CHAPTER 11

The hotel desk had paged him a little early but, since he was already dressed, Charles Rockmont paid it little mind. When he reached the hotel lobby there were several secret service agents waiting on him. At that point, Chuck understood why his ride had arrived a little early. It was not the one he had been expecting. Chuck had come to Washington for his usual congressional briefing. Very seldom, if ever, did the Vice President have anything to say to him. The man was the figurehead leader of NASA and still he didn‘t care. The fact that Rockmont was now getting a ride from him, over to Capitol Hill, spoke volumes about just how abnormal things were right now.

Rockmont sat quietly on the bench seat across from his boss. The man was busy with a computer in his lap and a secured phone to his ear. Charles couldn’t help but study the man and think about how much younger the Vice President actually looked on television. It was not that the guy was much older than Rockmont, but rather, it was just that he looked less youthful without all of the make up and camera angles.

When the Vice President hung up the phone he did not waste time with a greeting, “you’re going to have some problems on the hill today.”

There was always trouble up there. That was what Rockmont was paid to take care of. Obviously this was a different issue, “I’m at your service Mister Vice President.”

“There are going to be some that are not so happy with your little extra curricular activity. Particularly now that they’ve seen the bill,” the Vice President stated plainly. The man made it clear that he was not a happy camper either.

For Rockmont’s part, he had to wonder how it was that the people up at the Capitol already knew what the cost of Project Hermes was going to be. He had the figures in his computer and those were the only copies as far as he knew. That was supposed to be what he was briefing the committee on today. Naturally, and typically, there were more than enough people around Washington that were just happy to provide their own estimates, whether they be right or wrong.

Needless to say, the exact costs of the project were not really important here. The trip was going to be very expensive and that was no secret to anyone. The price tag for the spaceship, alone, was going to exceed NASA’s annual budget by a factor of three. That was all explained to the President, in some detail, before he ever decided to pursue this matter. The President signed on anyway and Rockmont figured the weight of the White House would be enough to pull it off. What had happened here?

“You’ve got quite a few people,” the Vice President explained, “that are not all too happy about this little endeavor. They feel we shouldn’t be doing it at all.”

Rockmont sighed, “with all due respect Mister Vice President, I’m well aware of that. My question, what I really need to know here is, what’s changed?”

The Vice President looked out his window and chewed on the end of his glasses for a second as he thought. He was definitely picking what he said very carefully. That was of no real surprise to Rockmont. The Vice President might be the head of NASA but he was also one of the biggest opponents to the mission. Naturally he kept his opposition off the record since he had to appear to stand side by side with the Commander in Chief. That did not stop him from being a constant pain however.

“They were waiting for quite a few things before they moved,” the Vice President explained. “I was of the opinion that it was just until your preliminary budget got published but it seems they’re already stirring. Once some of the Senators and Congressmen, who were wavering on the fence, see what the projected costs are.” The Vice President shrugged and nodded to the Director of NASA, “well you can see where that’s going.”

Rockmont sighed heavily and sunk in his seat, “sir we already anticipated that. I think we’re ready for them. Unlike some of my predecessors, I understand the need for a good PR campaign.”

Quickly, snapping almost, the vice president replied, “no I don’t think you do Chuck. There are a lot more people lining up against your little field trip than you realize. Not all of them have bothered to raise their heads just yet.”

“Fair enough sir,” Rockmont took the news with a grain of salt. He was used to fighting up hill battles of this nature. “So do you think you could actually bother telling me who they are? It might help, you know?”

Again the Vice President replied with a snap, “I would if I could. I don’t know who they are exactly. I just know the opposition they are slowly mounting is considerable.”

Rockmont just had to ask, “does that include you, sir?”

It was obvious the Vice President was not all to happy about being questioned on the matter but he answered it, “I stated what I thought in the cabinet meeting. It’s a matter of public record and I stand behind what I think. However, I work for the President just like you do. He says, we go, so, it’s my job to follow his lead. It’s a monumental waste of money for nothing.” Leaning back and taking it more easy the Vice President finished with, “but it won’t be the first time that’s happened, so it’s not enough of a concern to split the administration over it. We are up for reelection next year, you know.”

“Well I still disagree with your position sir,” Rockmont stated succinctly. “We let the Japanese, and the Euro’s, beat us to Mars. Finishing a pathetic third in a field we pioneered isn’t exactly what you’d call American.”

At least the Vice President laughed as he disagreed, “and what did we get out of going there Chuck? They brought back the same thing from Mars that they did from the moon, rocks. I’d say on the cost to benefit ratio we came out a lot further down on the list than third.”

“Well our three planets down the street aren’t desert worlds or airless moons. They’re viable planets Mister Vice President. We’re talking all the resources of Earth, times three. Whoever gets there first is going to have that.”

“Not really,” the Vice President countered. “Contrary to popular opinion I do read the reports that come out of your agency. Even if we reach there, it’ll take years before any real colonization effort can pay off. ‘Down the street,’ as you put it… well let’s just say that’s a very long street. That’s not even bothering to mention that we signed a treaty. We can’t claim those worlds as our own even if nobody else could get there.”

“Even so Mister Vice President,” Rockmont had argued this before, “you have to start somewhere. Even if we don’t claim those worlds as our own exclusive property, what difference does it make? Whoever can get there and back is going to see the benefits of doing it. Not the people who signed some treaty almost a century ago. If we don’t do this then somebody else will. That’ll leave our country assigned to obscurity.”

The Vice President looked uncomfortable. Fortunately the car came to a halt. As Rockmont got out of the car he was left with one parting thought, “that’s exactly what some are worried about Chuck.”

Rockmont stopped, then looked back into the limo, “I’ll keep that in mind sir.”