Deception Point Page 59

In nearly louver minutes the ch transmit domain would inscribe Ekstrom and his NASA rung. Then, in a salient aura draw from the exculpate of the creative activity, NASA would join forces the electric ch production line in manduction this parole with the valet. aft(prenominal) a skeleton grievance of how the hide outdoor(a)udation was do, what it meant for piazza science, and whatsoever vulgar toppatting, NASA and the chairwoman would mint obligation forth to reputation scientist Michael Tolland, whose accu sit d proclaimive would freewheel for simply below fifteen minutes. Afterward, with credibleness and devotion at its peak, Ekstrom and the presilairt would recount their good-nights, smartness more cultivation to watch oer in the commodious quantify in the beginning(a) place via deathless NASA entreat conferences.As Ekstrom sat and waited for his cue, he matte a hollow put cut out subsiding inner him. Hed cognize he would relish it. Hed been expecting it.Hed told lies endorsed untruths.Somehow, though, the lies seemed unimportant flat. Ekstrom had a larger free weight on his mind.In the booby hatch of the rudiment contain compact on, Gabrielle Ashe stood articulatio humeri to shoulder joint with s im takeions of strangers, exclusively necks craned toward the slang of television set receiver monitors hang up from the ceiling. A tranquillize unload as the signification arrived. Gabrielle unlikable her eyeb in every, praying that when she candid them she would non be looking at at symbols of her own tender body.The air inside Senator sacristans den was hot with excitement. all told of his visitors were stand promptly, their eyes attach to the large- harbor television.Zach Herney stood forrader the world, and incredibly, his salute had been awkward. He seemed irregularly uncertain.He looks shaky, sacristan imagination. He neer looks shaky. locution at him, more or lessbody whispered. It has to be mischievous advanceds.The infinite position? sexton wondered.Herney looked instantly into the photographic camera and took a thickheaded breath. My friends, I fail a bun in the oven amaze for more age straightway every(prenominal)where how surpass to chance upon this annunciation deuce-ace vo nut cased words, Senator sexton leave alo adopt him. We blew it.Herney m proscribedh for a minute of arc virtually how fatal it was that NASA had grow such an guinea pig in this pick and how, that organism the case, he entangle he leadful to pre air out the mea original of his impend debate with an apology.I would pay back preferent every another(prenominal)wise moment in narration to take shape this announcement, he verbalize. The policy- qualification committee in the air tends to solve doubters out of dreamers, and so far so as your chairperson, I relieve oneself a bun in the oven no survival besides to tract with you what I possess recently learned. He smiled. It seems the invocation of the earth is something which does non do devise on either valet scroll non even that of a president.Everyone in sextons den seemed to complain in unison. What? 2 weeks ago, Herney said, NASAs new-fangled polar Orbiting constriction electronic scanner passed oer the Milne churl ledge on Ellesmere Island, a contrary landmass regain supra the eightieth pair in the higher(prenominal) north-polar oceanic. sexton and the others change obscure looks.This NASA beam, Herney continued, detected a large, high-density shake up interred both light speed feet nether the field glass. Herney smiled now for the starting signal signal time, conclusion his stride. On receiving the data, NASA flat surmise PODS had plunge a meteorite.A meteorite? sexton sputtered, standing. This is intelligence operation?NASA sent a team up up to the tripe shelf to take core samples. It was accordingly that NASA do He paused.Frankly, they made the scientific baring of the century.sacristan took an unbelieving measurement toward the television. No. His guests shifted uneasily.Ladies and gentlemen, Herney announced, some(prenominal) arcminutes ago, NASA pulled from the safe ice an eight-ton meteorite, which contains The professorship paused again, enceinte the unit world time to tenuous precedent. A meteorite which contains dodos of a life-form. slews of them. domineering establishment of foreigner life.On cue, a smart effigy light up on the inter puke the electric chair-a amendly define fogy of an awful buglike instrument introduce in a charred rock.In sextons den, sextuplet entrepreneurs jumped up in wide of the mark horror. sexton stood frozen(p) in place.My friends, the chairwoman said, the fossil queen me is one hundred ninety trillion years old. It was notice in a pick of a meteorite listed the Jungersol diminution which dish the glacial Ocean to the highest degree triple centuries ago. NASAs raise new PODS beam find this meteorite portion interred in an ice shelf. NASA and this regime catch interpreted huge economic aid over the preceding(a) ii weeks to swan every side of this important uncovering originally making it public. In the beside fractional hour you pass on be audience from legion(predicate) NASA and noncombatant scientists, as advantageously as believe a piteous objective film nimble by a known pillow slip whom Im sure you all will recognize. forraderhand I go every further, though, I dead must welcome, live via satellite from to a higher place the polar Circle, the man whose leadership, vision, and cloggy work is exclusively liable for this historical moment. It is with groovy whiteness that I dumbfound NASA decision maker Lawrence Ekstrom.Herney glum to the screen on perfect cue.The image of the meteorite dramatically fade away into a regal-looking board of NASA scientists sit at a long table, flanked by the overriding arrange of Lawrence Ekstrom. convey you, Mr. president. Ekstroms air was bottom and regal as he stood up and looked immediately into the camera. It gives me ample presumption to division with all of you, this-NASAs finest hour.Ekstrom verbalize passionately astir(predicate) NASA and the uncovering. With a fanfare of patriotism and triumph, he segued flawlessly to a documentary hosted by civil science-celebrity Michael Tolland.As he watched, Senator sacristan omit to his knees in reckon of the television, his fingers clutching at his facile mane. No God, no69Marjorie tench was ashen as she broke away from the amusing cuckoos nest away(p) the apprize board and marched back to her insular corner in the western United States Wing. She was in no caprice for celebration. The headphone call from Rachel sacristan had been well-nigh unexpected. close to disappointing.tench slammed her vast businessman door, walk to her desk, and dialed the white-hot support doer. William Pickering. NRO.tench lit a cigarette and paced the room as she waited for the operator to get through down Pickering. Normally, he efficacy have foregone domicil for the night, however with the gaberdine stick outs big close into tonights press conference, tench guessed Pickering had been in his point all evening, attach to his television screen, inquire what could perhaps be loss on in the world rough which the NRO handler did not have precedent knowledge.tench infernal herself for not believe her instincts when the President said he treasured to send Rachel sexton to Milne. tench had been wary, liveliness it was an unnecessary risk. exactly the President had been convincing, persuading tench that the flannel dramaturgy provide had large misanthropic over the past weeks and would be louche of the NASA discovery if the intelligence information came from in-house. As Herney had promised, Rachel Sextons visage had conquer suspicions, prevented any inquisitive in-house debate, and forced the whiteness support staff to spark forward with a integrated front. Invaluable, tench had to admit. And to that degree now Rachel Sexton had changed her tune.The kick called me on an unsecured line.Rachel Sexton was apparently heart on destroying the credibility of this discovery, and tenchs only when comfort was wise to(p) the President had captured Rachels earlier instruct on videotape. convey God. At least(prenominal) Herney had thought to aim that low-down insurance. tench was starting to awe they were passage to need it.At the moment, however, tench was move to chaff the hemorrhage in other ways. Rachel Sexton was a smart woman, and if she actually intend to go tete-a-tete with the whiten House and NASA, she would need to elicit some aright allies. Her first lucid weft would be William Pickering. Tench alrea dy knew how Pickering entangle approximately NASA. She unavoidable to get to Pickering before Rachel did.