The Fatal Tree by Stephen R. Lawhead

Author:Stephen R. Lawhead
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2014-07-31T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

In Which the Cosmic Cliff Is Contemplated

The tenth observation session at the Jansky Very Large Array radio telescope produced profoundly alarming results for two different reasons. A first-pass analysis of the data indicated that the disturbance in sector B240-22N was growing in size. The region where the original discrepancy had first been noticed had mushroomed in the relatively short time since the previous scan. The two other observatories that Dr. Segler had pulled into the project confirmed this result, which brought about the second alarming development: the NASA team that had arrived to look into developments now demanded complete control of the programme.

“They’re hijacking Operation Nightfall!” bellowed Dvorak. “They’re trying to freeze us out completely. They can’t do this—it’s our programme!” He pounded on the desk for emphasis. “You’ve got to tell them where they can shove it!”

“Okay, Leo, calm down,” Segler said. “Nobody’s hijacking anything. I’ve got a call in to the administrator’s office and another to the COCC. We’ll get this sorted out. Just be patient.” He regarded his technical director with bemusement. “Operation Nightfall, huh? Is that what they’re calling it?”

“This wouldn’t even be on NASA’s radar if it wasn’t for us!” Dvorak said, refusing to be diverted. “They can’t just take over like this. They don’t know how to run the equipment properly, and they’re slowing things down. You’ve got to get them out of here. Send ’em packing.”

Dvorak left the office, slamming the door as he went.

“Your concerns are duly noted,” Segler sighed, sinking back into his chair once more. “Don’t slam the door.”

The director raised his eyes to see Tony Clarke watching him from his place at a makeshift desk across the room. “I sympathise, Sam.”

Segler gave a mirthless bark of a laugh. “Who with—him or me?”

“With both of you, actually. It isn’t right that NASA tries to take over the show. I can’t see that being good for anybody. Bad for morale, for one thing, and you’re going to need happy campers to advance the operation. I’ve been project director a few times in my career and, believe me, I know how tricky it can get trying to appease various warring factions and keep the project moving forward.”

“That is the main thing right now,” Segler said, resting his elbows on the table and holding his head in his hands. “Keeping it all together—which we won’t be able to do for too much longer anyway. With data being verified and analysed by independent facilities elsewhere, it is only a matter of time before somebody drops a dime to CNN. The whole thing could blow up in our faces any minute.”

“You’re right, of course. We’re not going to be able to keep the lid on this much longer. It is big and it is going to get out. So we’ve got to keep our eyes on the prize—finding out what is actually going on out there.” Tony gestured out the window in the direction of a pale desert sky. “You might disagree, but the main objective at this point, as I see it, is to stay in the game.

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