Veronica responded uncomfortably with all eyes in the room upon her, “You...you haven’t heard about the Solar Minimum–I guess? I just happened upon it about a week ago on PubEx; I only watched about 15 minutes of the program before I got bored with it. I wish I had watched more of it now.”
“Well, you are fifteen minutes wiser than the rest of us,” said Gus.
PubEx was the National Public Exhibit channel digitally transmitted to all devices on the Transnet. Transnet replaced the television for all intents and purposes in about 2022 and millions of what were known as channels in the early part of the century were now available on the Transnet. PubEx was a news and educational programming channel containing global news events and scientific thought. PubEx was also a certified channel meaning the content was scrubbed for accuracy and integrity. However, the Transnet effectively made it possible for anyone in the world to produce their own channel and broadcast anything they desired making objectivity nearly non-existent.
With the acumen of Jess, Ted and Gus in the room, Veronica felt a little intimidated so she somewhat hesitantly began relating what she could remember about an obscure program she had watched a week ago, “From what I remember, they believe that the sun was entering into a period of reduced solar flares and that it was something that has happened in the past but the last time was like back in the 1600s and there is very little data on the effects. I have to admit it sounded all a little sensationalized but isn’t all news these days?”
“Oh, yes of course,” said Ted, “the Maunder Minimum of 1660, or there abouts. There have been many periods of solar minimums throughout history; in fact I think there was a minimum period around 1800 they called Dayton or Dalton Minimum, or something like that.”
Remembering more about the program now, Veronica interrupted, “Yes, except that minimum was only a reduced flare period where the Maunder Minimum was like, almost zero flares and there was even a mini-ice age for like seventy years.”
“What other effects will it have on the earth, cooler temperatures are obvious?” asked Shay.
Veronica strained to recall the program, but replied, “I don’t remember, and maybe the program didn’t explain. After all, I only caught a few minutes of it.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to Ted the local and at times arrogant expert on almost every topic, “What? Don’t look at me, I’m no astrophysicist, I just happened to remember the minimum of 1640, ‘er 60.”
Veronica suggested that they pull up the Transnet and just watch the episode but Gus countered, “We dare not risk it. Abdul knew our every move and to think we are not being watched at the moment would be foolhardy. Besides, it would be a very easy task to trace our digital fingerprint in this room. What we need is an expert, one that we can trust and one that would be very candid with us and not feed us a bunch of government-sanctioned rubbish.”
Jess leaned back in his chair and said, “Good luck with that.”
Every respectable university was completely funded by the U.S. government in 2040, which allowed the Feds to control both what was taught and what was researched. Getting candid information would be next to impossible in the United States. Other countries were nearly all the same, and some worse.
Gus thought a moment then said, “I guess it’s time to take a trip home and call on family favors.”
Gus’s father was well connected as a retired Church of England Vicar. He started his church career as the Priest-in-Charge for The University Church of Saint Mary The Virgin in Oxford, and worked his way up to Vicar. His contacts were life-long acquaintances and close friends. If anyone could connect them to an astrophysics expert at Oxford, it was him. Now in his 90s, Vicar Guiscard spent most of his days writing a history of Blackbird Leys, where he now lived.
His father was very opposed to Gus becoming a United States citizen and for many years afterwards, Gus didn’t return to England. During this time his mother passed away but in the last 15 years Gus made trips across the Atlantic as needed, usually semiannually, to look after his father and his affairs. Their relationship still showed signs of scarring if the topic of discussion turned to the U.S. Senate or his mother, but for the most part, Vicar Guiscard and Senator Guiscard had sheathed the weapons of familial warfare that comes about through patriarchal wisdom and exceeding age.
Gus had called his father at least once a week for the past 10 years, but no calls were made this week nor did he dare do so in light of recent events. He was sure his father had tried to call him today but since the battery had been removed from his phone all calls were going directly into voicemail.
The hour was now past 2:00 a.m. and the Committee was all exhausted and very worn after an unbelievable weekend. While very much recovered, Matt was notably beyond the point when your body involuntarily falls into immediate REM sleep and he no longer tried to subtly shake his head to keep from falling asleep. He had gotten up from his chair and was pacing the room in a somewhat painful stagger.
Gus pulled a bag from the floor and started collecting his things, “I think it’s time we closed the door on this day and prepare for the coming week. We must continue on as if our lives are undisturbed and each go about their usual duties at the Senate. However, I will be leaving just as soon as I can book passage to London. Veronica my dear, I would very much like your assistance as well as yours Senator Hector.”
Matt and Veronica both looked at each other and then nodded in agreement.
Veronica, being the great admin that she was, took out her phone to look up the soonest departing flights to London. After not being able to wake up her phone, remembered the battery had been removed and so she placed it back in her purse, frustrated.
Gus continued with his instructions, sounding very tired as well, “I have this room reserved for the entire month, I recommend the three of you who are staying to use it instead of your offices and your homes when you need to collaborate.”
Ted, Jess and Shay all nodded.
“Now that Toprak Esir is exposed, you shouldn’t have any trouble securing the necessary clearance to delve into their electronic fingerprints and communications. Learn all you can and when we return we will compare notes and determine our fate as well as the worlds–at least the world as we knew it a week ago.”
Gus, Veronica and Matt arrived at Reagan National at 3:30 a.m. and began researching flights to London Heathrow. The next flight was in an hour, departing at 4:30 a.m. and arriving in London at 11:00 a.m. Gone were the days of eight-hour trans-Atlantic flights since the advent of atmospheric travel pioneered by Virgin Atlantic. Atmoscrafts after takeoff, traveled upwards 330 kilometers or about 200 miles into the thermosphere where there was almost zero friction and the atmoscraft could travel at incredible speeds without burning up. The atmoscraft from DC to London traveled around 1,200 miles per hour, although, some atmoscraft could do over twice that making complete circumnavigation possible in under 10 hours.
Walking to the terminal, Gus longed for the days of slower air travel due to his exhaustion and thought to himself it was going to be another night of less than four hours of sleep. Reaching the designated gate, Gus and his companions took a seat, and waited for their boarding call. Half asleep Gus felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end and then relax. In surprise he opened his eyes just in time to see a woman with jet black hair pass him. He wrote it off as extreme fatigue and closed his eyes again. Soon after, the VIP boarding started and Gus, Veronica and Matt walked on board flight OATL-76 to Heathrow without any carry on or luggage.
Senators had special perks when it came to travel and enjoyed priority seating on atmoscraft which was very coveted as well as expensive. The seats in coach were not much different than the old days of air travel except the seats had double shoulder seatbelt straps. The double straps were very necessary during the vertical climb which lasted for 20 minutes while the coach passengers were nearly laying on their backs until the thermosphere was reached at which point the craft leveled off. In the VIP cabin, the seats wer
e not only larger and more comfortable but were also on a rolling castor allowing the seat and passenger to always remain perpendicular to the angle of ascent which allowed the passenger to be in an upright and seated position during the entire flight.
Some things about air travel hadn’t changed however, the center seat problem had still not been resolved and there was always the fear of getting stuck in the center seat next to a very large person. Whether Matt was being chivalrous, or just tired, he decidedly took the center seat and immediately fell asleep. Veronica and Gus took the seats on either side of Matt and soon found themselves on the verge of sleep as well.
A few moments later, or so it seemed, they were all awakened by the sound of the captain announcing their arrival into the London area and all the usual warnings, precautions, and don’t-do’s, at the end—the speech everyone has heard but never remembers, “Thank you for flying with us today.”
Gus wasn’t sure if he felt better or worse after sleeping for only three hours but Matt summed it up for all three of them when he walked to the nearest pub in the terminal and asked for coffee, aspirin and a beer. They then made their way to the airport lower level where they got passage on a train to Oxford and another opportunity to sleep.
Feeling a little more alive now, Gus and his companions got out of a taxi and walked up to a modest flat where Gus’s father lived and without knocking, Gus tried to walk in but found the door locked. After knocking they could hear the shuffling footsteps of an old man approach the door. Opening it, Gus embraced his father and as was their custom, one of them would first say in Latin, “Sicut Pater dilexit me” to which they would respond together, “sic ego dilexi vos.” It was their personal greeting of affection since Gus was a child and was an adaption of St. John 15:9, “As the Father hath loved me, so I have loved you.”
“I am very pleasantly surprised to see you; I did not get your call on Sunday but figured you were about your duties,” said Gus Senior.
“Yes, I am very sorry about the missed call but I’m afraid it isn’t safe for me to use such insecure communication at the moment,” said Gus Junior.
Gus senior stepped back, welcomed his guest and said, “Oh?”
“We are here on some rather urgent business that only you can help us with I’m afraid. Allow me to introduce my dear friends, this is Veronica Paige, my right arm and this is Matthew Hector or, excuse me, Senator Hector from the proud State of Montana.”
“How do you do, welcome to your homeland.”
Gus’s father was very proud of his English heritage and looked upon Americans as his children, offshoots from the English womb, as they rightly were, “I dare say you all look completely fagged. Can I get you some refreshment, some tea perhaps?”
Matt responded abruptly, “Yes, please and thank you.”
Vicar Guiscard turned to go into the kitchen when Veronica insisted he sit, “Let me your,” Veronica paused not knowing how to respectfully address a Vicar and after an uncomfortable pause she continued, “Grace.” Feeling stupid she left for the refuge of the kitchen and filled the kettle with water.
Gus’s father took a seat and addressed his son, “So what is so very important that warrants a trip over the pond and what could a 96 year old man possibly do to help?”
“Father, I have extraordinarily bad news that makes me feel like I’m living in a bad cinema that will not end.”
Gus’s father now looked as grave as Gus and he sat back into his chair and waited for a painful violin recital.
Gus related to him the fantastic but now worn-out story and events that got them to his home in Oxford and why they were there. Just before Gus had finished, Veronica returned with the tea and they all helped themselves. Gus continued with his monologue and when he finished, it was easy for Veronica and Matt to see where Gus got his resolve and determination.
Gus Senior said nothing, got up and put on a light jacket and his cap while everyone else watched him, still seated.
“Come on then,” motioning them to get up, “You need to go see Professor Winston at the College. He will know all there is to know about any kind of minimum goings on and what's this is all about; and if he doesn’t know it, no one knows it.”
Professor Winston was giving a lecture in the Martin Wood Lecture Theater when they arrived at the Physics College and the four of them took a seat in the back of the theater and waited for the lecture to end. Matt, still exhausted closed his eyes and slowly the tedious lecture on astrophysical fluids faded into a distracting noise. Veronica gave him a nudge, waking him as the theater was clearing out and students were zipping book bags and backpacks. They waited until the students had cleared then they made their way down to the lecture platform and waited for one last student to finish her conversation with the professor.
Once the student left, the professor directed his attention to Gus and his entourage, “Well, well, Revd.’ Guiscard. I thought I saw you shuffle in in the back.”
Veronica made a mental note on the proper way to address Vicar Guiscard for future use.
Smiling he asked, “What brings you and your friends into such a dry lecture, if I may be so critical of myself?”
Shaking hands, Gus’s father introduced everyone and said, “My son has some questions for you about something called solar minimum or other and needed a straight talker, not the government-sanctioned, bishop-beating nonsense they get in the States.”
Professor Winston looked around the theater, looking for a stray student or other unwelcomed person and responded soberly, “Let’s retire to my chambers where we can be freer in our speech.”
They walked across the lawn separating the lecture hall and the professor’s office but before entering the professor’s office, Gus inquired about the doors to the left and right. A little surprised, the professor said, “The left door there is but a closet and the right door is my agent’s office. He is out today.”
Still looking at Gus puzzled, he walked into his office.
Gus walked over to the closet in an attempt to open it, but finding it locked, he walked over to the professor’s agent or assistant’s office and after seeing no one in it, locked the door from the inside and shut it. He returned to the professor’s office and asked him if he had the key to the closet to the right of his door.
“Oh, I suppose,” said the professor somewhat irritated. “Do your questions have to do with cleaning agents?”
“I can explain in a moment, but first I must ascertain that we are at complete privacy.”
Professor Winston unlocked the door and with Gus now satisfied that it contained no harbinger, he inquired about the wall opposite the professor’s office. “Let’s see, that would be an outside wall I believe–yes, on the other side of that wall is the campus gardens and then the wood.”
Satisfied, Gus thanked the professor for his indulgence and entered the office followed by the professor and they locked the door.
Being that they were in the professor’s chambers, it was his duty to direct the conversation and respectfully Gus Junior and Senior waited for the professor. Taking their lead, Veronica and Matt also sat quietly.
The professor paused, thinking first before saying anything then started very deliberate and careful, “It appears we may both have information the other needs and I have to warn you, what we are about to discuss is as unpopular here in the U.K. as it is in the U.S.”
Nodding, now that the conversation had been initiated, Gus responded, “Understood Professor. We are all well-versed in the delicacy of the topic.”
Wanting to get a better understanding of the situation, the professor continued, “Tell me–how is it you have come to be so interested in the current Solar Minimum? It is a topic that makes the general public yawn.” Down-playing the topic greatly for fear of saying too much he added, “Frankly it will probably pass with only a footnote in the history books.”
Gus, also keeping his cards close to his vest responded, “We happened upon some in
formation that leads us to believe the Solar Minimum may have something to do with...”
Matt, never being a stickler for formalities and especially abhorrent of a game of cat and mouse, interrupted, “Professor, we have reason to believe there is an evil plot afoot to enslave the world and that they are using the Minimum to their advantage.” He took off his shirt to the great surprise of everyone and showed the professor his wound that was still oozing slightly and very sore. “This is a demon bite I received while beating the poor sucker to death. I don’t know if they are related but at last check, demons were confined to novels and the Bible, not roaming around the White House lawn.”
This was the first time Veronica had seen Matt’s wound and seeing so much flesh missing from his arm she gasped, “Oh Matt!”
This was the first time Veronica had ever addressed Matt without proper titles or using his full name. To everyone else in the room it went unnoticed except for Gus. On the flight over, Gus awoke during mid-flight to see Veronica’s head resting on Matt’s good shoulder. At the time he thought it purely accidental but now he wasn’t so sure.
Surprised and also a little disgusted at American brashness the professor responded, “Well, that sets an ugly stage if ever I saw one. However, I thank you senator. I now know I am talking to insiders and not probers.”
Professor Winston continued without reservation, “The current Solar Minimum is beginning to defy all we thought we knew about minimum states and solar flares in general. The current Minimum was actually first noted in 2030. Granted, it was just a hunch at that time but over the past 10 years flare activity has consistently decreased with no rebound in sight. Although not noticeable to most, global temperatures have decreased by seven percent but that number will rise dramatically by next year due to reciprocal cooling.”
“Reciprocal cooling?” asked Matt, while putting his shirt back on.
“Yes, meaning the earth tends to grow cooler if the previous period was cool. For example, the first half of winter is always warmer than the last half. This is because the earth is still cooling down from the warmth of summer, but from the Winter Solstice to the Vernal Equinox, temperatures are colder by 40 percent on average than from the Autumn Equinox to the Winter Solstice.”
Professor Winston continued, “It’s possible that snow could fall as far south as Seville and snow pack as far as Helsinki. The worst part of that prediction is that it will most likely not melt until the solar flares return.”
“How long will that be?” said Veronica.
“We don’t know how long minimum states last. Of course, the last major minimum in 1640—the last minimum period we have any reliable record–lasted seventy years. We just don’t have any data to predict the sun’s behavior. Odd really, it’s the most important heavenly body to us, and yet we know virtually nothing about its behavior.”
Gus’s father, being deeply interested in the well-being of humanity suggested, “Considering the millions living in the snow pack zones of the world; they will need to migrate south to warmer temperatures of course.”
“Certainly, but that is only a small part of the problems we will face as we learn to deal with our world’s relationship with the sun,” said the Professor as he considered the problems the world would face.
“Please explain,” said Gus.
Professor Winston took a deep breath and paused for several moments then continued, “Apart from the evil opportunists at large in the world—that it appears you have already experienced—we have reason to believe that atmospheric changes in both temperature and chemical make-up will or could have devastating results on our modern world.” The professor woke up his computer and loaded a video of an experiment, after thirty seconds into it, he passed it. “What you are about to see is extremely classified, not even the crown knows about this as of yet; but what you will see is raw black powder failing to ignite.” He resumed the video and just has he had said, an open flame next to the black powder produced nothing, not even a small spark.”
Confused Matt responded, “Is it in a vacuum, no oxygen?”
“No, the only gas present in addition the air in the room was ozone.”
Equally confused, Gus sat back in his chair with his hands pressed together and held to his lips, “Ozone, like the ozone layer of the atmosphere?”
“Exactly,” said the professor pointing to Gus as if he were a student in his classroom.
Still confused, everyone sat quietly waiting for the professor to continue, “It’s more than just temperature change. The lack of solar radiation and infrared light also affects our world in dramatic ways, starting with the atmosphere of course. We have reason to believe, or rather, we know that if the Minimum continues the ozone layer will descend and the world as we know it will stop responding in ways we have come to rely on. Ozone is an oxidizing agent of course. Oxidizers are the magic ingredient in most explosive materials. However, when too much of an oxidizer is present it has the opposite effect and prevents an explosion, which is what you just saw.”
Alarmed, Gus asked, “When will it happen?”
“Sadly we don’t know. All we do know is that it is certain to happen if the Minimum continues. However, if flares resume even on a small level, it may not happen at all—but the trend currently is completely downward with no sign of rebound which is why we are concerned.”
Matt smirked, “The anti-gun activists will be dancing in the streets.”
The professor took another deep sigh, “Only for a short time I’m afraid. There are far worse things in this world than guns. What will our enemies in the Middle East turn to when small arms no longer kill? As far as we know, all warheads will still fire; but if only that were the worst of it.”
Horrified looks from everyone in the room prompted Professor Winston to open another video file on his computer and as it played he explained, “This experiment is actually quite old, 1939 I believe. It was an attempt to demonstrate the effect of carbon monoxide on plant life. The experiment actually turned out in the opposite than the initial hypothesis, which was that plant life would die with elevated levels of carbon monoxide. Of course, the truth is, plant life only takes in carbon monoxide so therefore, the plants thrived with elevated levels of it. However, what you are watching here is a controlled environment where ozone levels were increased by only fifteen percent. You’ll notice that the leaves look like they are actually burned around the edges.”
He stopped the video and continued his lecture, “With an increase of only 20 percent, the study revealed complete failure and death of the plants. With the high possibility of increased levels of ozone on our planet, we will see a decrease in plant growth there is no question. Now, we don’t know if all plant life will respond in the same way but the plants you see here were soybean and cotton; a staple the world over. I do believe the lack of guns is the least of our worries.”
Gus’s father reverently bowed his head and whispered, “Dear God, how will we feed everyone?”
“Exactly,” confirmed the professor.
“The King and parliament must know about this,” demanded Vicar Guiscard.
“And what could they possibly do?” asked Gus.
Gus’s father thought a moment and suggested, “This isn’t that much different than Joseph of old.”
The room looked at him blankly, clueless as to what he was referring. “You know, that Joseph who was sold as a slave to the Egyptians by his brothers?”
Everyone slowly began to nod.
“He warned pharaoh that there would be seven years of famine and pharaoh was able to store food and prepare—he saved the entire nation,” Vicar Guiscard continued after realizing a flaw in his reasoning, “But, alas, they had time to prepare. A luxury we do not have.”
There seemed to be nothing that could be done and knowing about the impending calamity only served to torture those who knew it. Remembering Gus’s paranoid behavior before they entered his office, the professor asked, “So, were you going to explain why
it was so important to look in the cleaning closet?”
Gus, out of necessity started at the beginning of their Minimum events–that were now over a week old–and related them to professor Winston with almost no emotion.
The professor responded somewhat defeated, “Then my suspicions are correct. The evil that resides in the most base of men has found a way to turn disaster into fortune. How they have done it I couldn’t begin to guess,” shaking his head, “demons, harbingers and the devil knows what else.”
Forever the optimist, Gus interjected, “All the more reason we must use what knowledge we have to counter their actions and find a way to win, which is why we are here.”
The professor was defeated and sullen, “There is just so much we don’t know, so much to learn and no time for it.”
Gus got up and patted the professor on the back, thanking him for his invaluable information and candidness, “We will be here for a few days at least and hopefully during that time we can discover what it is or how it is our enemies are using the Minimum, but for now, we are all exhausted from a very long weekend and are in need of some rest and down time. Let’s resume our discussions on Wednesday shall we?”
The professor nodded.
After seeing Vicar Guiscard to his flat, Gus, Veronica and Matt found some rooms at The Old Bank Hotel on High Street in Oxford. The hotel was an elegantly renovated space and by far the nicest hotel in the city. Getting off the elevator, Matt turned to Gus and said, “Why didn’t you tell the professor about your experience with Veronica?”
“I felt it would complicate things at this point in time and frankly, I’m not sure where the professor’s allegiance lies. We must move very carefully and be sure to not divulge anything to the wrong ears.”
Matt nodded, “One thing is for sure, the more we learn, the more it points to only one thing.”
“What is that?”
“We’re in for a hell of a ride.”
Correcting him Veronica said, “Or you mean a ride through hell.”
ddd
Three thousand, six hundred miles to the west, Shay arrived at his office at the Capital early since he was having a new staff member start today. He arrived just before 9:00 a.m. making sure the usual things were in order and in case there were any problems with security he would be there to sort it out. His new staff member was only to be a summer and fall intern that he took on as a favor for a good friend in Hilo, on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Enakai was in her late 20s. She had grown up in a good family but got involved with the wrong crowd in her late teens, but she had been clean for six years now and was just finishing up a degree in pre-law at the University of Hawai’i.
Right on time, Enakai walked in the door at 9:00 a.m., Shay saw her to her new office and introduced her to the rest of his staff who would be getting her situated and oriented to her duties and the duties of a senator’s office. As Shay walked back into his office he found Jess sitting on his sofa waiting for him.
“Who’s the new girl?” he said.
“Oh, a favor, she just flew in this morning from Honolulu on the red-eye. I told her she could start tomorrow but she is very eager and insisted starting today. I’m rather impressed actually. The kid has had a rough 10 years, I’m glad to help out someone so willing to put things right in their life.”
“What is her name?”
“Enakai, she is half-Hawaiian I believe; I never knew her mother but her father and I go way back.”
“You would never know she was only half-Hawaiian with her jet black hair,” said Jess.