“Loud and clear, Boomer,” the passenger replied.
“Good.” Boomer helped the passenger up and out of his seat, which was much easier than getting in because it was now completely open. “We can’t stay out long because we’re not very well protected from micrometeorites, cosmic radiation, temperature extremes, and all that happy space stuff, but it’ll be a fun ride while it lasts. Umbilicals are clear, Armstrong. Ready to hoist.” The robot arm began to slowly pull them up and away from the spaceplane, and then the passenger found himself floating free in space over and above the docking module . . .
. . . and within moments, the entire structure of Armstrong Space Station was spread out before them, gleaming in reflected sunlight. They could see the entire length of the structure, see the large laboratory, living, mechanical, and storage modules both above and below the truss, and the endless expanses of solar cells at both ends of the truss that seemed to spread out to infinity—he could even see persons looking at them through large observation windows on some of the modules. “Oh . . . my . . . God,” the passenger breathed. “It’s beautiful!”
“It is, but that ain’t nothing,” Boomer said. He grasped the back of the passenger’s space suit and pulled him so he pivoted down . . .
. . . and the passenger got his newest glimpse of planet Earth below them. They could all hear him gasp in utter wonderment. “Good Lord!” he exclaimed. “It’s incredible! It’s magnificent! I can see almost the entire continent of South America down there! My God! It looks totally different than through the cockpit windows—I can really sense the altitude now.”
“I think he likes it, General Raydon,” Boomer said. He let the passenger marvel at planet Earth for about another minute, floating free of the harness; then said, “We don’t dare stay out here any longer, sir. Reel us in, Armstrong.” With the passenger still facing toward Earth, the robot arm began to retract back toward the space station, pulling the two men along. Boomer pulled the passenger upright just before arriving at a large hatch. He floated up to the hatch, unlocked and opened it, floated into the opening, secured himself with a strap to the inside of the airlock, attached another strap to the passenger, and carefully maneuvered him inside the station’s airlock. Boomer detached them both from the umbilicals, released them outside, then closed and dogged the hatch. He hooked himself and the passenger up to umbilicals in the airlock while waiting for the pressure to equalize, but the passenger was absolutely dumbstruck and said not a word, even after the interior airlock door opened. Technicians helped the passenger remove his space suit, and Boomer motioned to the airlock exit.
As soon as the passenger exited the airlock, Kai Raydon, a trim, athletically built man with silver crew-cut hair, chisel-cut facial features, and intense, light blue eyes, snapped to attention, adjusted a wireless headset microphone to his lips, and spoke: “Attention on Armstrong Station, this is the director, all personnel be advised, the president of the United States of America, Kenneth Phoenix, is aboard station.” Raydon, station manager Trevor Shale, Jessica Faulkner, and several other space-station personnel stood at attention, as best they could while looping their toes under footholds, as ruffles and flourishes and then “Hail to the Chief” played on the station’s public-address system.
TWO
The fear of death is more to be dreaded than death itself.
—PUBLILIUS SYRUS
ARMSTRONG SPACE STATION
“As you were, ladies and gentlemen,” President Kenneth Phoenix said when the music ended. “I’d kiss the deck if I knew which way it was.” The assembled station personnel laughed, applauded, and cheered for several long moments.
“I’m Kai Raydon, station director, Mr. President,” Kai said, floating over to Phoenix and shaking hands. “Welcome to Armstrong Space Station, and congratulations on having the courage to be the first sitting head of state to travel in Earth orbit, and now being the first sitting head of state to do a spacewalk. How are you feeling, sir?”
“I’m completely blown away, General Raydon,” Phoenix said. “I’ve seen and done things I’ve only dreamed of doing, thanks to you and your people. Thank you for giving me this incredible opportunity.”