IHS-Book

IHS-Book [An excerpt from the author's adventure book, expressly written for young people in the 10-14 age range.]

CHAPTER  I I I - COLLISION   COURSE

   The cheery atmosphere quickly disappeared from the spacecraft. The news that they were now facing a crash with a space rock was sinking in fast. Jennifer's smile vanished as quickly as anyone's. She started to curse, then looked toward Jasen. Through clenched teeth she said, "There is no god who really cares, is there preacher boy? We're going to die anyway, in spite of your brilliant idea."
   Jasen reached out again to shut off the communications line with the rest of the ship. Because the ship was spinning again the computer had "decided" to get back to some of its work. There was a low hum as the passenger seats slid into the upright position. Soon "down" was below all the passengers seats again, as they whirled in the merry-go-round like machine.
    Once more Jennifer's scowl started to soften. "I'm sorry," she said.

I'm better off dead anyway," she said coldly."I don't know why I keep lashing out at you. It was a good idea and I'm sure it did help. But now what do we do?" There was real anxiety in her voice now..
   Jasen turned the com link back on and listened as the adults discussed what was going on.
   "You're sure that we are going to hit this thing?" asked the reading teacher.
   "I'm sorry Jade, but computer projections show you to be on a collision course. You can see it on your screens now. The impact may not destroy the ship because you are headed in about the same direction as the asteroid. At your velocity, you are going to catch up with that rock. You aren't going to hit it in the solid either. More like side-swiping it. But, as you know, your ship isn't a Lunar lander. It isn't made to take a rough landing," explained the control commander.
   "How soon will we overtake this rock?" asked Jack.
   "About ten hours," came the reply. "We estimate we can have a ship to your location in about 15 hours. With any luck, your tag with it won't be too hard and we'll be able to get you all home in one piece."
   Almost everyone around the ship old enough to understand what was going on, was not feeling nearly so optimistic about the coming "tag" with the asteroid. They knew, even if they were afraid to say it, that the chances of their making it alive were not good.
   The same feeling had come to both Jennifer and Jasen. Jasen prayed silently asking for God to give him strength and wisdom again. Most of all, he prayed for the right words to say to Jennifer.
   The com link grew silent as the passengers started to think about what lay ahead.
   Their thoughts were broken by the caring voice at Control Central. "We will contact each of your families and tell them what is going on." The distant hum of the gyro keeping the ship spinning was all anyone heard above the breathing of those around them.
   "Well, I guess this is it," Jennifer broke the silence. "You would think that in the year 2023 stuff like this couldn't happen anymore. It's like some kind of nightmare. People fly back and forth to the Moon hundreds of times a year and we have to be in the only accident in twenty years. Why us? Why me? If your God really cares about you, why is He letting this happen?"

   Jasen thought carefully about what he was going to say as he turned slowly to look at Jennifer. He hadn't noticed the brown straight hair before that might be quite long, tucked inside her helmet. He could see as he looked into her wide green eyes that she wasn't just trying to egg him on anymore. She looked like maybe she really wanted to know.
   "I don't know the answer to that for sure," Jasen began. "I just know that the Bible says that God doesn't make mistakes. He is watching over me and taking care of me, even if it doesn't seem like it right now."
   "I wish I could feel that way," admitted Jennifer. "With some of the rotten things I've done, I don't think God would do anything for me."
   "Yes, He would Jennifer. In fact, He already has."
   "Uh.. you can call me Jenny. That's what my friends call me."
   "OK, Jenny. The Bible says, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." "I'm not any better a person in God's eyes than you are without Jesus. You see, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to pay for our sins and forgive them. Then we could have life forever in heaven after we die. He also promises peace and love and help for us when we are in trouble. God loved you so much Jenny, that He gave His only Son, Jesus, so if you believe in Him, you can be part of His family. Would you like to do that?"
   Jennifer shook her head slowly. "I don't know. How can you believe God really cares about me?"
   "Because His Word, the Bible says He does," Jasen said. "And He knows more about you than you know about yourself, but He still loves you."
   Suddenly the com came to life and interrupted their conversation. "Saucer 7, we have calculated your approach to the asteroid. We still estimate contact in approximately 9 hours. Since you are out of fuel and can't change your approach angle, simulations show this angle of impact. You can see it on your screens."
    The View Screen in front of Jennifer and Jasen brightened a bit and the simulation showed the saucer contacting the asteroid like a rolling donut. "It will be a really rough contact Saucer 7" the Control Center operator said with a quieted voice." He went on a little more cheerfully, "We've been able to get things going here a little sooner than we thought. We now estimate we can reach the asteroid vicinity for rescue about 4 hours after you make contact. Also, we have been in touch with your families and will patch them through to each seating area in numerical order. We can give you each about 10 minutes over the next nine hours. We suggest you try to get some rest and we will wake you when it 's time for your call. We'll start with seat number one in five minutes."
    Jasen was in seat 14 and Jennifer in seat 15, so they agreed to leave each other alone for now and try to rest. In a short while, Jasen fell asleep. Jennifer peered at him in disbelief. "This guy must really believe all that stuff about God taking care of him," Jennifer muttered to herself.
   "Seat 14, Jasen Martin Ketch?" The question broke into Jasen's little dream waking him out of a light sleep. He had been dreaming something about spheres filled with air.

   "Yes sir," he responded.
   "This is Control Central. We have Martin and Sandra Ketch ready to patch through to you.
   Are you ready to receive the call?"
   "Thank you sir. Yes I'm ready," Jasen said. Jennifer was watching quietly from the next seat when the screen switched over to a video of a man and a woman in their early forties. The woman was pleasantly dressed in a green outfit common to a space genetic engineer. She had blond hair and blue-green eyes like Jasen. The man that stood to her right and a little behind wore a blue work jumpsuit with the Robotics Corp. symbol on the pocket. Jenny could see that Jasen had gotten his facial features from his father.
   How are you doing son?" were the first words from Martin Ketch's lips.
   "Fine Dad," Jasen said. "We're all fine right now."
   Jasen's mother said, "We're all praying for you here Jasen. The whole church is praying. We are trusting God to take care of you. I wish we could see you. They told us that your ship doesn't have video transmit from your station."
   Jasen smiled. "I really am fine Mom." Neither of Jasen's parents really looked worried, but they both looked a little tired. "The Lord will take care of me."
   Jennifer couldn't resist breaking into the warm conversation for just a moment. "Mr. and Mrs. Ketch, Jasen was the one who figured out how to get the ship to stop tumbling."
   "I'm sorry Mom and Dad, I should have introduced my seat mate. This is Jennifer Tagen."
   "Glad to meet you Jennifer," both parents spoke almost at once. "What's this about Jasen figuring things out?"
   "It's not that big a deal Mom. All the Gyro Ball stuff I bugged you with came in handy. I'll tell you about it later. Right now we need your prayers. Maybe God will do a miracle and we could miss that asteroid. Jennifer needs your prayers too."
    There was a little knowing twinkle

in Martin Ketch's eye at what Jasen had said. It was almost like the Ketch's had some code and a message had passed that meant more than what had been said.
"We certainly will pray for all of you Jasen. But we know that you're in God's hands. We're trusting Him to take care of our boy." Saying that started to bring a tear to Sandra Ketch's eye. Martin hugged her shoulder. Jennifer wasn't used to seeing much tender love and affection between parents.

   "Jennifer," asked Martin Ketch, "is your father station specialist Kerry Tagen?"
   "Yeah!" Jennifer answered. "Do you know him?"
   "Well, we met him a couple of weeks ago at church. We don't know him very well yet."
   Jennifer's mouth dropped open. "Church!" she said. "Are you sure?" Jenny had never heard of her father going to church before.
   A voice broke in over the conversation. "I'm sorry folks, but you are out of time. Please accept my apologies, but we need to turn the line over to someone else in one minute. We are reading some possible solar interference."
  Jasen told his parents that he loved them and that he would be all right and finished the conversation. Jennifer looked hungrily at the screen waiting for the call from her father. It flickered a bit then got fuzzy. A voice said, "This is Control Cent... We are exper... difficulty because ... spots. Here is ... Tagen for Jennifer Sol.. Tag.."
   An excited voice tried to come through the increasing interference. "Jenny? Jenny? You all right?" The picture of a gray jump-suited man with a reddish beard faded in and out with a few words.
   Raising her voice to try to overcome the sun's radiation, Jennifer called back, "I'm OK Dad. I'll be fine."
   "I love you 'Nifer!" injected Kerry Tagen just before the screen went to fuzz and then black.
   Jennifer sat with a shocked look. Her dad hadn't called her 'Nifer since she was a little girl. "I don't remember the last time he said that," she whispered to no one. Tears started to well up in her eyes and she again shut the visor and turned on the Visor Cloud.
   The com came to life and Jack announced, "Sorry folks. It will be a while before we get communications with Central back. Anybody got any ideas how we can steer this thing away from that asteroid?"
   The com was silent until that familiar voice spoke out again, "I think I have an idea that might work!" Jennifer turned quickly toward Jasen. He was smiling again!

©1998 by Michael Ullrich. Do not reproduce without express permission of the author.
As yet, this work has been unpublished. If you're interested in more details about the book, please feel free to contact Miichael Ullrich.