Part 1 (1/2)
THE EARTH RISE TRILOGY.
By Colin Owen.
Dedication.
Dedication...
This book is dedicated to the One Who gave me the inspiration to begin writing. The One Who inspires men with His creative gifts.
I also dedicate this book to my dad, who had a great imagination. Though he is no longer with us, I'm sure he would love this book--I can still remember him sitting me in front of the old radiogram to listen to ”Dan Dare--Pilot of the future!”
Again, my thanks to Chris for her sterling work with 'the red pen.'
Thanks Chris.
To G.o.d Be The Glory.
Chapter One.
Book One - Lark.
Chapter 1.
The Foresters.
The earth shone bright and blue, set against the blackness of s.p.a.ce. ”Sure is pretty,” Jake called over the coms, ”never seen it look quite so blue before.”
Zeek, the other astronaut who was out on patrol, replied ”You'd never know just how dirty it's getting from here.”
”At least they've got air they can breath Zeek, more than we've got up here Moon-side.”
”Give it time Jake, it's early days yet, just give it time buddy.”
It was late, and Steve Forester was still working. The phone rang, ”Hi Hun,” came Clare's voice over the line, ”will you be long?”
”Not too much longer Sweetie, I just need to finish some last minute calculations ready to transmit to mother.”
Mother was Steve's name for his boss, Dr. Vinkle, a strange character, but brilliant nevertheless.
”OK Hun,” Clare replied, ”but do try to get back soon, I'm missing you.”
”I'll do my best Sweetie, bye.”
Steve put the phone down. He hated working late, but time was short, and this project was vital.
Steve and Clare had been married for fifteen years and were still crazy about each other. Clare understood Steve's long and sometimes unusual working hours. She was a botanist and taught at the university, but before Christopher and Sh.e.l.ley had been born, she had done fieldwork, studying rare plants. She was the country's foremost expert on hybrid plants, but had been glad to give it up when the family had come along. Once the kids grew past the dependency stage, she had taken a post at Teal University, as senior lecturer of botanical studies. She hated the 'senior' bit, but liked her work very much. In all honesty, she hadn't missed fieldwork anything like as much as she thought she would; the newer, more stable hours suited her, and gave her more time for her family.
Chris and Sh.e.l.ley were fast asleep when Steve got home, but Rufus wasn't. ”Down boy...Down!” Steve commanded, but Rufus was having none of it.
”See, he misses you too Hun.” Clare said, as she came to meet Steve in the hallway. ”Had a good day?” she asked, kissing him on the cheek.
”Not bad, old Vink' had one on him today.”
”When doesn't he?”
”Oh, he's not so bad,” Steve grinned, ”compared to chicken-pox he's quite cuddly!”
They both laughed, and even Rufus seemed to get the joke too. They headed for the lounge with Steve singing his little song.
”Vinkle Vinkle Starlabs star, how I wonder what you are.”
The alarm went off early in Sh.e.l.ley's room, it was a big day for her and she wanted to be up in plenty of time. Her brother, Chris, on the other- hand, wanted nothing to do with getting up; his alarm was buried deep under the clothes in one of his drawers. The muted sound it made, could hardly be heard at all by human ears, but Rufus heard it from his basket down in the kitchen and set off up the stairs at full speed. Sh.e.l.ley was used to this scenario, and had opened Chris' door just a little as she pa.s.sed it on her way to the bathroom. Rufus didn't care, he charged straight through it and into Chris' room, diving straight onto his bed and landing plumb in the boy's midriff.
”RUFUS!” yelled Chris at the top of his lungs, but it was too late. Rufus had pulled the duvet clean off the bed and was dragging it across the floor, well out of Chris' reach. Having reached the far wall, the little guy stood, wagging his tail furiously and panting hard: Rufus was only a small dog compared to the size of the duvet.
”You're up then?” Came Sh.e.l.ley's demure little voice, as she pa.s.sed Chris' room on her way back from the bathroom.
”You taught him to do that!” Chris cried out as she pa.s.sed his door.
”Did not!” she replied indignantly, ”He learned it all by himself!”
Rufus was sitting down by now, looking very pleased with himself.
”Must be time to get up Hun,” Clare said, as Steve rolled over to face her.
”Sounds like the Forester family is on the move.”
”Aint that the truth,” Steve said, resigning himself to the fact.
Breakfast was always something to behold at the Forester's house, and Rufus took it upon himself to direct the proceedings by barking at anybody who moved, which usually meant a lot of barking.