The Star Cross by Raymond L. Weil Page B

“Fortunately, with the people that
Colonel Hayworth brought, we should be able to do it.” Simms took out a
calculator and ran some numbers. “Four to six months to complete everything.
Does that sound about right to you?” asked the captain, looking over at
Hayworth.
    “Sounds
doable,” Hayworth responded. “Our people will be putting in a lot of hours.”
    “Recruit and
train more if needed,” ordered Kurt. “Also, when the ships are being updated,
don’t hesitate to use their crews to help with the work. We’re at war, and the
security of Newton is paramount.”
    Hayworth
grinned. “Would love to order about the crews. We’ll get it done, sir.”
    Kurt spent another
hour speaking in greater detail to the two men about the things he wanted. When
the meeting was over, he felt satisfied that a number of important issues had
been resolved. Now he wanted to go to Newton and speak with Governor Spalding,
plus visit his sister, Denise.
    -
    Denise was
busy cooking when her cell phone rang.
    “I’ll get it!”
yelled Bryan, as he ran through the house toward her phone, lying on the
kitchen counter.
    The six-year-old
had been hyperactive ever since they arrived on Newton. Denise put down her
knife and the potato she had been peeling.
    Pressing the
green flashing light on the cell phone, Bryan said, “Hello?” He listened for a
moment, and then his eyes lit up. “Uncle Kurt, is it really you? When are you
coming to visit? Our new house is really neat, and it’s close to my new
school.”
    “Let me have
the phone, dear,” said Denise, pleased that Kurt had finally called. She knew
he had been tremendously busy the last few days.
    Bryan handed her the phone with a big excited smile. “He says he’s coming over!”
    “Hello, big
brother,” Denise said. “Bryan says you’re coming over?” She listened for a
moment, nodding to herself. “The house is fine. It’s nearly as big as the one
we left in Houston. Alex is out checking on a potential job. One of the local
companies has a need for a systems analyst.”
    “Let me talk
some more!” begged Bryan with his eyes open wide. “I want to tell Uncle Kurt
about our spaceship ride.”
    “Why don’t you
come over for supper? I’ll have it ready around seven.” She listened to Kurt’s
reply, and a soft smile covered her face. “I’ll see you then, and Bryan can’t wait to tell you about our trip on the passenger liner.”
    Denise pressed
the end button on her cell phone and looked down at her son. “Uncle Kurt’s
coming for supper, and you can tell him then all about your ride on the
spaceship.”
    “I can’t
wait,” Bryan said, his face lighting up with excitement. “I’ll color him a picture
of the spaceship.” With that comment, Bryan turned and rushed off toward his
room.
    Denise picked up
the knife and the potato again. She would have to cook a little more for supper
than usual. It would do her brother good to have a home-cooked meal for a
change.
    -
    “What was the
final total of refugees we managed to evacuate?” asked Kurt, looking across the
desk at Governor Spalding. He had stopped by the governor’s office to cover
some of the events that had occurred at Earth and to discuss the potential
problem having Marlen Stroud on Newton might mean.
    “One hundred
and twelve thousand,” Spalding replied, as he checked some information on the
computer screen on his desk. “Most of them families, with at least one member being
someone who can greatly benefit Newton. We have teachers, engineers, doctors,
nurses, scientists, and even some farming specialists.”
    “We tried to
be very careful in our screening of potential colonists,” Kurt answered. He
just wished they had caught Stroud before he managed to board the Chinese ship.
That Cabinet member would be an ongoing migraine for Kurt and Spalding.
    “We arrested
the Chinese crewmembers who brought Stroud and his entourage to Newton,” Spalding said with a heavy sigh. “He brought along