"Bill, can we pipe the reception through the base?"

"Erm...Yes we can, I'll get right on it."

"Right people, let's set to and get the labs up and running, they must be our top priority."

With that the meeting broke up and everyone set to work.

"Steve," it was Lisa Hammond, "we need somewhere to set up the school."

"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that. Mary," he called out to her as she pa.s.sed, "is there anywhere we can put the school?"

Mary thought for a moment, "How about one of the empty apartments in the other dome?"

"Works for me," Lisa said.

"OK then," Steve said, relieved, "why don't you two go and set it up. Take Sh.e.l.ley and Chris with you to help."

"Done," Mary responded, and the ladies left.

The day's work was going well when suddenly the volume of the TV reception was turned up. It was CNN.

"Unfortunately, the world summit has broken up in disarray. Several of the world's leaders stormed out after only an hour. China was the first to leave closely followed by Russia. The atmosphere here in the capital is very tense, as the news has spread that the mystery virus is here in the United States. The president has appealed for calm, but already there are large traffic jams on the freeways leading out of most major cities, and reports are coming in of armed vigilantes in some of the mountain communities. They are threatening, to shoot on site, anyone who approaches. More news just in, there has been an uprising within Russia itself. Some army commanders have attacked the headquarters of the Polit Bureau, and the KGB. Reports state that there is fierce fighting in Moscow, at the Kremlin, and in Red Square. As yet, these reports are unconfirmed."

Everyone had stopped work to listen, including Steve. He turned to Bill and gave him a sign to kill the audio feed. Just as bill was reaching for the switch, the CNN announcer burst out with: "Oh no, my G.o.d, Oh no. I'm sorry folks, I must report that China has just launched a nuclear strike against j.a.pan. News is sketchy, but it seems that about fifteen minutes ago, our satellites picked up a series of missile launches in southern China-"

The announcer stopped and pressed his earpiece with his finger.

"Yes, it is confirmed, we have confirmation that China has attacked j.a.pan with nuclear missiles, and Tokyo has been destroyed."

The announcer, who was a veteran CNN man, was now quite distraught, and tears were visible on his face.

"I'm so sorry folks, but it seems that the world has gone mad. Dear G.o.d help us."

Bill looked to Steve who gave him the 'kill it' sign. Bill switched the sound off. There was a stunned silence in the dome as the terrible news sank in. It was only when Rufus and the other dog came racing in, skidding across the dome's tiled floor, that thoughts came off the earth and back onto the task at hand.

"Thank you Rufus," Steve said softly to himself, "I hope she's worth it boy."

Work progressed at a good pace after that, and the lab section of the dome began to take shape. Kay had organised things in her usual logical way, and there were quite a few comments approving what she had done. Some hours had pa.s.sed since the TV had been turned off, when suddenly it came on again and Bill was heard shouting, "Oh no, NO!"

The broadcaster's voice rang out: "This may be our last broadcast to you. We will stay on the air as long as we can, but I'm not sure how long that will be."

There were pictures of missile launches all across the States, and panic in the streets.

"China has attacked Russia and the United States. Missiles are on their way to America as I speak-"

The president broke into the transmission.

"My fellow Americans. It is my painful duty to tell you that we are under attack by nuclear missiles. We have launched a counter- strike both from here in America, and from our forces around the world. Those who have dared to attack us will not survive. I urge you to take what cover you can to protect yourselves and your families. We have very little time before the missiles. .h.i.t. May G.o.d bless and keep us all."

The transmission was cut at that point. Everyone had stopped work and made their way into the main hall. Looking up through the dome they could see the earth, the shining blue planet. There were flashes visible, even from the moon, hundreds of them. Everywhere, where the cloud cover would permit, they could see flashes. It went on for over an hour, and then just stopped. Everyone at Moon Base Alpha was lying on their backs on the floor, looking up through the dome at the terrible spectacle taking place on Earth. There was sobbing, moaning and prayers. Bill was frantically stepping through the stations trying to find something...anything, but to no avail. All the channels were dead. Even the radio stations were off the air.

"It's just static," Bill was heard to say. "That's all there is, just static."

Everyone was too stunned to move, they just lay there watching as the Blue planet started to turn brown. It happened far quicker than anyone had imagined. The nuclear blasts were filling the atmosphere with dust, thick brown dust. Apart from a few areas of cloud, all you could see was brown. Planet Earth looked dead.

After what seemed like a very long time, and still lying on the floor, Steve began to speak slowly. "We're all that's left...It's all gone."

"Listen everyone!" Clare said, clapping her hands to break the spell. "Listen! Everyone we knew on Earth is probably dead, either from the bombs or the virus. We must realise that man's stupidity has destroyed the earth, along with all of humanity, except for us. We are the stars in humanity's crown, the only shining light in all of this madness...The one thing that speaks well of the human race. Let's stop looking there, and begin to look here. This is now our home, there's no going back," and with a little chuckle she added, "we are the men in the moon."

Steve joined in, "Let's all get some sleep, it's been a long day. Tomorrow we will see what General Hammond really meant by Lunar Ark."

Slowly, and stiffly, folk began to get up off the floor and wander back to their apartments. Steve and Clare where the last to leave, they were walking slowly, arm in arm when Steve began to sing. "Vinkle Vinkle Starlabs star how I w..." He couldn't finish it, crying would not let him.

Chapter Seven.

Chapter 7.

Lark It was late next morning when Steve opened his eyes. "What time is it?" Clare asked.

"It's almost noon." He answered.

"Funny how traumatic things really take it out of you," she said, "I haven't been up this late since I was a kid. Do you really think they're all dead?"

"I expect so," Steve replied, "the only way for anyone to have survived that, would be for the radiation to kill off the virus, and as you well know, a virus is much better at adapting to its surroundings than man. There may be pockets of life down there, but I don't give much for their chances."

"It seems such a waste; all that life, gone." Clare said.

"Then it's up to us to see to it that it's not wasted, we must preserve all that we can."

Everyone else seemed to have had a lie in too. When Steve and Clare arrived at the main hall, there were still some folks missing.

"While we are waiting for the stragglers," Steve said, "today we are going to open up Lark. I have the access codes here on this tag." He held it up to show them. "Is everybody here?" he asked, and receiving affirmative nods and grunts, so he set off to the part of the main dome that was against the cliff face. On typing in the codes the huge steel doors swung open.

"Everybody in," he cried, walking into the enormous lift. "Are we all in? Good." He pushed the only b.u.t.ton. The huge doors closed and the lift descended far below the crater floor.

It took several minutes to reach the bottom, and when they did, the huge doors opened automatically. They were facing a steel wall with double doors that had the letters, LARK, written across them in deep blue. Steve led the way to the double doors and entered yet another code, the doors opened, and they were greeted with a rush of fresh air blowing in their faces.

Beyond the doors was a control centre, much like the one above, in the base, but this one had a panoramic window that gave visual access to an immense cavern. Bill hit the lights, and there before them was the most incredible sight: fields of gra.s.s growing under artificial lights, acres and acres as far as could be seen, and on the gra.s.s, all kinds of farm animals were grazing. Herds of them.

"I don't believe this," Clare said, "how could this be possible Steve, how?"

"Hammond said they were shipping stuff up here for years. I guess he meant it."

"There's more." Bill said. "If you look at this plan you'll see there are several different sections to Lark."

He was right, this was the farming level, there was also a botanical level. "That'll be me then," Clare said.

Bill went on, "There is a power level, and a water level. There is even a spare level to accommodate anything we might come up with in the future."

Somehow, that word future had just taken on a new meaning.

"Lark." Steve said.

"The Lunar Ark," Clare replied.

"Right, section heads, here are the plans of the layout, off you go and explore. I want a report from each of you detailing what we have here, and what we can expect from all this."

Some very excited people left the control centre in a hurry.

"Listen," Eric said, opening a window.

"It's birds, I can hear birds daddy," Sh.e.l.ley said.

"And cows and sheep too," Chris said.

"I don't know about you lot," Steve said, "but I'm going for a walk in those fields."

They found their way out of the control centre and down onto the gra.s.s. It had the most wonderful smell, and the air was so fresh.

"What kind of power is it Bill?"

"It's hydro electric Steve, it all runs on water, there's no pollution here at all, well, except for what the animals produce..."

"Point taken," Steve said looking at where his feet were treading. Steve allowed himself quite some time walking, it was so refreshing to find all this here, even the type of lighting used resembled daylight.

"Another Star Labs invention," Bill said, as Steve was looking. "That and the reflective coating on the cavern walls. Together they create a very reasonable facsimile of daylight, and everything is timed to resemble day and night. We just arrived in the middle of 'their' night."

"They must take some juice Bill."

"Not as much as you might think Steve, but in any case, we have more than enough power here, and we're only running half of the generators."

"Wow, I must say I'm impressed. General Hammond was a real visionary, it's a pity he's not here to see its fulfilment."

Several hours later everyone gathered back at Lark's entrance and returned to the surface. "It's getting late," Steve said, "we'll meet tomorrow at 10-am for those reports."

The company split up and went to their respective apartments. Steve and Clare took a stroll around the lab section. Kay had done a really good job, it would all be operational within the next couple of days.

"You've been very restrained Sweetie," Steve said to Clare, as they headed to their apartment.

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't told me about your plants."

"Ah, I see, well you'll just have to come and look for yourself." She answered, a little smugly.

Tea at the Foresters was its usual mix of fun and bedlam. Sh.e.l.ley had volunteered to say grace and boldly launched out with, "Dear big daddy, thank you for this food and all the wonderful things you've put in those big larders, amen."

Clare had to look away to hide the laughter. Fortunately, Rufus had jumped up onto the sofa, which gave her the excuse she was looking for.

"Rufus, get down!" She hollered. Rufus just looked back at her, bemused, and flopped onto one of the cushions. Steve lost it and burst out laughing, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"O how blest we are," he cried out towards the ceiling.

Tea was wonderful, as usual, but today, a joy had hit them all, together with a sense of peace, that could only be described as supernatural. Steve looked at Clare who was grinning from ear to ear.

"I don't know Hun," she replied to his unasked question.

"I don't know what we did to deserve all this," he said, at length, "but I for one am grateful to be here." Then with eyes closed he mouthed, 'Thank You Lord.'

The next day, all the section heads gathered to bring their reports. Eric had managed to complete the work on one of the unfinished sections of the main dome, a conference room.

"Very nice," Steve commented as they all filed in. "Find a seat everyone and let's begin."

Farming volunteered to go first. "Well," Gareth began, "we seem to have around 50 acres of grazing land, this is what you saw yesterday. Beyond that are another 50 acres with all kinds of vegetables planted, and there's yet another 50 or so acres with fruit trees and bushes. Livestock comes to almost 500 cattle, 1000 sheep, and we weren't able to count the number of chickens and hens. All in all, I'd say we've enough to feed an army...Erm sorry about that, Oh, and there's some more land that is currently lying fallow."

"Wow," Steve said, "at least we won't starve. Hydro, what about you?"

"It's a similar story here Steve," Sarah said, "we discovered vast ice fields deep down in the mantle, so far, we haven't been able to find the full extent of them. The moon must have been a very wet place some time back. Anyway, the hydro level contains an immense lake of very fresh water. All the necessary equipment is in place to utilise the ice and we even have an evaporation plant capable of generating pure oxygen and hydrogen. One thing we don't seem to have is fish."

"Ok, so we have a sustainable water supply." Steve said, "Power?" Steve asked.

"Right that's me," Roland answered. "There is a separate lake in the power level, it is used to drive turbines. There are ten in place, but we are only using five of them at present, and we already have more than enough power to sustain all of Lark's systems. MBA has its own plant and so is no drain on Lark. The lake is constantly re cycled so I see no need to tap into our other water resources. Barring things like moon quakes or asteroid strikes, the system is perpetual."

"How about oil?" Steve asked. "Moving parts will need lubrication."

"Ah, that's where I can help," Clare said, "the botanical section has that covered. We have some acres turned over to Rape, or at least a hybrid of it, and corn. According to the files, this hybrid produces ten times as much oil."

"Good," Steve nodded, "then oil is not a problem. What else have you got for us down there?" Ignoring Steve's very pointed smiles, Clare continued, "The botanical section is rather extensive, and I haven't had time to see all of it yet, but how's this for starters: there are two other caverns besides the main one, both too large to see how far they extend. One contains a hybrid of a plant I discovered many years ago that has the ability to convert light into oxygen very efficiently. I would estimate that there's more than a thousand times the amount we need to survive here. Have you noticed how fresh the air is, and how we haven't had to even think about s.p.a.ce suits since we've been here?"

There were looks of surprise.