Chapter 4

A week later a security guard stared in disbelief at the old battered faded tan sedan that pulled to a stop at the gate. He'd never seen a car this old at this facility. "Even the janitors drove cars made in this century. This little car had to be at least sixty years old." He thought to himself.

Finally he stepped out of his shack and leaned down to look at the young woman in the driver's seat. "I'm sorry Miss, but you can't park that here."

The young woman frowned. "I, I have an appointment with Doctor Grace."

"Uh, huh. Look Miss I'm going to have to ask you to leave..."

"Wait! Wait!" the woman said hurriedly, interrupting him, making him frown. "I have a pass!" She pulled her bag off the passenger seat and began to dig through it while he radioed for backup. A patrol car pulled silently in a minute later with its lights flashing, just as the woman exclaimed, "Ah ha!" and pulled out a piece of paper and a laminated card. The guard warily took them from her. "I'll have to have these confirmed, Miss. Please wait here."

"Okay." She replied.

The guard went into the shack where he was joined by the guard from the patrol car. "What's going on?" he asked.

"The gal in the junk heap says she's here to see Doctor Elizabeth Grace and has a pass, but I'm pretty sure it's a fake"

The guard looked at it. "Pretty good fake."

Then the first guard cleared his throat and said, "Yes Doctor Grace? This is Officer Hurly at the main entrance. We have a young woman who claims to have a pass to see you"

His eyes went wide. "That's right Ma'am." He looked at the pass "A Samantha ... What? Oh! Uh ... yes Ma'am. No Ma'am, she's still here. Yes. Yes Ma'am, we'll do that. Right away, Ma'am."

He put the phone down and shook his head not quite believing what he just heard.

"Well?" the other asked.

"It's legit, and we're to have her escorted to her, immediately"

"You're joking?"

"Nope. Said that she's," he nodded his head towards the woman in the car, "going to save NSAA and that we're to escort her to her and to make sure nothing happens to her."

"You're shitting me, that car of hers is older than the space shuttle and she's going to save NSAA?"

"That's what she said."

The second man shrugged. "'I guess the high mucketty mucks must be getting desperate."

"Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, you need to escort her there right away."

"Okay." He said shrugging again.

"Oh, and spread the word. We wouldn't want her car to get towed and lose our jobs."

"Got it," he said and went over to the young woman who was sitting nervously in the car, biting her lower lip. "If you'll follow me Miss, I'll escort you to your appointment."

"Oh! Uh ... ok. Thank you," she said obviously surprised.

He nodded and went over to his patrol car. He backed it up and waited for her to pull in behind him, then he began to lead her through the complex. He had her park in a back corner, and then after radioing the others to let them know not to tow the car in space number 1284, he drove her to the entrance of a large building. He parked on the sidewalk near the doors and escorted her inside.

After waiting a few minutes, Elizabeth exited an elevator and called out, "Samantha!" She hurried over and gave Samantha a hug and said, "I'm so glad you're here! Thank you so much for coming!"

Samantha blushed.

After dismissing the officer Elizabeth took Samantha on a tour of the facility. Samantha was lost within minutes, but continued to nod her head as if she understood what Elizabeth was saying. When Elizabeth introduced her to the team that was helping select the candidate for the trip, she kept her hand firmly against Samantha's back to keep her from shrinking away.

Samantha couldn't say she enjoyed the introductions. Besides her natural shyness, the human resource team seemed highly unimpressed with her. Some even looked at her with barely concealed contempt. The astronauts and cosmonauts greeted her with barely hidden hostility. Elizabeth tried to soothe Samantha's nerves by saying, "Don't worry about them Sam. They're just jealous."

To Samantha, they looked more like they'd enjoy nothing less than throwing her out the nearest airlock.

Finally Elizabeth took her up to her office, and after an hour or so of paperwork said, "Well, I wish we had more time to let you get settled in, but I'm afraid time is a luxury we don't have. Are your bags still in your car?"

Samantha nodded.

"Then let's go get them, shall we?" She commandeered a golf cart and drove Samantha back to her car. As she drove, she complained about how far it was. "Why did they park you way out here?"

"I don't think they liked my car," Samantha replied.

"Well, it is a little old, but I don't see why that should have been a problem"

Samantha's car was easily the oldest vehicle in the complex, with the possible exceptions of few space vehicles on display for the tourists.

Samantha shrugged and pulled a large backpack out of the back seat. A large duffel bag, a large book bag followed, along with a couple suitcases, a trunk, and a folding luggage cart from the trunk. These were all piled into the golf cart. When they were seated again, Samantha looked back at her car. "Are you sure she's going to be ok left here?"

"I'm sure, but if you're worried, Rob or I could drive it back for you," Elizabeth offered understanding her fears.

"I wouldn't want to put you out any," Samantha replied.

Elizabeth gave Samantha a look then said, "After all you're doing for me, Sam, making sure your car is ok is the least I can do"

Samantha blushed as she gave her a shy smile, "Thanks"

When they arrived, Elizabeth drafted a couple aides to help Samantha with her luggage, and then led her to what would be her home for the next three months.

"This is a complete mockup of the living quarters already in space," Samantha was told as she was led through a large tunnel and then into a huge room. Samantha was turning open-mouthed at the size of the place when Elizabeth called her name. She jumped and hurried over to rejoin her.

After an elevator ride, they stopped so Samantha's luggage could be weighed in. Samantha blushed at that, but was glad the man reading the scales didn't take her weight. Elizabeth explained that while the person staying "awake" during the voyage could bring a greater amount of personal items with them, there was still a limit. Samantha nodded in understanding.

Samantha's belongings came in just over the limit. They made allowances for the extra weight of her luggage however, and allowed her to pass. The person making the trip would be using luggage of a lighter, but still sturdy, material enabling them to bring more personal items.

Once Samantha's luggage was weighed, Elizabeth led her around a corner and down another corridor. Samantha thought she caught a glimpse of what she thought was a spaceship through a window before her view was blocked. When Elizabeth reached the end of the corridor she swiped her security card through the slot. As she did the light above the door turned green and an airlock door opened. She ushered Samantha inside saying, "Here we are, home sweet home"

Directly in front of her was a ladder. The aide reached up and turned the handle and pushed up, then he stepped back and waved Samantha forward. When she hesitated he said, "After you Miss," a little annoyed.

Elizabeth cleared her throat, and indicating with head and eyes, got the aide to look down at Samantha's skirt.

"Huh? Oh, Oh!" The aide's blush matched Samantha's. "Sorry Miss. I'll wait out here and then hand your things up to you," and with that he hurried out of the small space.

Trying not to smile, Elizabeth said, "Come on Sam, I'll show you around," and began climbing up. She wore slacks.

She helped Samantha up and Samantha took a look at her new home. She'd come up through the floor just in front of a small cockpit area. To the left was a desk and entertainment area, followed by a small galley. On the right side was a small laundry area and lavatory. At the back was a small bunk surrounded by storage space. To Samantha it looked like a cross between a space ship and an RV.

"You don't need to worry about the cockpit controls, other than communications, and they're pretty simple. There's a manual under the seat though, if you want to look it over," Elizabeth explained. Samantha replied with, "Um kay," as she looked around. Elizabeth nodded and continued to explain things to her.

In the middle of the floor, however, was another hatch. When Samantha asked where it led to, Elizabeth replied, "Oh, that's the cellar."