flight was under consideration. The Russians agreed not to take any action against the spacecraft without prior consultation with the United States.
After the call, Fraser and the others joined Connors in the Presidentâs study. The President told them that in exchange for the Russian agreement to hold their fire he had given an assurance that, if it was launched, any information gathered by the Apollo mission would be made immediately available to the Russians.
âI know I already said this over dinner,â said Fraser, âbut Iâm going to say it again. I think this whole idea of wait-and-see is crazy. I think we and the Russians should blast off a couple of big ones and blow the damn thing â â
âNo!â It came almost as a shout from Wedderkind. Then in a quieter voice he said, âWe have no right to do anything like that. An event like this might never happen again in the whole history of the human race.â
âMaybe the history of the human race is about to end right now,â said Fraser. âMaybe that thing up there has been sent to wipe us all out.â
âOne of our problems is that weâve all seen too many bug-eyed B movies,â said Wedderkind. âI think it would help a great deal if we remembered that every science fiction monster we ever read about was created right here â on earth.â
âNevertheless,â said Clayson, âI think we must be prepared for the worst and be ready to hit back.â
Wedderkind hunched up his shoulders and spread out the palms of his hands. âLook. Be reasonable. Why all of a sudden does it have to be Armageddon? Maybe it will just take a look at us and go away. If I was up there and I could see what I see happening down here with my own eyes, thatâs what I would do. Believe me.â
âBut what do we do if it decides to land?â
Another shrug. âLet it land. Would that be so terrible?â
âAnd suppose it comes down in Times Square?â
Wedderkind turned to Fraser. âIf you were up there with the whole world to choose from, is that where youâd come down?â
Fraser didnât answer.
HAMILTON AFB/CALIFORNIA
Two USAF helicopters took Connors and the others back to Hamilton AFB where Air Force One stood gassed upand ready to go. It was nearly 11 P.M. As they climbed aboard, the US Navy Sea Queen chopper carrying the President and his wife settled into the nearby landing circle under the watchful eyes of the Secret Service. A small posse of station brass waited attentively in their best blues.
From his window, Connors watched the President and First Lady run the gauntlet of good-bye handshakes from the helicopter to the foot of the boarding ramp. He lost sight of them as the President followed his wife up the steps but he knew the scene by heart. They paused at the top. She turned. He turned, in front, but a step lower down. A brief straight-arm wave from her. A two-stroke, bent-elbow one from him plus a warm smile, with the lips just breaking clear of the teeth. They were both good on smiles. Then a light hand on her back, guiding her in through the door. Slight duck of the head. Curtain.
Connors stood up as they walked through. He smiled at the First Lady. âYou see, you made it.â
âYes, I know â isnât it silly?â She gave a half laugh. âI think itâs because they look so much like insects that I â â A shrug completed the rationale.
Lieutenant Jean Seagren, the cabin staff supervisor aboard Air Force One, opened the door to the private suite and ushered the President and his wife through. As the door closed behind them, Connors and the other passengers sat down and strapped themselves in.
The big Boeing rolled away smoothly into the darkness. Looking out through the window, Connors saw the blue lights that edged the perimeter track drift past under the wing like lazy tracer bullets. He settled back and tried to
After the call, Fraser and the others joined Connors in the Presidentâs study. The President told them that in exchange for the Russian agreement to hold their fire he had given an assurance that, if it was launched, any information gathered by the Apollo mission would be made immediately available to the Russians.
âI know I already said this over dinner,â said Fraser, âbut Iâm going to say it again. I think this whole idea of wait-and-see is crazy. I think we and the Russians should blast off a couple of big ones and blow the damn thing â â
âNo!â It came almost as a shout from Wedderkind. Then in a quieter voice he said, âWe have no right to do anything like that. An event like this might never happen again in the whole history of the human race.â
âMaybe the history of the human race is about to end right now,â said Fraser. âMaybe that thing up there has been sent to wipe us all out.â
âOne of our problems is that weâve all seen too many bug-eyed B movies,â said Wedderkind. âI think it would help a great deal if we remembered that every science fiction monster we ever read about was created right here â on earth.â
âNevertheless,â said Clayson, âI think we must be prepared for the worst and be ready to hit back.â
Wedderkind hunched up his shoulders and spread out the palms of his hands. âLook. Be reasonable. Why all of a sudden does it have to be Armageddon? Maybe it will just take a look at us and go away. If I was up there and I could see what I see happening down here with my own eyes, thatâs what I would do. Believe me.â
âBut what do we do if it decides to land?â
Another shrug. âLet it land. Would that be so terrible?â
âAnd suppose it comes down in Times Square?â
Wedderkind turned to Fraser. âIf you were up there with the whole world to choose from, is that where youâd come down?â
Fraser didnât answer.
HAMILTON AFB/CALIFORNIA
Two USAF helicopters took Connors and the others back to Hamilton AFB where Air Force One stood gassed upand ready to go. It was nearly 11 P.M. As they climbed aboard, the US Navy Sea Queen chopper carrying the President and his wife settled into the nearby landing circle under the watchful eyes of the Secret Service. A small posse of station brass waited attentively in their best blues.
From his window, Connors watched the President and First Lady run the gauntlet of good-bye handshakes from the helicopter to the foot of the boarding ramp. He lost sight of them as the President followed his wife up the steps but he knew the scene by heart. They paused at the top. She turned. He turned, in front, but a step lower down. A brief straight-arm wave from her. A two-stroke, bent-elbow one from him plus a warm smile, with the lips just breaking clear of the teeth. They were both good on smiles. Then a light hand on her back, guiding her in through the door. Slight duck of the head. Curtain.
Connors stood up as they walked through. He smiled at the First Lady. âYou see, you made it.â
âYes, I know â isnât it silly?â She gave a half laugh. âI think itâs because they look so much like insects that I â â A shrug completed the rationale.
Lieutenant Jean Seagren, the cabin staff supervisor aboard Air Force One, opened the door to the private suite and ushered the President and his wife through. As the door closed behind them, Connors and the other passengers sat down and strapped themselves in.
The big Boeing rolled away smoothly into the darkness. Looking out through the window, Connors saw the blue lights that edged the perimeter track drift past under the wing like lazy tracer bullets. He settled back and tried to
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