I went back to Dr. Bellows' house, and had only been gone a short time when there was a knock on the door. I opened to the door to greet a very tired-looking middle aged Air Force Master Sergeant.

"Good morning, Dr. Bellows. General French would like you to come with me." The sergeant's tone of voice left little doubt on whether or not I had a choice.

I got into an Air Force sedan with the Master Sergeant and we rode out to the bunker that I was just at. I noticed Murdock was standing there with a squadron of Air Force Security Police, along with General French. I also noticed Bunker 18 looked a lot more abandoned than it was about an hour ago.

Austin and I walked up to the General, who looked very annoyed. The General said, "Good evening Dr. Bellows, Captain Murdock here says you two went on quite an adventure."

Holographic General Healey said to me, "Sam, tell him that you wanted to discuss with Murdock some concerns you had about the stress test. You started to take him from the BOQ to your office and he ran off into the night."

I said, "I wanted to follow up with Captain Murdock about some notes the Army Psychiatrist in Vietnam made about him. I thought it would be less threatening to discuss it with him at the O Club, but when I came to the stop sign near the pad, he ran off in the night."

"Nice," said holographic Roger.

French looked annoyed, and said, "You didn't think to report this?"

I replied, "It would go against doctor-patient privilege, sir, besides I didn't order him to come with me."

Murdock cried, "He's lying. The whole space programs a lie, and I can prove it. Bellows took me down here, and I can show you that Healey and Nelson are still down there."

General French said, "Son, Colonels Nelson and Healey are currently orbiting the Earth in Skylab, but we'll see what you want to show us."

We went down into the bunker, and Murdock opened the fire door where Nelson showed us 'Skylab.' "See!" The Army Captain exclaimed. When all we saw was an empty storage room the prospective astronaut added, "I don't understand."

We then followed Murdock to where the 'Tranquility Base', again finding an empty room.

Murdock finally said, "You're all in on it! There is no space program. I'll prove it! I'll prove it!"

General French made a motion with his hand, and almost instantaneously two Air Force medics appeared. They gave Murdock an injection, and the Captain immediately went lax. It was most likely some sort of sedative.

French asked the NCO who drove me up, "Master Sergeant, are you familiar with the documentation necessary for an Army psychiatric discharge?"

The Sergeant replied, "Yes, Sir, before I transferred to the Air Force, I was a company clerk at an Army MASH unit during the Korean War. I'm intimately familiar with Section 8."

French ordered, "Very well, Master Sergeant Klinger, get the paperwork drawn up for Dr. Bellow's signature." French then said, "I don't understand. Murdock was a talented pilot, he reminded me of some of the black sheep I flew with in World War II with VMF 214."

I replied, "You never know when a person is going to snap. War affects people in different ways."

General French stated, "Well now he'll be spending an indeterminate time in an Army psych ward. And we are short of an astronaut."

Short an astronaut? Maybe that's why I'm here! I asked the General, "What about Al Calavicci?"

The General replied, "Topgun's skipper? We passed on him because of your concerns regarding his age and former POW status."

I took a chance and said, "I've since reconsidered. We have astronauts older than him. Plus the Commander's former POW status could only help NASA's image

The General took a moment to think, then declared, "You've sold me. Al Calavicci it is"

At that instant, the holographic Major General Roger Healy was replaced by the more familiar image of Admiral Al Calavicci.

"Sam, where have you been? We lost track of you!" Al asked. After looking around Al observed, "We're at NASA, and that's General French. And you're NASA Psychiatrist Dr. Alfred Bellows."

I replied to General French, "I'm sure Commander Calavicci will be pleased to hear he has been selected."

French responded with, "That he would be. I remember when I got the call to be a NACA test pilot when I was at PAX River. I'll make the call to Miramar this morning."

Al reminisced, "I remember getting that call. It was one of the best days in my life."

When I got to my, or Dr. Bellow's, I filled Al in on what was going on. He took it better than I thought he would.

Al said, "So I could have ended up a Senator married to Ginger Grant. It would have only cost the whole manned space program, and my opportunities to travel in space and retire an Admiral. You did the right thing, Sam."

"I don't remember, whatever did happen to the Minnow survivors?" I asked, partially afraid of the answer I would get.

Al smacked his hand controller and it squealed, then Al replied, "All seven were eventually rescued, only a couple years after I would have rescued them in the alternate timeline. They opened up an exclusive Club Med type resort on the island that they were stranded on that is still going strong."

I followed up with, "What about Colonel and Mrs. Nelson, and Roger Healey?"

After further fiddling with the controller, Al answered, "Anthony Nelson retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant General. Nelson is an Adjunct Professor at Texas Tech, and lives at home with his wife, Jeannie. His son, Anthony Nelson Junior, is a Navy Lieutenant detached to NASA. Roger Healey retired from the Army as a full colonel. Healey made a bundle with the invention of the 'Genie' microprocessor."

Finally I asked, "Why am I still here?"

Al's hand controller started making a huge racked. Al shouted, "Sam! Ziggy says to go to Mission Control, now! I know the way, follow me!"

I ran after Al, making it to the quiet Mission Control room. Since the launch, the true Mission Control is in an identical room in the Johnson Space Center outside Houston, Texas. There was a young Captain and a few airmen on duty, but that was it. Al showed me over to the flight surgeon's station.

Al pointed at a side screen that was labeled 'Edwards AFB' and ordered, "Tell them to put the HL-10 test on the main screen."

I relayed what Al said to the duty officer, who looked puzzled, but put the test on the main screen. I saw a B-52 with a smaller glider plane riding piggyback.

Al explained, "I remember watching this test. The HL-10 is a precursor to the Space Shuttle. The showed us footage of this in astronaut training to demonstrate the importance and effectiveness of NASA safety protocols. It's probably about the worst wreck I've ever seen a pilot walk away from."

I watched the test unfold, and listened in to the following radio dialogue:

NASA One (Edwards control): "It looks good at NASA One."

B-52 Pilot: "Roger. BCS Arm switch is on."

NASA One: "Okay, Victor."

B-52 Pilot: "Lining Rocket Arm switch is on."

B-52 Pilot: "Here comes the throttle. Circuit breakers in."

HL-10 Pilot: "We have separation."

Chase plane: "Roger."

B-52 Pilot: "Inboard and outboards are on."

HL-10 Pilot: "I'm comin' a-port with the side stick."

NASA One: "Looks good."

B-52 Pilot: "Ah, Roger."

HL-10 Pilot: "I've got a blow-out - damper three!"

Chase plane: "Get your pitch to zero."

HL-10 Pilot: "Pitch is out! I can't hold altitude!"

B-52 Pilot: "Correction, Alpha Hold is off, turn selectors — Emergency!"

HL-10 Pilot: "Flight Com! I can't hold it! She's breaking up, she's break—"

The HL-10 was then scattered along the floor of the California desert. I found it hard to believe a person could walk away from such a crash.