The final reports from the techs were almost useless in comparison to the analytical report that Ambassador composed after processing the data collected by NASA’s sensors. Ultimately, he concluded that the problem had not been with the device that broke the molecular bonds, but rather a complication in the design or construction of the Hook that was used. Ambassador analyzed his recordings of the construction of the Hook that was used for the transportation. He found that an error had been made in the manufacturing process, causing the effect of the Hook to change. Instead of anchoring the particles to stop their travel, the Hook harnessed the power contained within the molecules and then released them again. Ambassador had listed the possibility that Pluto’s fate could have easily been suffered by Earth within his findings.
The result of this conclusion caused a great debate between scientists at NASA. One side argued that the risk posed by repeating the test would far outweigh the benefits. The other side argued that the same mistake was not likely to be made a second time. Jeremiah finally settled the argument by agreeing to test the Hook himself before NASA ran another test. The smaller amount of molecules in his body would not have as much stored energy to release. Ambassador oversaw the construction of the new Hook and analyzed the video four times before it was tested. He ran a simulation and determined that it was safe enough to test the Hook on Earth as long as it was done 50 miles from any city or town. The test run went off without complication.
Nearly three months passed between the first test and the launch of the second Hook into Pluto’s previous orbital position. It had been decided to use the same destination so that if the second test had a similar result to that of the first, it would not cause the same amount of destruction in the empty space. The launch of the second test was carried off without incident. NASA’s Mission Control room rejoiced when the ship returned to the Earth’s atmosphere safely, using Ambassador’s Hook as its target. Three more launches were sent to Pluto’s former orbital position and back. The first was unmanned, but the second and third were conducted with a full crew. The final stage was to put the Jeremiah Project into full scale implementation.
Jeremiah and Ambassador convinced the scientists that the two needed to go back to the Creators’ planet and welcome the first wave of colonizers as they disembarked. This wasn’t so much a desire to be the first on the planet to earn a higher status among the colonizers, but the need to consult with the Creator that was still there as they had promised. It would have been possible to transport the ship directly onto the surface of the planet, but the desire to transport a large quantity of people all at once, as well as a desire to keep the science behind space travel secretive for the time being, meant that the Hook needed to be launched into orbit outside the planet’s atmosphere. Jeremiah and Ambassador returned to the planet to make the necessary preparations.
After the Hook was in place, Jeremiah returned to Earth alone to inform the Program Director that they were ready for the launch of the first colony ship. Jeremiah’s mother wanted to travel back with him, so Eliza said her goodbyes to everyone and the two set out. When Jeremiah and his mother shifted back to the alley where he had first arrived on the Creators’ planet, Ambassador was waiting there for him. “We have several hours before the colony ship will be able to make the descent onto the planet’s surface. We should fulfill our promise to the Creator now?” Jeremiah consented and the three of them walked to the end of the alley and turned right. Jeremiah thought about his mother getting a new start, free from the stigma caused by his childhood disappearances. For the first time in his life, Jeremiah felt like he was truly going to have a home.
They reached the Creator’s building and went inside. The air within the building was not as cold as it had been the last time that Jeremiah had been there. Eliza took a certain glee at the sensation that accompanied the strange elevator that they took up to the Creator’s floor. She marveled at the fact that the elevator did not require the person to indicate the intended floor. When they walked down the hall and stood in front of the blurred glass door, Jeremiah took in a deep breath and then slowly let it out.
When the door opened and Jeremiah went to step into the room, he was startled to be greeted by a man. “Hello, Creator.” Ambassador greeted the man with a kind note in his voice. The man looked familiar to Jeremiah. Though he was like a more defined version of someone he had thought he may have seen in his past. The man did not look at Ambassador, nor did his gaze fall on Jeremiah. To Jeremiah’s surprise the man’s intense gaze was fixed upon his mother.
“How I have missed you,” the man said with pain in his voice.
“Hello Robert,” Eliza replied with a detached sense of steel in her voice.
The End
Discuss the story that you have been reading at RogerLairdWriting.com/forum now.