of the little girl and her mother and how Chester had comforted them until the paramedics came. The reporter, in turn, told Chester about the other quakes in Europe and how they all happened at nearly the same time.
As a geologist, this intrigued and puzzled him greatly. What must be going on, he wondered, to have cause such a catastrophe as this ? Three cities at once? What were the chances? He would have to get his reference books and study them when he could get back to his hotel, later. "Hotel?" he muttered aloud. "I don't even know if the hotel still exists now or not! I just hope it's still there!" He knew that his wife and daughter would be worried about him. He just hoped that they saw the TV interview.
Phyllis made the call as soon as she saw Chester on the news but the line was busy. Her neighbor, who usually was very concerned as to how he was attired, was in this case more disheveled than she had ever remembered seeing him. But that was not nearly as important as making sure that Candice Carr knew her husband was still alive.
"Jim!" she ordered, "I'll try the number again, but please get ready to go over there and tell her that Chester is...Oh, good! Never mind. It's ringing! I'll tell her myself... Candice! It's Phyll. I know you've been waiting to hear from Chester ever since this thing happened... Oh, you were watching? That's great. You know he's all right then... No, I don't know what the transportation situation is in Metropolis right now. George is still on a flight and he hasn't called, yet... Yes, I will. I'll let you know as soon as I hear. Try to get some rest now, Candice. I'm glad you don't have to worry any more! Bye!"
As Phyllis hung up the phone, she couldn't help feeling a little envious of her friend. Although Chester was in a decidedly tattered shape, Candice had the peace of mind knowing that he was alive and would probably be hearing from him soon. She wished that George would call and give her that same feeling. Although he was nowhere near any of the earthquake zones, she still had a feeling of dread, as if he were in some sort of danger. Just call, she thought. Just check in!
"Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the rest of the crew and myself, I would like to thank you for flying with Yellow Sun Space Lines today. We hope you had a pleasant flight and that you will remember us for all your interplanetary flight needs in the future. We remind you that Yellow Sun does connect to all the planets of this solar system as well as our special sleeper flight to Alpha Centauri Five. The temperature on the outside surface of Mars is a chilly twenty-five degrees below zero Fahrenheit, while inside Hamilton Spaceport and the Mars colony biosphere it is the remarkably warm temperature of seventy-two. Of course, the weather inside the sphere is computer controlled and I am pleased to report that current conditions are sunny and mild. The time is nine fifty-one eastern Martian time. Remember to check in at Mars Customs and, again, we'd like to thank you for flying with Yellow Sun Space Lines."
Captain Whitney Ellsworth clicked off the intercom system and looked around the cockpit area at his crew. All the humor that he had exhibited earlier had left his face completely. Now with the utmost seriousness he addressed his colleagues, "Gentlemen, I'm sure that, like me, you are anxious to get in touch with your families and find out just how bad this triple earthquake actually was and how much impact it had on them... On... us. So I suggest that we execute our stand down checklist procedure as quickly as possible so that we may get the Hell out of here with the greatest dispatch possible."
George, like the rest of the astronauts in the cabin, grimly went about his final procedures. It seemed the mood did a complete one-eighty in the few minutes since they set down. Whitt had done a magnificent job keeping them all loose and relaxed with his bad jokes and peppy attitude ever since they had heard the bulletins. But now the job of keeping the passengers safe during the flight was over and all pretense was no longer necessary. All each member wanted to do was to call home.
True to his word, Whitt did attempt to make radio-phone call for George to speak to his family, but he could not get through. Too much interference from all the other interstellar com-links from Mars to Earth made it impossible to connect the call. Hamilton Control was the only party that could be raised and they were only interested in getting the ship safely down.
Quietly and efficiently, the men secured their stations and finally began to make their way to the terminal area. George needed to speak to Phyllis just for the strength she would give him with her soothing reassurances that all was well. He thought it was a little funny that he was descended from the mightiest man ever to walk the Earth and it turned out that she was the strong one of his familyHe would soon hear those words and gain that special strength, for here was the customs check-in table for the flight crew. As he waited in line, his eye caught the sight of a group of demonstrators reminding everyone in earshot that Collyer Colony deserved separation from Earth governmental policy. Nothing radical there, George thought. Just signs and discussion. Doris was ahead of him and was having trouble getting her bag unzipped for the inspector. She, like everyone else he could see, was a little more distracted than usual. She was single, but she had a fiance and they were planning to wed next week. This was to be her last flight until they were married and back from their honeymoon.
"Y'okay, Doris?" said the co-pilot to the lovely flight attendant.
"Yeah, George, I will be once I hear from Duke. He's probably all right, but he's in Rome right now. I'd just like to hear his voice and know that he's not hurt! If this stupid zipper would just cooperate...!" George reached over and gave the tab a mighty tug and the bag opened, spilling its contents all over the table and floor. "Thanks," said Doris, "I guess it's open now. All right, Inspector Henderson, do what you've gotta do and get me outta here!"
Henderson complied and soon both Doris and George were heading for the phones.