sat with them, a bit awkwardly, but with a grin plastered over his tired face.
Thea came running. Grannie!
Hello, Thea. Bella submitted to having her knees hugged, and then she bent down and cuddled her granddaughter properly. The other kids ran to her too, perhaps vaguely remembering the nice old lady who had come with a memento to their fathers funeral. But the kids soon broke away and went back to their presents.
Santa Claus shook Bellas hand. John Metternes, Madam Chair, he said. I flew with your daughter on the Liberator.
Yes, of course. I'm very glad to meet you, John. You did good work up there.
He grunted. Lets hope the judge agrees. Look, I hope you dont think I'm butting inI can see theres a family thing going on here
I forced hI'm down for some shore leave, Edna said, a bit acidly. This weird old obsessive would sleep on the Liberator if the maintenance crew would let him.
Dont let her bug you, John. Its good of you to do this. ButChristmas, Edna? Its only the fifteenth of December.
Actually it was my idea. Cassie Duflot approached Bella. It was just that, you know, we still arent sure how today is going to turn out, are we? She glanced at the sky, as if seeking the Q-bomb. I mean, not really sure. And if things were to go wrong, badly wrong
You wanted to give the kids their Christmas anyway.
Do you think thats odd?
No. Bella smiled. I understand, Cassie.
It does make it a hell of a day, Edna said. And whats worse, if the world doesnt get blown up today, well have to do it all again in ten days time.
You attracted quite a crowd for your launch, Bella, Cassie said.
Looks like it
Mum, you havent seen the half of it yet, Edna said. She took her mothers arm again and walked her toward the glass-walled lip of the building.
At the roof edge Bella was able to see the ocean to the east, where the low sun hung like a lamp, and the coast to north and south, her view stretching for kilometers in either direction. Canaveral was crowded. The cars clustered along the shoreline, and were parked up as far as the Beach Road to the north, and to the south on Merritt Island and the Cape itself, carpeting the old industrial facilities and the abandoned Air Force base. Everywhere, flags fluttered in the strong breeze.
And out at sea she saw the gray, blocky form of a reused oil rig. Rising from it was a double thread, dead straight, visible when it caught the light.
They came for the switch-on, Edna said. You always were a showman, Mum. Maybe politicians have to be. And reopening Americas elevator today is a good stunt. People feel like a party, I guess.
Oh, its more than just another space elevator. Youll see.
New ways forward, Mum? Ive just come down from a conference with Bob Paxton and others on new deep-defense concepts.
Big concepts. Terraforming programs, for instance.
Youre kidding.
No. Just thinking big. Thats what cutting your teeth on the shield does for you, I guess. And I must talk to Myra Dutt sometime. She glanced at the sky. We have to do something about Mirthis other place Myras mother went to. Theyre humans in there too. If we can speak to them, as Alexei Carel claims they have been able to on Mars, surely we can find a way to bring them home...
There was a stir. Bella was aware of people approaching her, hundreds of eyes on her on this roof alone, and that cam robot whirled and glistened at her feet, puppylike. Even those monks by the alligator pond were staring at her, grinning from ear to ear.
She looked at her watch. I think its time.
Mum, youre going to have to say something.
I know. Just a minute more. She looked out to sea, to the shining vertical track of the elevator. Edna, call the kids so they can see.
The children came to join them, clutching their presents, with Cassie and John Metternes, who hoisted Thea up onto his shoulders.
A flare went up from that oil rig, a pink spark arcing and trailing smoke. Then there was motion along the track of the elevator, shining droplets rising up one of the pair of threads. A ragged cheer broke out around them, soon echoed among the wider throngs scattered across Canaveral.
Its working, Bella breathed.
But whats it carrying? Edna murmured, squinting. Magnify...Damn, I keep forgetting I'm in EVA.
Water, Bella said. Sacks of seawater.