"Me too, but there's more: this plant is also a hybrid of a desert gra.s.s that can survive for years with just a couple of drops of water. When given unlimited water it bursts into growth...Explodes would be a better word. This plant is growing at an incredible rate, which means oxygen production is growing at the same rate. I estimate that the Moon will have a breathable atmosphere within twenty years...If only we can get some gravity to hold it here."

"And the other cavern?" Steve reminded her.

"Ah yes, the other cavern. This one seems to be in part, an over- spill for the first one, but there is a vent system, it's closed down, but I think it's been designed to release oxygen to the surface at some future date. Perhaps Bill or Eric will be able to throw more light on that."

"Right, thanks Sweetie, I'll take that up with them directly. Conclusions?" Steve asked. "We seem to have everything we need and in sufficient quant.i.ties to live here, well, forever."

"Agreed," Roland added, "you might want to quiz Bill about the other section on the power level. It was sealed so I have no idea what's in there."

"OK, I will. Anything else while we're here?"

Nothing came, so Steve closed the meeting and set off to find Bill. He found him at his post in the command centre tinkering with something.

"What are you up to Bill?" He asked.

"Oh, just adjusting some external sensors," Bill replied. "Our only enemy now is out there," he said pointing into s.p.a.ce. "The Moon still gets. .h.i.t by foreign bodies, and we need to know when and where."

"Hammond really did think of everything didn't he."

"He sure did, we have the most advanced technology ever invented."

"You won't say that when the Martians arrive," Steve joked, and the two men laughed. "Bill, you've given me an idea. I think it would be a smart move to set up quarters in Lark. Then, if a disaster did happen, we wouldn't be stuck on the surface."

"Good idea," Bill agreed, "there are plenty of smaller caverns down there that will do nicely."

"Right," Steve nodded, "I'll get some folks working on that tomorrow. While we're here Bill, a couple of things came up that you might be able to shed some light on."

"Shoot," Bill said, and winced.

"Clare mentioned some vents in cavern three and thought they may be for venting oxygen to the surface."

"Smart lady," Bill said, "she's exactly right. Hammond tried to plan for our future, so he put in place a couple of things that would be needed later. Plant and oxygen growth will reach a point where the caverns will not be able to contain them. When that happens the plan is to start releasing both to the surface. There are already signs that air and moisture are present on the surface, though only in isolated pockets."

"The green mould," Steve said.

"Right, the mould. There will come a time when we will be able to live on the surface without suits, but no one knows exactly how long that will be."

"Clare says about twenty years."

"She's probably right, but it will depend on conditions continuing as they are now."

"Roland asked about the sealed section on the power level."

Bill thought for a moment. "Hmm, that's the biggy Steve, the final frontier if you like. In order to maintain an atmosphere you need gravity, and the Moon doesn't have enough of it. The sealed level contains an experimental system for creating gravity. Vinkle's idea, but he never got it off the ground so to speak."

Steve smiled.

"Word is that the theory is sound, but it may take some years of development before we can try it."

"Well," said Steve, "time is on our side. One other thing Bill, did Hammond provide any transport? Those caverns are huge."

"Of course he did, I told you he thought of everything. There are several electric vehicles on every level."

"I'm humbled Bill, this man was a true genius."

The next day, Steve called everyone together and told them about setting up quarters in Lark. The idea went down well and a team was detailed to make a start on it.

"We'll need labs down there too Kay," he called to her. "And a school house Lisa." Preparations were made to move the main food stocks too. The work began, and time pa.s.sed.

Chapter Eight.

Chapter 8.

The Alarm Sounds Several months had pa.s.sed and everyone had settled into their roles in Moon Base Alpha. Steve restarted the work he was engaged in at Star Labs, and Clare continued her research into hybrids. Life was good, and slowly, the brown planet was forgotten.

It was mid afternoon and work was going steadily when an alarm sounded. It was loud and obviously not meant to be missed.

"What in tarnation is that?" Steve cried out, running for the command centre.

"I don't know," Bill said, a little panicked, "let me check."

Steve watched as Bill began scanning the system, the look on his face was not good.

"What is it?" Steve asked, starting to get panicky himself.

"It's trouble Steve, we've got to move fast."

"What do you mean, move Bill?"

"It's a solar flare, an enormous one, and it's heading straight for us."

"How long have we got?"

"About four hours, and then everything on the surface will be toast."

"Right," Steve said, "start transferring control to Lark, I'll tell the troops."

He left to do it.

"Listen everyone," Steve shouted at the top of his lungs, "we have to evacuate the surface, there's a solar flare coming and it'll be here in about four hours. You all know what that means...Radiation. Let's snap to it folks, Lark is about to fulfil its destiny."

Steve had been working on his neural coms system with some success, he pressed the b.u.t.ton. "Clare, are you reading me?"

"I certainly am Hun, heard every word, I'm mobilising everyone down here, we'll be with you shortly."

True to her word, Clare emerged from Lark along with all those who had been working down below. Kay had taken charge of the lab, and equipment was being packed and moved. Lisa had all the children busy with small tasks. Everyone pulled together magnificently, and the evacuation was completed with half an hour to spare. Steve, Clare, Bill, and Eric were the last in MBA taking a last look around.

"Will the Bycrylic hold?" Clare asked.

"Sure it will," Steve answered, crossing his fingers. "It'll hold."

With that, they entered the elevator, taking their last look at the Moon's surface as the huge doors closed. "Now you know why they're so thick." Eric said.

"Hammond," Steve and Bill said together.

The descent was like any other, only this time it was one way. "I know this may be a silly question," Clare said, "but just how long will we be down here?"

"What do you think Bill?" Steve asked.

"It's hard to say folks, but somewhere between ten and fifteen years...I've got sensors set to monitor radiation levels, so long as the flare doesn't take them out, so we should know when it's safe again."

"Good thinking," Steve said.

Clare added, "I was tired of looking at stars anyway."

The lift came to a stop and Sh.e.l.ley and Chris were there to meet them, with Rufus of course. "Come on," they said, pulling Steve and Clare towards Lark's doors. They all entered and Lark's huge doors closed them in.

"Well, that's it," Steve said, to Clare, "we're in the ark, and the doors are shut...What's to eat, I'm starved!"

Life took on a whole new meaning in Lark. For one thing, everyone forgot about s.p.a.ce. The stars were no longer visible against a black sky as a reminder, and Earth too, became just a distant memory. Work and life progressed, and the men in the moon prospered, and multiplied.

"Huuuuuun," Clare said, approaching Steve one morning.

"Yeessss?" Steve mimicked.

"What would you say if I were to tell you I'm pregnant?" She said, twirling his hair with a finger.

"You serious?" Steve asked.

"What do you think?" Came the response. It took a few seconds to sink in, and then Steve's face lit up and he jumped up off the sofa and started to dance around the room.

"I'm pregnant, I'm pregnant," he was singing at the top of his voice.

"Well, actually dear," Clare b.u.t.ted in, "it's me who's pregnant around here, but feel free to tell everyone within earshot!"

Sh.e.l.ley and Chris came bursting through the door, "What's up with daddy mom?" Sh.e.l.ley asked giggling.

"Has living on the Moon sent him gaga?" Chris asked, as Steve, oblivious to his character being maligned, kept dancing around the room.

"Daddy's quite all right," Clare rea.s.sured them both, "I'm going to have a baby."

Without so much as an intake of breath, Sh.e.l.ley responded, "Please make it a girl mom," she looked at Chris, "one brother is quite enough!"

Clare laughed, and they all jumped up off the sofa to join in with Steve singing, "Daddy is pregnant, daddy is pregnant."

The Hammonds, who lived next door, heard the commotion. "Wow," Lisa said, to John, "this will be the first human being to not be born on Earth."

"A genuine extraterrestrial," said John, "this is significant, I must go and get the others."

With that, he left to round up the rest of the Moon men and women. The singing had died down by the time everyone arrived at the Forester's door. They knocked, and Steve shouted, "Come in." They all burst in shouting, "Congratulations, well done, great news..."

"Why, what's up with you lot?" Steve said jumping to his feet, "Any one would think we were going to have a baby!"

A great cheer went up mixed with loud applause.

"No work today," John announced, "let's celebrate this momentous event."

There were more cheers and calls of approval. A party atmosphere invaded Lark that day, and little was done of any scientific value.

Some days later, John was disturbed by screams coming from the lake. He ran out to see what it was all about only to see Lisa, distraught, and standing over Katy who was lying on the ground at the waters edge. John took off towards them calling as he ran, "What's wrong, what's happened?"

"It's Katy," Lisa called to him, "there's been an accident."

"What accident?" he said, breathlessly when he got to them.

"Katy was diving into the water when she hit her head on something. She wasn't spotted for four or five minutes. She's not breathing."

"Where's Sam?" John shouted just as Sam arrived from behind him. Sam fell down at Katy's side and put his head to her chest. A few seconds later he reared up and struck Katy a heavy blow to the chest. He breathed into her mouth several times and hit her again. He dropped his head to listen, "We have a heartbeat," he said, and Katy gasped in air just after he said it.

"Thank G.o.d, O thank G.o.d," Lisa sobbed, kneeling by her daughter. "You're OK now Kats, you're Ok." John picked her up and carried her back to their apartment and laid her on her bed.

"Just rest a while love," he said, "you'll be right as nine pence in no time."

A little later, John and Steve got together to talk about the incident.

"We must be more careful," Steve said, "every life here is precious, we can't afford to lose a single one. I don't like rules, but it looks as though we'll have to make some where the children are concerned."

"Agreed," said John, "we'll have to have some sort of supervision for them at the lake, I'll see to it."

"Good," Steve said, then, looking straight at John, he asked, "Are you Ok?" Steve's hand found it's way to John's shoulder. John let go and burst into tears.

"We nearly lost her Steve, our little angel." He sobbed for a while with Steve comforting him as best he could.

Katy made a full recovery and was back at school the following day.