Chapter 1

I called out as loud as I could, “Loretta, grab the dog, he’s got my shoe again!” I could see her go running after the stupid thing.

I turned back to my son, “Isaac, you’re sixteen. You know the rule. Everybody on this Island works. If you don’t like your job, go down to the jobs board. There’s plenty of work to do.”

“Dad they’ll just stick me on kelp harvesting again,” he whined.

“If your girlfriend doesn’t like the smell of bacon then there’s something wrong with her,” I replied.

He smiled for a moment thinking of Juanita, then gathered himself back together. “Why can’t I work with you?”

“Doing what, opening doors? You want a government job, go back to school. You want to stand around and open doors, go sign up for security training. Make a decision, and do something. Either be happy with your part time job, or train to do something else. Whining doesn’t get you anywhere. If you want to complain more go talk to your Mom, she’ll be happy to listen,” I finished.

“Here’s your shoe, Daddy,” Loretta said, handing it to me.

“Thank you sweetheart. Are you all ready? I’m hoping you’re all packed and ready to go.”

“All ready. Kirk’s bag is packed and by the door, and Julietta said she’d sent her bags to the plane already. She also said she will be there just as soon as dance class is finished, but she’ll need to shower on the plane.”

“Great, thank you so much. Kirk, grab your bag, it’s time to go,” I shouted, grabbing my own suitcase and heading for the elevator.

“I’m not ready yet,” Isaac called out.

“Shirts, pants, shoes, underwear, socks. Make it quick, or you’re getting left behind!” I told him, heading for the door.

It felt like herding cats some days. We’d all been up since 3am to start shifting our body clocks. I refuse to hire servants. I had got a chef that came just to make dinner for the family, though I was down to just four kids at home by then. A cleaning lady comes in once a week to do the bathrooms. The rest is the kids. Learning to clean up your own mess is an important life skill.

I gave Loretta a little shoulder hug as we waited for Isaac. Eventually he came running through the door, and I hit the button for the elevator. It opened almost immediately, just like usual.

Down the elevator, to the waiting vehicle. We tossed our luggage in the back, and got seated. It ran down the small ground level road to the beach, over the bridge to the outer ring, then to the airport.

My newest plane was waiting for us. A supersonic design from Boeing, but built by Airbus in their Ukraine factory. It was big, not ‘flying palace’ big, but big. These days the family doesn’t fly with me much, and I rarely have more than two assistants with me in person at a time, so I upgraded to a smaller but faster plane.

“We are already a day late. I don’t know why we have to rush,” I heard Isaac say.

“International date line, numb nuts. We are leaving on the second, but arriving on the first,” Juliette said, coming across the boarding ramp.

I pretended not to hear the comments. Juliette shouldn’t have said it, but Isaac was being a pain today, hormones.

I was settled in my seat towards the back of the plane. Juliette walked in, “Hi, Daddy, time for a shower before takeoff?”

The speaker crackled to life, “Hello folks, we will be closing up in about five minutes. Take off shortly after. If you could get settled and buckled up, Betty will be back there in a bit for preflight.”

“Five minutes enough time?” I asked.

“It’ll do,” she said.

“Use my bathroom. Loretta always has to pee just before take off.”

“Thanks, Daddy.” she said, moving briskly, grabbing her bag, and going to my bedroom at the back of the plane. Kirk buckled in next to me. I smiled at him. He smiled back.

“First time breaking the sound barrier for you isn’t it?” I asked him.

“Yeah. You did it in the Concorde didn’t you.”

“Yup, back in 1999 I took it around the world. Did the Y2K new years party five times in five different locations with your mom. She slept for 15 hours afterwards.”

“Cool. Will it feel any different?”

“Acceleration will be longer, ‘Air Palace’ only did Mach .8, which was pretty standard. You’ve done the math for airspeed, fuel consumption, and air resistance in normal flight right?” I asked.

He nodded, “Past that point, it stops making sense to go a little faster at the cost of lots more fuel. If we had the Global Dart back then, we could have done 10 parties and had time to enjoy them.”

“Mach 3, right?” he asked, fiddling with his tablet.

“3.2 I think, about 2500 mph. Other side of the world in how long?” I asked.

“18,940 k, great circle route. 4.7 hours at Mach 3.2,” he said.

“Takes a bit to get up to speed and slow back down so figure around 5 and a bit hours.”

“Are we going to see Antarctica?” Loretta asked.

“Probably, what does your great circle say Kirk?”

“Great view out the starboard side, a bit of Patagonia on the port side.”

“Oh goody! I like penguins,” she said.

Kirk laughed, she frowned, and I explained. “We won’t see the penguins from 75,000 feet, sweetheart.”

“Oh. Won’t see much from that high up, will we?”

Juliette bounced into her seat and buckled up just as flight attendant Betty came in and latched the hatch. “Good morning, everyone. Ready to go back in time?” Betty asked.

She did a quick briefing. Flying was old hat for the family. Then she disappeared to let the captain know we were ready. He came back on the speakers.

“Welcome aboard, everyone. Our flight today is 19100 kilometers, approximately five and half hours. Our cruising speed today will be at Mach 3.2 at an altitude of 22.8 kilometers. Arrival time will be just after midnight local, UTC.”

Loretta hopped up and ran to the bathroom. Two minutes later she was back, as we taxied to the end of the runway. Acceleration was fierce. And it didn’t stop. It felt like we were going straight up.

“The Buran was much worse. Harder acceleration, much longer period of time,” I said. All my kids have been to space. It’s a tradition for me take them when they turn 13. Well, all of them but Albert. He was 15 when he went. They all went up on the Mel. The shorthand name of the space tether that runs from Spaceport Island to the MWC, a geostationary station that acts as the command center for the tether.

“Why did the pilot say it’s farther than Kirk said it was?” Loretta asked.

“Kirk, send her your map. I bet she can figure it out in less than ten minutes,” I told them.

Isaac pretended to ignore us. Juliette had missed part of the conversation, so asked. “Kirk measured the great circle distance between Ocean City and Spaceport Isle Airport. His distance was 18940 kilometers. The pilots was 160 kilometers longer.”

“Ha! Got it! Great circle would take us right over Fiji. The extra is us going around!” Loretta crowed.

“Nice work. It’s impolite to break the sound barrier over your neighbor’s house.” I acknowledged. “This is so much better than the 20 hour flight it used to be.”

“When’s lunch?” asked Isaac.

Betty stepped in just in time, “Lunch is available once we reach cruising altitude and speed, about 15 minutes. I can get you drinks if you’re thirsty,” she offered.

I requested a New Zealand L&P with a touch of Southern Comfort. Isaac asked for a Dr Pepper. Kirk wanted orange juice, Juliette and Loretta asked for Ginger Ale. We all went back to looking at our tablets as we waited for the okay to unbuckle.

After bringing out our drinks, Betty reminded us, “I know in your old plane you were able to get up and do stuff. The speed we are going, a little bumpy means really bumpy, so remember to keep your seatbelts on unless you need to get up. Tray tables for lunch deploy from the right sides of your chairs.

“If you’d like to monitor the cockpit or our flight cameras, the plane’s WiFi will give you access to the video feed for both. There’s also a summon button for me, and the lunch menu. If you order from the menu, I’ll bring it when the captain gives me the all clear,” she said, sitting down and buckling in herself.

“There’s not much turbulence at 75000 feet,” Kirk said.

“You are correct, but when there is, well it’s not fun to not be strapped in,” she said.

“Much experience at supersonic flight?” I asked.

“Oh yes, I was a stewardess on the Concorde just before they ended service, then I was on the first Boeing triple eight, New York to Shanghai, and later London to Sydney. This 898 is so much nicer.”

“Have you seen the triple nine?” Kirk asked.

“Yes, I saw the article about it last week. Mach seven, sub orbital. I’d hate to be stewardess on that,” she said.

“Really? Why?” Juliette asked.

“Thirty five minutes of acceleration to reach cruising speed, twenty minutes for drinks, and forty five in free fall strapped in, or trying to get your passengers strapped back in, and ten minutes for cleanup before strapping in to decelerate and land. A hundred passengers, no time to take care of them, and each one thinking free fall is float about the cabin time!”

The captain alerted us that we had reached cruising altitude and speed, so Betty popped up to make our lunches. It was all selections from ‘Everyday Veg’, the fully vegan restaurant chain I had started and later sold. There were two versions of the franchise, the other, ‘Weekday Veg’ offered vegetarian only during the weekday, and meat options, usually chicken or rabbit, on the weekend.

Since 2001 I’d been a strict vegan, but that was an increasingly blurry line with the development of bioreactors that produced milk indistinguishable from the animal variety. It had begun because I was craving goat cheese. My favorite these days was Beluga cheese, with garlic herb crackers.

I got the noodle bowl salad, everybody else ordered something different. I didn’t make the kids eat vegan, but most non vegetable protein on the island was either fish or lab vegan. My Dad had headed up the project, one of the last things he accomplished before his death.

The other last thing was another little sister. He had been smug about him and the 22 year old housekeeper. Mom had oddly been pleased, she loved babies, and none of mine had been babies anymore. He got to enjoy the squalling of another infant before his heart attack. Mom had moved the housekeeper and baby in with her. I was turning fifty in a couple days, and I had a little sister who was five.

Mattie blamed me for being a bad influence, and was suitably horrified to all her friends. I just rolled my eyes and stuck out my tongue every time she wanted to talk to me about how awful it was. It made her kids laugh, even if it didn’t amuse her.

My tablet buzzed, and I activated the sound shield as I answered the call. “Hi Daddy!” she said.

“Hi Dottie. Everything good?”

“Yes we just left Heathrow. Be at Spaceport in about two and a half hours. Long day. Will you be there when we arrive?”

“Just behind you. It’s still morning for us, but we’re getting in at about midnight. Meet you at breakfast tomorrow, okay? Everybody is arriving today and tomorrow, we will catch up then.”

“Okay, Daddy, love you.”

The picture disappeared. The sound came back, some argument about Loretta needing the bathroom again.

I just leaned back my chair, and took a nap. The kids weren’t going anywhere. When we debarked the plane, I gave each kid a sleeping pill to get them readjusted to the time change. We had gone from +12 to UTC.

I headed back to my cabin to sleep, they all went to the hotel where their brothers and sisters had arrived, it would be arriving. Just before going to sleep I called Isaac.

“Hi, Dad,” he said.

“Hey, thanks for trying to get along with everyone today. Tomorrow is going to be loud and busy, there’s a bottle of lube in your toiletry kit, do what you can to get your hormones balanced ok? I’d really like for tomorrow to go smoothly.”

“Christ Dad, you think I’m acting out cause I’m horny?”

“No, I think you’re suffering from a surge of hormones due to puberty. I’m suggesting you do something constructive about it, so Cary doesn’t tie you up, gag you, and stick you in the closet when you smart off to him one too many times.”

“Chill, Dad, okay?”

“Hope to see you smiling tomorrow,” I said, and hung up. I took my sleeping pill, and was out in minutes.

In the morning I met everyone for breakfast. We picked from the buffet and sat around the big table. I sat in the center of long table, so I could be in the middle of the conversation.

“You don’t look a day over 30 Dad,” said Bess after greeting me with a kiss on the forehead.

“Thanks, sweetheart.”

“Seriously, Albert and you look the same age,” Cary said.

“I take care of myself,” I said.

“It’s the meditation isn’t it, Daddy?” Loretta said.

“I’d still look twenty if it wasn’t for all you kids,” I teased.

“Seriously, do you know how annoying it is to have my friends go on about how hot you are?” Bess said.

“Oh really? Which friends, and do you have phone numbers for them?” I asked to laughter.

We hung out together the rest of the day, as other kids trickled in. Albert came last. I greeted him with a big hug, and pulled him to the side for a quick chat.

“Everything on schedule?” I asked.

“Yeah, Dad. Construction’s moving right along. Crops are planted, everything will be ready in July,” he assured me.

“It’s really exciting,” I told him.

“Maybe for you, but I’ve been knee deep in it for four years now. It’s been one problem after another.”

“I’m excited. I’m also very aware of the work you’ve put in, and I’m incredibly proud of what you’ve done. I’m really looking forward to the announcement on Saturday.”

“You’re going to get all the praise for this.”

“Actually, I’ll be heaping it on you. Speaking of which, are there any wedding plans with you and Annie?”

“Why do you want to know?” he asked cautiously.

“I’d like to appoint you as Governor, and send you along to manage things from on site.”

“What! I’ve thought about going, but couldn’t really pick out a job that we didn’t have someone better already selected for.”

“There’s room. The ship can take five thousand, and we are only sending half that this trip.”

“I’ll talk to Annie,” he said.

“You’ll also need to have a chat with John Jr,” I warned him. “It might be old fashioned, but John’s family does old fashioned.”

“Okay. Thanks Dad. I’ll try to let you know before Saturday.”

“You’re welcome, and it’s deserved.”

I turned just as Edward entered with his new fiancée. I grabbed them both with hugs.

“My mother and brother ask that I wish you happy birthday John.”

“How is Diana? She out of the cast yet?”

“She’s out, a little stiff, but moving good. Her and Dad are in Australia for the Summer, she’s sworn off skiing permanently.”

“And the King?”

“Too many kids, and still bald. I see them on occasion, but I’m only a half sibling.”

“But you’re marrying a Prince, so well done for you,” I said.

Edward just smiled, holding her hand. I winked at him, “Any trouble with the in-laws, just let me know.”

“Dodi said to wish you happy birthday as well,” she said.

“How is your father?”

“Just turned 71, and very glad Mom’s given up skiing. He can’t stand the cold anymore.”

“Please give them all my thanks and best wishes,” I told her sincerely.

Isaac came into the room with a group of new friends, I smiled at him, and he tried to look grumpy, but smiled back. There was another conversation to be had there, and soon.

That afternoon while I was relaxing at the pool, enjoying the warmth of the sun, he tracked me down.

“Dad, can you talk for a few minutes?”

“Of course, Isaac. Let’s go up to the roof, we will have privacy up there.”

We walked over and took the elevator to the roof of the building. As expected it was deserted this time of day. It got used as a viewing platform during launches, but otherwise didn’t have much of a purpose.

We looked out over the railing, staring at the tether, reaching up into the sky in the distance. I waited for him to talk.

“I’m not you,” he said.

“I agree. I’m glad we have that settled,” I said.

He took a breath. “Everyone is always telling me how much I look like you. How I like the same stuff you do. Asking if I’m smart like you, or gifted like you. I’m not you.”

“So how do you want to prove to the world you are different? Do something unique? Plastic surgery? Become a Bond villain?”

He snorted a laugh. “I don’t know, Dad. How can I be one of hundreds of your kids, look more like you than anybody else, and distinguish myself?”

“You’ve been to the temple in New York. What do they say I am?”

“A Buddha. Prophet, bodivista, I don’t know.”

“Are you any of those things?”

“No. I can’t stand to meditate. Too quiet.”

“Where do your interests take you? What’s your steam?”

“My steam?”

“Acronym. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math.”

“I’m a lousy artist. Science is okay, but not a passion. Technology is cool, but I don’t want to invent or fix. I’m terrible at math, and engineering is just fixing with math.”

“Interesting, why do you say you’re lousy at art?”

“I couldn’t draw a straight line with a ruler.”

“But there is more to art than just drawing and painting. You’re a very good writer.”