Luna

Episode 6: Initial news reports

Rushing into the hospital Mac and Luna could not escape the omnipresent news projected in the Emergency Room waiting room, on the walls, ceiling and floor.

“The blast was so big initial news reports from the administration suspected a booster had exploded on a launch pad. Early news reports listed Dr. Montaño among the dead along with many others.”

Luna said to her dad, “I know she’s alive. I got a text-“

“Additional comments from officials cited no evidence for the claim ‘space arks for elites’ were ever under construction at Diaz-Borman Space Port.

Davis-Monthan Space Force Base has been placed on full alert. The hostage situation at Picacho ended with the hostage killed and the suspect and the water tanker destroyed.

At the Republic’s provisional capitol in Springfield, Illinois, the President ordered the nation’s terror alert elevated to Def Con 1.”

The newswoman in front of Luna’s imagination informed her that 21 space port workers had been killed and 17 were injured by the blast and the debris. And a manifesto had been posted. “The Police and the Governor had no comment.”

The manifesto appeared on everyone’s Mind-pad as Luna and her dad asked to see Calypso Montaño. They heard a key passage in the elevator that left them mystified.

“We the guardians of Gaea believe constructing space arks for elites at this moment in human history is an obscene waste of precious resources. Death to the elites. For Gaea. For a just and whole world.”

Mac and Luna found her room on her ward by following her assertive voice. “I’m fine. I’m not injured. I will not require observation.”

“Hi, Mom.”

“Mac! Luna! O God I was so scared. It’ll be sunup by the time I get out of here. Can you get me out of here? Where’s Rin?”

Mac had news. ”Don’t know. There’s fewer dead and injured than thought. Damage was mostly superficial. Luna’s robot dog was taken by law enforcement. They suspect it was tampered with. Cyber forensics determined that someone downloaded spyware that delivered a video feed of everything that robot saw when it accompanied you to your weekly meetings.”

Luna added the kicker. “They thought you all were building space arks for elites. They’re insane.”

Mac said, ”Like cousin Mars says. You can’t escape the heat.”

Calypso touched her bandaged head. “Gods and Moons. The whole world’s insane.”

Luna hugged her mom across her gurney. “I love you.”

The following night at school Luna‘s name was announced over the schools PA system. “Would Luna MacKenzie come to the office, please.” There she found her smiling cousin, Police Detective Mars Montaño with Rin, obediently seated on his titanium haunches at his side.

Luna leapt up and kneeled by her beloved vintage robot. “Rin! You’re alive!”

The android headmaster asserted, ”Robots are not living organisms, Luna.”

Mars said, “Miss Luna Mackenzie, has anyone other than you or your mother come in close contact with your robotic canine?”

“My brother Cassius. And my friend Amira. She house sits Rin for us whenever we go out for a bit. So he won’t get lonely. She loves to play with him like we do.”

The android headmaster asserted, ”Robots do not get lonely, Luna.”

“We suspect Amira Nzema of aiding her uncle and others in their terror attack on Diaz-Borman by uploading spyware to your dog, Luna.”

“Amira! That’s insane. She’s my friend!”

“Your robotic canine gave the terror cell a complete tour of the site.”

“What? Amira? She used Rin to do this terrible thing? She can’t be involved in this.”

“Appears to be the case.”

“When can I have my dog back?”

“After the trial. After we scrub her hard drive.”

Luna scanned her Mind-texts in silence for anything from Amira. Nothing. What was Amira doing?

Mars excused himself. “I need to go talk to your friend. I just wanted to update you on the investigation. You will get your robot dog back. Listen, kid. Don’t leave the planet, in case we need to talk to you, again. Glad your mom survived. Lucky. ” He turned and walked out. Rin followed him.

Luna’s android headmaster said, ”You may take the night off from school, Luna. I am sorry for your friend’s poor choices.”

“She’s not my friend.”

Later that sunny and clear day Mars dropped into the University of Arizona.

“Amira Nzema, please report to the office of the University President.”

“I’m Detective Montaño. Amira, would you be willing to answer some questions? We found an intact cyber-dog in Dr. Montaño’s vehicle that played a significant role in the execution of this act of terror. We have reason to believe you may be familiar with this cyber-dog.”

Mars paused. Amira looked down. He continued.

“Our forensic cyber detective traced the video hijacking software installed in the Mackenzie family’s dog to you.”

Amira, resigned to her fate, looked into Mars’ eyes..

“Amira Nzema, you are under arrest for aiding and abetting an act of terror, 12 counts of first degree murder and destruction of Federal property.”

Amira said, “I’m disappointed the initial fatality numbers were inaccurate.”

Mars was surprised by the cold tone of her remark but continued. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer before we ask you any questions. Do you understand?”

She nodded. She knew when her uncle asked her for her help that it would cost her her freedom, that her young life would be over. But since the calamity of her childhood back home she felt her life, her family, her friends had been taken from her. Amira wanted no part of this hot world anymore.

“Dr. Montaño was kidnapped by two suspects we have identified by their teeth as Amahl Nzema and Noah Nzema. Are these gentlemen related to you, Miss Nzema?”

Amira nodded.”My uncle. And my cousin.”

“Are you a member of Guardians of Gaea?”

“Is that a crime?”

“Are you aware it is a terrorist organization?”

She laughed. “Are you aware your first world carbon belching nations terrorized my people?”

“Miss Nzema, are you aware the suspected terrorists, your Uncle Amahl Nzema and your cousin Noah Nzema had a video of the secure interior of the facility and those images came from a live video feed coming directly from the robotic canine dog that accompanied Dr. MacKenzie every time she attended a security meeting at the Diaz-Borman Space Port?"

Amira said nothing. Mars continued.

“Your entire name?”

“Amira Sulaman Nzema”

“Address?”

“224 N. Thunberg Way. Tucson.”

“Occupation?”

“Student.”

Mars said, “Not anymore. Let’s go downtown.”

Amira remained silent as he cuffed her and led her down and out. The cuffs holding her slender wrists behind her back hurt when she sat in the back of Mars’ small patrol cruiser. She studied the swirling dust overhead and sank into the suffocating heat as Mars drove them downtown to the Police station. After she was processed, photographed, handed her orange jail smock, arraigned and walked to her jail pod she prayed in the stillness of her sterile cell for her uncle, for her cousin and for strength. She looked out her narrow dirty dusty window at the free world and then down to her folded hands, “I shall lose my mind inside this metal box. I shall go as mad as the world.”

Hours passed until a human officer tapped on the slot in her cell door. “You have a visitor.” An android arrived, escorted her down and through numerous unlocking and locking sliding gates and into a small airless room with a small table where Luna was seated until she stood and said, “Amira.”

“Luna.”

“Amira. My mom could have been killed.”

“My family was killed while your caste spewed carbon, ate fine cheese and drank fresh water. Your caste will never erase my caste from history.”

“I’ll Mind-write.”

“Don’t bother.”

And that’s where it ended.

The next couple of days were 123° days. Amira sweltered in her cell. Mac finished his report on his reception at the global Paris forum. Adjudication by AI accelerated the legal proceedings against Amira and other family members who participated in the plot. The press focused on the terrorists’ false belief that “arks” were under construction and the story of the climate tragedy that befell their village years before. Calypso recovered and returned to work and the Space Command tower was repaired ahead of schedule. And Sol and Mars delayed trek to the proposed nuclear fusion reactor site was coming up.

Over breakfast, Mac and Calypso asked Luna about the map she had drawn. “Your mother found your map and showed it to me. Why do you want to leave us? What did we do to you?”

“Nothing. It’s not about you. I want to see the north lands. Soon as school’s over I’m taking Rin and heading out to see the world.”

Calypso rolled her eyes, moaned and touched the bandage on her forehead. “You want to see the north lands? Go ahead. See them. They live in the daylight. You’re a desert nocturnal. You’ll return. Like a prodigal child. Everybody does.”

“I’ve heard this so many times before-”

“You are blessed we are not refugees. This is our home. With water justice for all. How long have we been here, Calypso?”

“Ten thousand years.”

“That’s right. Ten thousand years.”

“For ten thousand years I have waited to see the world.”

Mac sniped. “You can see that dangerous world any damned time you want on your Mind-pad."

Calypso repeated her main argument.“Thank your moons and stars, Luna, you we have never had to move. Everyone is a refugee these days. Everyone.”

Mac agreed, repeating their salvos. “Unlike the millions who are alive on this troubled planet we were never refugees. Never. We’ve seen them pass through here by the millions and helped them on their way north. Here we escape the heat by sleeping during the day. We have water. We have food security. And we navigate the stars at night.”

Calypso added, “We are repairing the world here. Here! That’s why our father was invited to Paris to talk about how he helped make this desert city sustainable.”

“And your mother is helping to mine asteroids for everything essential to interplanetary travel and colonization. This is a rare safe place to live.”

Luna stifled her yawn,and looked up from their table at the roaring sandstorm outside.

“Aside from the sandstorms, heat, tornadoes and monsoon floods we live in one of the safest-”

Calypso added, “-and aside from occasional acts of terror we are free from the wars and crime that still plague the planet-”

“Yes! And aside from the occasional acts of terror we live in a safe paradise here, Luna.”

Mac pointed to the Catalinas. “There’s madness beyond those mountains. From our home here our grandparents and parents watched the world population drop from billions to millions. There’s nothing out there beyond those mountains but dead deserts, flooded wetlands, desolation, ruins, overcrowded Edens, massive mitigation project work camps, hurricanes every other day and-“

Calypso said, “Your brother will be getting home soon.”

Luna did not look at either of her parents and wondered when their panicky diatribe would end. Carlos wandered in to get some water, sensed the awkward tension and said nothing.

Calypso took Luna’s hand. “Really? North? For what? What do you want to see? Glaciers? Forests? The Woolly Mammoth herds? Who wants to see the Woolly Mammoth herds?”

Carlos set his water down. “I do. I want to see the Woolly Mammoth herds before I die. And Mount Rushmore. And snow. When shall we go, Luna?”