Chapter 19
No Doubts
June 2, 1997… A week had passed since the attack at General Bowers' home, and the entire mission timetable had been moved up as much as possible. The mass media gathered in full force for the upcoming press conference in which General Bowers was to announce the name of the pilot of the Jupiter 2. The three pilots were asked to attend and they, along with Professor Robinson, sat at a long table with microphones in front of them. The rest of the family watched the televised event from a nearby room.
Don's hearing had come back and he was declared to be fit for duty, but no one had told him if he was still the chosen one or not. He didn't pester Judy or Professor Robinson for answers because he felt certain that he would have been told if the decision had been changed. He hoped he was right.
General Bowers cleared his throat and raised his hands for quiet. "Ladies and gentlemen… We have two announcements to make today before we open the floor for questions. Initial reports from the Deep Thrust project were received from Proxima Centauri. No planet in that system is deemed habitable at this time."
Questions were immediately thrown at the general, but he raised his hands again for silence. "The three pilots you see sitting before you have all earned promotions that will become official in a ceremony later this month."
The three pilots glanced at each other and smiled. None of them had known about this.
General Bowers continued, "Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Bryce, Major James 'Red' Miles and Major Donald West have all met and exceeded the expectations of both Professor Robinson and myself. Unfortunately, only one could be chosen to pilot the Jupiter 2. The remaining two pilots will continue to train for the mission as they are the back-ups should anything happen to the chosen pilot. The airman who will pilot the Jupiter 2 is…"
Don stared at the table in front of him and prayed that his poker face remained in place.
"Major Donald West."
He hoped that his ears weren't playing tricks on him. When the questions started coming fast and furious, he knew that he had heard correctly and relief crossed his face. Questions about his relationship with Judy were the first ones thrown and General Bowers again raised his hands to take charge.
"May I remind you that questions of a personal nature will not be honored at this press conference." He pointed to a reporter…
"General, is it true that the Aeolus Umbra organization launched a terrorist attack at your home on Memorial Day?"
"It is true that an attack by that organization was thwarted at my home on Memorial Day. As you can see, it has had no effect on the progress of the mission, and no one in the family or in this group was seriously injured. Security continues as it has." He pointed to another reporter…
"Major West, the competition among you three pilots was fierce and there are rumors of 'bad blood' between you and Lieutenant Colonel Bryce going back to your academy days. Can you comment on that?"
"There is 'blood' between us. I consider both men to be my 'blood brothers.' I am as close to them as I am to my five siblings," Don answered.
Tom added, "The 'bad blood' you refer to was resolved years ago."
"I love these guys," Red quipped.
General Bowers pointed to another reporter…
"Speaking of love… Major West…."
General Bowers interrupted, "No questions of a personal nature!"
Don shook his head and said. "Excuse me, General, but we might as well satisfy their curiosity, that is, if Professor Robinson doesn't mind."
John thought a minute, and then shrugged, hoping he wasn't making a mistake in letting Don continue.
"Miss Robinson and I date each other exclusively. We have no plans for marriage at this time. If anything changes – you'll be the first to know – in fact you all will probably know it before we do."
That comment drew a series of chuckles from the media.
General Bowers pointed to a reporter…
"You said that the first reports from the Deep Thrust project have not found a habitable planet. What will happen if all of the reports indicate that there are no planets that can sustain life?"
General Bowers responded, "I doubt that will happen."
"But suppose it does? Are you saying that there is no back-up plan and that the trillions of dollars spent on the Jupiter program will be wasted?"
"There is a Plan B."
"And?"
General Bowers leaned towards Professor Robinson and covered his mike and John did the same. "John," he whispered, "I know that you haven't had a chance to tell your family about the alternative plan. Do you want me to end the press conference?"
John shook his head. "No, I'll take this question. Maureen will be furious, but at least she'll have heard it from me." John removed his hand from the microphone. "If no clearly habitable planet is found, the one that is closest to the characteristics of earth will be targeted. Only my pilot and I will travel to that planet with the environmental control robot and undertake an in depth study of what can be technologically done in order for humans to survive there."
Don stared at the professor. He had no idea.
Questions were thrown in all directions. General Bowers wished he had a gavel. He raised his hands for silence and waited until the room calmed down. He pointed to another reporter…
"Professor Robinson. Does your family know of this plan?"
"They do now," he replied.
'So, I'm not the only one surprised,' Don thought.
General Bowers pointed to another reporter…
"Major West, will you still be the pilot if Miss Robinson is not on that flight?"
"I am the pilot of the Jupiter 2 regardless of who is on the ship. I made a commitment to this program and I will see it through," he replied. 'Unless Judy kills me beforehand.'
As the family watched the conference, the children were fidgety and Judy was distracted. She held her breath until the official announcement was made and blushed whenever the reporters mentioned her love life. When John reported the components of Plan B, she and her mother were speechless. Neither had any idea that their men might travel without them.
"Mom? Does this mean that we might not get to go on the mission?" Penny asked.
"Well, I… I suppose it does, Penny," she answered.
"They can't do that!" Will exclaimed.
"I'm sure it won't come to that, Will," Maureen stated.
Judy wasn't so sure. "Mother, if they have to go without us, we won't see them for more than ten years!"
"I realize that, Judy, but there is no use in worrying about that now. As of this moment, we will all be on that mission together."
"General, the lift-off date is slated for December. Has that date been changed?" a reporter asked.
"As you know, many factors could effect the lift-off date for the mission. To borrow Major West's words, if anything changes – you'll be the first to know. This press conference is at an end."
The men stood while questions were still thrown at them, and exited the room. Don wanted to confront John, but left it to Maureen. She would do a much better job of it than he could.
John was practically attacked by his children when he entered the room with comments of "How could you do that to us?" – "Tenyears?" – "You wouldn't really go without us, would you?
His eyes, however, stayed on Maureen who had not approached him. He could see the hurt in her eyes. It was not his habit to keep things from her, but he had not been able to find the courage to divulge the possibility that he would be separated from her for such a long time.
"Maureen…" John stated.
"We'll talk later, John. Let's take care of the children right now," she replied.
General Bowers tried his best to reassure the group. "The chances of not finding a habitable planet are small. One of the probes will find something."
Judy approached Don with her arms folded. "So, you will remain the pilot if 'Miss Robinson' is on board or not?"
Don had no response for her.
"General Bowers," Maureen stated, "are the parameters of Plan B set in stone?"
"Yes, Maureen, it would be too expensive, not to mention too dangerous, to send the entire family."
"I see."
Maureen was furious with John. After they arrived home with the children, she left the house to walk and, hopefully, calm down. John followed her.
"John Robinson, how could you!"
"I'm sorry, Maureen. I had planned on telling you about the alternative plans this week, but after what happened on Memorial Day…"
She continued to take short, clipped steps down the path. "How long have you known about this?"
John was almost ashamed to reply. "Since the beginning."
Maureen stopped short and John had to turn back. "Since the beginning!" she shouted, "And in all these years you never thought to mention that there was a possibility that we could be separated for over ten years?"
"I… I couldn't tell you, Maureen. I was hoping that it wouldn't be necessary, and it's only a possibility. As Frank said, one of those planets must be habitable!"
"I hope for your sake, it's true. If not, your children will be adults before you see them again, and as for Judy, well, I'd hate to be in Major West's shoes right now."
"Over ten years, Don... If you and Dad go without us, I'll be in my thirties before I see you again," Judy fumed as she paced back and forth outside headquarters.
Don tried to calm her. "Look, Judy, I was as surprised as you were about the alternative plan."
"And you just had to publicly commit to being the pilot for Plan B, didn't you."
"It's…" He sighed. "It's the right thing to do."
"And what would be 'the right thing to do' for us?"
He wanted to tell her that it would break his heart to be separated from her. Instead he said, "I wouldn't expect you to wait for me, Judy."
"So that's how it is… the mission is more important to you than I am."
"That's not what I said!"
"That might not have been your exact words, but your intentions were loud and clear." She stomped back into the building.
Don wanted to scream in frustration. He located his car and zoomed off the base. If he ever needed a drink, it was now.
The Flyboy was a local bar that catered to the airmen from the base, and Aggie, the bartender, knew the names of every pilot who walked through its doors. Since it was a Monday night, the place was fairly empty when Don sat on a stool.
"Captain West!" Aggie greeted, "Or should I say, Major… What'll you have?"
"Whatever's on draft."
"You got it." She pulled the lever and filled the mug. "I saw the press conference. Congratulations."
"Thanks." He nodded and sipped.
"So, what's the problem?"
"Women are the problem, Aggie. Present company excepted."
Aggie had been working the bar for a long time and was mother, sister, confessor to many of the airmen. She'd always liked Don, and wondered why a good looking, bright young man with unlimited potential would decide to throw his life away on what she considered to be a ridiculous mission.
Two more airmen entered the bar and headed towards Don. "Your cohorts are here," Aggie stated. Red and Tom sat on either side of Don and each pointed to Don's mug. "Comin' up."
"I take it Judy wasn't happy with your announcement," Tom said.
"To put it mildly," Don replied.
Red put his mug down. "You know, Don, you might want to think about this a little bit more."
"It's too late, Red. I'm committed to going with either plan."
"You know either one of us would volunteer to go in your place," Tom said.
"I know. I didn't even stop to think about how this affects you both. If I give up my spot, one of you gets it."
"You know if things go as planned, I wouldn't dream of talking you out of it. You belong with that family, Don. Red and I knew it a long time ago," Tom stated.
"But think long and hard about Plan B," Red suggested. "You haven't come right out and said it, but it's obvious that you're in love with Judy."
Don blushed. Red was right, but he had never said the word aloud. It scared him.
"Don't play around with love, Don."
"I'm not playing around, Red. I haven't told her I love her. In fact I told her not to wait for me if things don't go the way we want them to," Don stated.
Red shook his head and stared into his mug. If only Don knew what he had. "Don, my… my wife was the love of my life. It still hurts everyday to be without her… If the USSC has to go with Plan B, think about how much it'll hurt you both to be separated."
Aggie had been listening to the discussion and ventured her opinion. "If she's as hung up on you as you are on her, Major, you'd be a fool to give her up. That kind of love doesn't come along everyday…"
Judy was driven home by security and found her father sitting on the porch step, waiting for her. She was as angry at him as she was at Don. He stood as she came up the walk.
"Judy."
"Dad."
"Go ahead. Let me have it. Your mother already has."
"How could you not tell us! If I had known about Plan B, I might not have let myself…"
"Stay with the program?"
"That and… get so close to Don."
"Judy, I know you think Don is 'the one' for you, but there can be other men in your life if he's gone."
"Oh, you're just as clueless as Don is!"
John was exasperated, "What do you mean?"
"I don't want other men."
"Not now, but that can change. You're still so young."
"Don't even go there anymore… Does he have to be the one to go with you if Plan B is put into effect?"
"That would be up to him, Judy."
"But you could appoint a different pilot, couldn't you?"
"I could."
"Why wouldn't you?"
"He already chose the mission over you, Judy. I think that says a lot about how he feels."
His words echoed her own fears. She stared at her father for one more moment and then entered the house to search for her mother. "Mother?" she called. "Where are you?" She found her mother sitting at the kitchen table in the dark, drinking a cup of tea. "What are you doing in the dark?"
"Trying to soothe my mind."
"Mother, what are we going to do?"
"Judy, you know that I have supported your father in everything he's done. I still love him. There's nothing else I can do."
"How will you be able to live without him for so long?"
"We do what we have to do, Judy. You, on the other hand, do have a choice."
"I've already had this conversation with Dad. I don't want to give him up, Mom."
"But he won't give up the mission to stay with you. Think about that, Judy. Do you want to devote your life to someone who puts his ambition above you?"
"You did."
That wasn't totally true, but she wasn't about to argue, for at this particular moment, she felt that Judy was right.
After he finished his one beer and listened to more than enough advice from his friends, Don got in his car and drove. He headed east out of Houston on Route 10 without a destination in mind. He needed anonymity, speed and an endless road. It had all seemed so clear and simple when he committed to the Jupiter program back at his graduation party. And then he met her.
She was just a kid then, but she settled into his heart and he knew that she would never leave. She was right. He had chosen the mission over her when he announced that he would stay with the program regardless of the outcome of the reports from the probes. He was well trained. It had been a mindless, military response. It tortured him to think that she could end up with someone else. He believed that they were meant to be together. What had his mother said? Things had a way of working themselves out?
'Welcome to Louisiana.' Don shook himself out of his reverie as he read the sign. He had been driving for two hours. It was time to turn around and go home.
The Datsun pulled up in front of the Robinson home at four thirty-seven a.m. Don drew up the hand break and was approached by one of the security detail before he even left his car. "Captain West, what are you doing here at this time in the morning?"
"I wish I knew Sergeant," he replied. "If it's okay with you, I'm going to sit on the porch until the family wakes up."
"Be my guest, Captain, uh, Major."
Don settled into an Adirondack chair next to the door and was asleep before the sun was up.
John and Maureen had made their peace after several hours of talking together, and Judy wasn't surprised that they were still asleep when she awoke. In fact, even Will and Penny were still in bed. She had slept little that night as she revisited every step of her relationship with Don. It was true that he was her first love, but, in her heart, she somehow knew that he would also be the last.
Although she was rarely out of bed before eight a.m., she was up by six and sauntered downstairs to make coffee. That done, she stepped out the front door to pick up the morning paper and was stunned to find the Datsun parked out front and Don asleep in the hard wooden chair. She smiled. He looked like an innocent little boy. The top buttons of his shirt were undone and his tie was loosened half way down his chest. He had folded his jacket into a pillow and placed it behind his head. She wanted to curl up into his lap and throw her arms around his neck. He opened his eyes and saw her crouched down, gazing at him.
"Hey," he greeted her.
"Hey."
His bones felt like an over starched shirt as he sat up and stretched.
"How long have you been here?" she asked.
He checked his watch. "About two hours. I drove all night… thinking. What are you doing up so early?"
She chuckled. "Thinking… Coffee's ready."
"You're going to let me in?"
"I already have… a long time ago." She stood, took his hand and led him into the house.
The smell of coffee wafted into their bedroom and John awoke with Maureen holding onto him tightly. "Morning," he said.
"Yes it is," Maureen replied. "Is it a good one?"
"That depends on you."
"Then it is," she answered. She kissed him deeply.
"Someone is up." John arose and walked to the window. He spotted Don's car and turned to Maureen. "Our pilot is here. Do we join them?"
"Let's give them some time."
They sat across from each other, an uneasy silence between them. "So, what were you thinking about?" Judy asked.
He half grinned. "I think I relived every moment between us."
She shrugged and smiled, "Me too."
"And?"
"And we've had our moments… good and bad."
"Mostly good?"
She nodded. "Mostly good."
He reached across the table and took her hand. "Judy, I… I don't want to be without you."
"So, why did you announce that you'd stay with the program no matter what?"
"Impulsive, military response, but… to be honest with you, I also wanted to impress your father."
"My father?" She sighed. "Don, he chose you as the pilot. You don't need to impress him anymore."
He shook his head. "Maybe not as a pilot, but as a suitor for his daughter… I have a long way to go… especially with your mother."
"I know. I talked with Aunt Colleen about it. Neither one of us understands it."
"Come here." He led her to his lap. "Judy, if we have to go to Plan B, I'm going to give up my seat to Tom or Red."
"Is it what you want?"
"You're what I want…"
She leaned down and kissed him. He had no doubts that he had made the right decision.
T Minus 3 Months and 18 Days…
The promotion ceremony turned into an all-night affair. With all three pilots receiving their new insignias, John and Maureen had no excuse for skipping the event. General Bowers did the honors and the party was held right at the training center. The exterior of the Jupiter 2 was complete, as was the chariot, and they were on display for all to see.
In essence, the party became a West family reunion. They hadn't been all together under the same roof since Don graduated from the academy, and their sheer numbers and friendly nature filled the building with life. Colonel Mark West had served under General Bowers before his retirement and the two spent much of their time reminiscing about the Gulf War. Penny and Will were in heaven running around the training site with Don's nieces and nephews, since they had few opportunities to interact with their peers.
Judy enjoyed every moment and was only embarrassed a handful of times. The worst was when they were looking at blue prints of the interior of the Jupiter. Don impressed his siblings with the technical information about the flight console. Judy was describing the lower deck to them. "The galley has a conveyor belt that brings our food right out to the table. We'll each have our own stateroom with bookshelves and a pull-down desk."
Don's brother, Chuck, teased him. "Hey, Donny-boy, have you checked to see if those stateroom walls are removable? That could come in handy on those cold nights out in space."
Judy blushed beet red, as she could feel her parents' disapproval boring into her back. His comment effectively dispersed the crowd.
"Get your mind out of the gutter, Chucky," Don replied.
"Gutter? We're talking human nature here little brother."
Judy excused herself, saying that she wanted to check on the children. She rushed out of the room and found Penny playing with June's oldest son, Robert, inside the chariot. Robert was 'all West' as he took after June's side of the family with his dark hair and twinkling eyes. He was sitting at the controls with Penny in the seat beside him. She was describing an imaginary terrain in front of them, while Robert, making incredibly realistic noises with his mouth, pretended to drive the vehicle.
Don left the group to go after Judy and found her laughing at Penny and Robert's antics. He was relieved that she no longer seemed embarrassed. "I have to apologize for my brother, Judy. He can be a real pain in the…"
"It's okay, Don. I was blushing because I was thinking the same thing myself!" she replied.
John sought out General Bowers and Don's father while Maureen went in search of the other women. She found Mrs. Bowers frantically trying to keep the youngest children away from some of the delicate equipment on display. Maureen joined her by trying to distract them with food, but the sheer number of youngsters overwhelmed her.
"Our brood can take care of themselves, Mrs. Robinson," June explained. "They know better than to touch any of the equipment. They wouldn't want to get Uncle Donny mad, and don't worry about serving them."
"Oh, my, yes," Mrs. West laughed. "We'll be lucky if we can find them all by the end of the night."
"I guess I'm just not used to so much turmoil," Maureen explained.
"My goodness, I would think that your life has been nothing but turmoil since you were chosen for this mission."
"Actually our life has been quite controlled, well, other than the occasional attack… or dealing with the press… or…" and she laughed. "I suppose you're right, Mrs. West."
"Please, call me Jan. The media has made this into somewhat of a circus, hasn't it. I know Don has been frustrated with so much attention being placed on his relationship with Judy, especially by the continued reports that he used Judy to get that spot."
Maureen couldn't hold herself back from commenting, "Well, he has chosen to continue with the mission even if Judy won't be on it."
"Hasn't he told you?" June asked.
"Told me what?"
Susan Bowers interrupted, "I think it's time to round up the children. Security will be sweeping the building tonight since so many people were here today. I'm glad you all got the opportunity to see the ship."
Maureen wondered what Susan knew. She approached John and asked him if he had heard any rumors about Don and Plan B. In fact, Don's father had just discussed the very same issue with him.
"Yes, Maureen, I have. Seems that we're among the last to know."
"The last to know what?"
"That Major West will drop out of the program if Plan B is put into effect. General Bowers didn't want that information leaked. He thought it would just stir up the media again."
"Oh, John, they are serious!"
"We've known that, Maureen. I think it might be time that we accepted it."
"I just am not ready, John. She's just so innocent."
"I know, and we'll keep her that way as long as we can."