Reaching Beyond: A Space Thriller

By Nora E. Milner

A conspiracy of the greatest proportions, threatening to destroy mankind... Murder on an international space vessel... Plundering the riches of an African nation... The first Court of Outer Space... Has the treachery so common on Earth found a new home in space? These seemingly unrelated events weave themselves into a mystery that encompasses every continent of Earth and the far reaches of outer space. The United States stands on the brink of its greatest conquest yet, the arrival of a crew on Mars and the exploration of the Red Planet. But powerful forces are at work to stop the West from reaching beyond. The extent to which these forces will go to stop the conquest of Mars is unimaginable and unforeseeable, that is, to everyone but a small tribe of Gypsies in Europe. RebeccasReads highly recommends REACHING BEYOND as a wonderous galectic story filled with suspense, deception & murder on an international space station & scale! REACHING BEYOND is a trendsetter in the contemporary legal thriller genre.
Rebecca Brown

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 12, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462034147

Nora E. Milner

Nora E. Milner earned a BA in international relations from California State University at Sacramento, a JD from the University of Denver School of Law, and two other advanced law degrees. She served in the US Navy before leaving to start a private law practice. Nora lives with her husband, dogs, and horses in the San Diego foothills. This is her second book.

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Contents

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Epilogue

About The Author

DEDICATION

To the two people in my life, my husband, Scott, and little B who inspire me to dream of tomorrows without limits and to see the world through new eyes as I thoroughly enjoy today.

With love,

nem

PROLOGUE

Nikolai stepped into the exercise module, ready to work up a sweat. It had been a long day, busy with various scientific tests on pine seedlings in one of the Space Station mission rooms specifically set up for that purpose. Housed between the surgical workstation and the small animal facility, the most technologically advanced equipment was set up for his use. Indeed, he had to admit that nothing had been spared to obtain the best instruments possible. Not particularly exciting work for an agronomist of his caliber, actually, but, oh well, the tests needed to be done and it was clear that the mission was going full speed ahead on the continued study of the effects of weightlessness on plant life.

He scratched at his knit shirt and pulled once more on his boxer shorts; best to make sure he wouldn’t lose these babies today, particularly if he got on to the treadmill. The last time that happened, Zita had smiled, rather too widely he thought. Zita, a French physiologist, was using him at that time as a guinea pig of sorts, testing his endurance and blood flow on the treadmill. While running at a fast pace, the shorts had come tumbling down to his knees. Embarrassed, he had tried to retrieve them, only to stumble and fall to one side of the treadmill. Still strapped to the treadmill, he was panting and unable to return to an upright position. Both humiliated and somewhat chagrined, he continued to struggle back to an upright position. Zita had laughed loudly, put down her kneepad and notes and reached a hand out to help him up. His Russian male ego somewhat bruised, he nevertheless returned, as directed, to the treadmill, once again under the watchful eye of Zita.

She probably liked what she saw, he thought to himself.

So today, alone in the room designed for such exercise, he would find some quiet time, without Zita. He struggled into the fastening straps on the floor of the module designed to force him to exercise legs that had become weak in space. He began his warm-up, then consistently worked up to a good sweat. Boy, that felt good, he thought, as he stepped up his pace and let his previously tight muscles do their work.

Suddenly, without any warning, an explosion of light and flame roared through the module, blinding him. The sounds of alarms deafened him as he felt the painful sting of flying pieces of metal and plastic everywhere in the module. Once again, he felt himself stumble as before, but this time his fear level was beyond comprehension.

God, where was that oxygen mask? I’ve got to find it right away, he thought as he fumbled everywhere for it. Meanwhile, red emergency lights continued to blink their warning. He knew the pressure was dropping; he also knew that oxygen alone would not save him. Once the pressure fell too low, his blood, normally regulated by the body at 98.6 º F., would boil. He must get out of that leaking module, quickly. But, the door had slammed shut and was apparently being held by the pressure differential. He was unable to force the door open with the hydraulic ram that had been installed for just such an event. Why was the hydraulic ram not working?

He could see that the blood being sucked through the holes in the chamber was coming from his own body due to the many wounds inflicted by the flying debris. He was painfully aware that his injuries were serious. Touching his right leg, he could feel his femoral artery pounding, bulging out. His blood loss was beginning quickly. Hurry! His mind told him there was not much time left. He repeatedly attempted to activate the ram and the hatch mechanism.

What the hell? he thought. What’s keeping it from opening? Still, the pressure kept dropping. He knew he didn’t have long. The pressure was agonizing, pulling at his ears. He struggled to stay conscious, knowing that if he lost consciousness, there would be no way to survive.

Still, horns blared as his mind raced furiously, trying to sort out the well-trained maneuvers he knew almost instinctively for his survival. But, he found himself remembering his family, surprised that at this moment he would think of her, Natasha, his beautiful blond wife. He crossed over to a feeling of extreme peace at that moment, seeing her smile and remembering how her body felt warm with love and lust at the same time. She reached out her hands to him, beckoning him to stop his struggle and relax. He did so and he felt much better.

As Nikolai exhaled his last breath and the blood vessels burst in his eyes, an unseen hand on the opposite side of the hatch reached up and released the override switch on the hydraulic ram.

That went well, thought the intruder.

CHAPTER ONE

Paper or plastic?

Huh?

Paper or plastic?

Addy- Mac suddenly realized that the grocery store bagger was talking to her. She glared up at the teenager, not sure whether she preferred the girl who gleefully announced with a clicker that she had now bagged for her 75th customer of the day or the sullen young male who had a penchant for putting her eggs under the milk cartons. Either way, both were annoying, particularly today.

Oh, uh, I don’t care. No wait! Yes, plastic, and please tie the tops of the bags so that the sodas don’t go flying around in the trunk of my car on the way home.

The gleeful girl smiled broadly, clicked and announced that Addy-Mac was her 76th customer of the day. She then proceeded to tie the bags as instructed.

As Addy-Mac left the store, she was deep in her own thoughts. Indeed, she had shopped today almost in a haze. God knows what she even bought, but she hoped somewhere in the maze of bags that there would be a loaf of bread and some eggs, not crushed this time. She walked on to her car and loaded the bags into the trunk.

Closing the trunk, she got into the front seat and turned on the ignition. The car, her almost ten year old Mercedes, turned right over, just like always. She smiled to herself and reached up to pat the dashboard of her old friend.

Yep, ole’ gal, two more payments and you’re all mine! It was a good feeling to know that she could now really afford the Mercedes that she had bought almost ten years before. It had become her trusted ally, taking her through heat and winds and rains, never breaking down or leaving her stranded. Although it had over 200,000 miles on it now, it was still beautiful on the outside and reliable under the hood. In reality, she could have replaced it long ago, but there was something special about this car and she simply could not give it up.

Addy looked into the rear view mirror and fixed her lipstick. Finished, she stared for a brief moment at herself, now 53 years old. She smiled.

Yep, ole’ gal, still looking good on the outside and under the hood! she laughed.

In fact, Adrianna Isabel Elizabeth McGuigan was still quite a lady. Her mother, bless her heart, simply couldn’t decide which names she liked the best and so she had given her baby boomer daughter all of them. Obviously there were too many names to use at once, so in her family, she became Addy- Mac, a bright and energetic child that grew up into an adventurous lawyer, skilled in both courtroom and diplomatic tactics. Because she had this innate skill in working with people from all nationalities and walks of life, her private practice in international law had grown tremendously from a small office and a typewriter to a large staff and three offices. Now, she proudly anticipated that her daughter, Justine, would join the firm and add a new and ever-expanding dimension to the practice.

Justine stood a little taller than Addy with big, brown eyes and a smile that captivated everyone. Addy called her E as a nickname of affection. In fact, the E came from Lil E, or Little Elizabeth, since Justine’s middle name was also Elizabeth. Bright as hell, she had been accepted into medical school and even done a year, but decided to pursue law instead. Now, the Bar behind her, Justine was working in the firm already and, with Addy, planning the new office that was being built to house the expanded law practice.

Always seeking a new challenge, Addy became fascinated with a newly developing field of law, one that would challenge her, and obtained a Masters of Law degree some years earlier in Space Law. Thereafter, she applied her knowledge of this unique field of law to extensive writing, teaching as an adjunct professor of law at several law schools, and becoming a vocal advocate for a greater understanding of the need to educate the legal community on the aspects of law in space. Although she was offered an appointment to the federal bench, she declined in favor of maintaining the freedom to pursue her belief in the importance of space law and its applications.

Being a visionary of sorts, she began working with experts from the Carnegie Foundation and the United Nations to set up the first International Court of Outer Space. It had not been an easy task, even at this time with the International Space Station out there carrying all kinds of equipment and astronauts from many nations. The President himself had finally personally summoned Addy to the White House to meet with him and his Cabinet to discuss just how the United States could benefit from the implementation of such a Court.

Addy had gone, knees shaking, in her best St. John suit and, papers in hand, spent two days meeting with the bureaucratic weenies as her husband, Lance, was fond of calling them. Still, she knew full well the power these men and women wielded, and she was determined to see the endeavor through to fruition. Of course, the White House had expressed humanitarian concerns and statements like for the general welfare of all men; but beneath the veneer of smiles and handshakes lay the steeled determination to see that the United States, above all nations, would be at the helm of such a Court, if indeed it would be created at all.

Addy knew that the United Kingdom also stood ready to appoint its own Chief Justice to the International Court of Outer Space. That thought did not seem to sit well with anyone at the White House. Not so much because they were not indeed a great ally; but more because the White House saw its vested interests best protected by having the newly-formed body headed by an American. So the last three years had passed with international negotiations, consultations with Think Tank philosophers, endless hours of wrangling behind the doors of the United Nations Commission on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS), and more lunches than Addy could count, except at her waistline.

Finally, after three years, the Court had become a reality. Nine Associate Justices had been empanelled representing the countries of Greece, France, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Italy, Egypt, and the United Kingdom, as the Associate Chief Justice. Each Justice would serve a ten-year term, but the terms would be staggered so that there was an assurance of continuity on the Court. Like those Justices sitting on the International Court of Justice, each Justice on the International Court of Outer Space would be of the highest professional and legal qualifications from his or her own country; and, most importantly, would not represent any government, acting instead as independent magistrates. News headlines on CNN and every station worldwide blared the announcement of the establishment of the first International Court of Outer Space. And, yep, the ole’ gal Addy, stepped up the plate as its first Chief Justice.

Mindful of the need to have a neutral meeting site, the Court was designated to sit in a wing of the Peace Palace, at The Hague, headquartered near the International Court of Justice. It was determined that at this historic site, all humanity would come to seek a peaceful resolution to the ever-changing needs and demands of space exploration. And so the Court had met monthly in two-week sessions for the last year. It was a brutal schedule; traveling there and then being faced with all of the preliminary matters that need attention before any court like this can be fully implemented. Initially, the Court had busied itself with administrative details, assuring that a team of research attorneys was hired for the massive amount of paperwork that would be required. Each Justice was assigned four research attorneys, themselves coming from many nations in order to bring a perspective of knowledge of the bodies of law worldwide. In addition, support staff, translators, equipment, furniture and an extensive library were obtained to provide for all aspects of such a Court. It had indeed become a wonderful reality and Addy had to pinch herself on a regular basis as she slipped on the beautiful black robe with the gold stripes on the sleeves, indicating that she was the Chief Justice.

After the preliminary work needed to begin the inner workings of the Court had been completed, the Justices were soon presented with a myriad of issues: a bilateral treaty between China and France was in jeopardy because the French wanted greater economic representation due to their financed payload aboard a recent shuttle. Several matters having to do with remote sensing were demanding review. The International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium (INTELSAT) sought assistance and guidance to resolve a conflict between existing and planned systems. Even the powerful International Telecommunications Union (ITU) sought an advisory opinion regarding some recent allocation of radio frequencies for space research.

The legal foundations of the Court demanded the most specific attention as the Justices sought to assure that a respected basis in outer space law would be determined to guide the Court in its decisions. For this effort, the Court looked to several existing treaties: The Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, first written in 1963, was carefully reviewed again for guidance. But the Court’s Magna Carta was the 1967 Treaty on Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Outer Space Treaty). This treaty, signed and ratified by more than 100 nations, codified the law into 17 articles that provided the foundation for the formation of space law. Most later space treaties had expanded on these principles, applying new and developing technology.

Addy clearly recalled the first day the Justices sat together. With a stack of research papers before them, each Justice began the historical oration to be entered into the Court’s record, of why they were there as a newly formed judicial body, and what goals the Court sought to accomplish. For this guidance, the Court looked to the Preamble and first two Articles to the Outer Space Treaty reflecting the binding desire of all nations to employ space in the service of all humanity. This concept, known as the province of all mankind, set the tone for the Court that, as a body, it would employ all legal principles in a manner that is a moral or philosophical obligation to see that space exploration serves the interests of all countries, so that all may benefit. Thus, by this rationale, any activity in space that does not act in the benefit of all mankind, violates the Treaty and the foundational guidance of this Court. This unyielding standard would act much like the U.S. Constitution, providing a framework that was, on the one hand, strong and steady; but, also, flexible enough to provide for changes in the world, socially, politically, and now, into outer space. It was a formidable task, but one to which each Justice rose with vigor and pride.

The day the first official photo was taken of the International Court of Outer Space was truly remarkable. Six women and three male Justices sat at the high mahogany dais, fully robed, with Addy in the middle, smiling for the cameras. The Court had come into its own and was fast earning worldwide respect.

Oh, now what? Addy demanded to no one in particular as the gates to the driveway of her house refused to open. Again she pushed the button on the remote control so that the big, wrought iron gates would open. Again it ignored her. As she sat at the bottom of the driveway, finally Octaviano, the gardener, ran down to the box at the entryway and pushed the button manually.

Sorry, Señora, I disconnected the wires for a few minutes to cut the hedge near the driveway. I fix it right now.

She smiled. No hay problema, Octaviano, dejeme pasar ahora, she said in Spanish, asking him to let her pass through now. He was such a wonderful help and someone who had been with the family for many years. He and his wife, Maria, lived in the quarters designed just for them on the grounds when Addy and Lance had decided to build their dream house on the thirteen acres they owned in the North County of San Diego. Now, four years after completion, the home was magnificent, a Spanish style villa of 6200 square feet, complete with beautiful but comfortable furniture, a pool and riding facilities for their three horses. It was their retreat from the world and one that they resisted leaving at all.

As Addy turned up the long driveway, Octaviano closed the big gates behind her and she sighed, feeling safe and at peace again, here at home.

CHAPTER TWO

Salu looked up at the hot African sky, passing his hand again across his forehead. The sun was high today; temperatures would soar, no doubt. In this part of the world they always did. But he didn’t care; he had important work to do. His farm and fields lay ignored. Today he would dig again. In this area of the Nigerian capital, Abuja, there was a lot of activity. A Gold Rush of sorts had begun. Bulu, his friend from over the hill, had discovered a terra-cotta head of some kind while digging in his fields the year before and since then, the area around Abuja was just not the same.

Bulu had traded the head to some local antiquities dealer for about $45 U.S. dollars, a lot more than Bulu had expected for some old piece of junk. Since then, word had spread fast throughout the area that in this ancient dirt of Nigeria lay items, stuff really, that other people might want to buy. Now, Bulu and his neighbors regularly dug the stony earth for terra-cotta items, mindlessly plundering the precious history of its region and selling their discoveries to the highest U.S. and European bidders. Along the way, items such as 16th century Benin bronze castings and remnants of the Nok culture that flourished in central Nigeria from 500 B.C. to A.D. 200 were unearthed. Quickly they found their way to private collections around the world. Masks, grave markers, bronze sculptures and even doors that had been used in the Nok culture became a part of the robbing of a continent of its rich culture.

Bulu’s brother, Abiye, had even gone so far as to break into one of the local museums to steal what could be found there of the best-known items from the 12th and 13th century of that region. Bulu had warned him to be careful, but Abiye had told him he knew that the local chief of monuments would be meeting with him to buy what he could steal from the museum. The chief had told Abiye that he already had a dealer lined up and that the stuff would make a great haul for them all. And indeed it did.

So today, Salu returned to his digging, determined to find some more good stuff. The yams planted in his fields lay unharvested; they would surely go bad soon. Miku, his wife, would probably not be happy with him about that. But, once he explained where the money he got came from, she would smile and he would not go without tonight.

Hey! Salu! What have you found? hollered Tolu, his brother-in-law, from across the field.

Shh, hushed Salu, putting his finger to his lips.

Don’t go yelling, Tolu. I already told you to keep this to yourself. You want everyone else around here to know we found such a good site?

Tolu was tall and skinny and he looked significantly older than his twenty-seven years. He lived over the hill from Salu and also raised yams for a living. However, he was single and what money he made he spent quickly in the brothels that had sprung up in the area since the first digging had uncovered buried treasure. Digging in the Kawu earth had become his pastime and his main means of support. To date, he had been really lucky. He had found two sculpted heads, one later determined to be an object of Queen Idia, a 16th century African royal. One of only five surviving memorial heads commissioned by her son, the statue of Queen Idia quickly made Tolu a rich man. Now, Tolu scratched the earth with Salu and, when not so digging, laid lazily in the afternoon sun, drinking and listening to pop music from America. He wore shorts, a floppy hat, and big high-tops that he laced under the tongue, just like he had seen the American kids do on MTV down at the village.

Tolu sauntered over to Salu, carrying a bag.

Hey, Salu, I need to tell you something very, very important. Put down that rake and come, sit here with me a while. No, really, come sit. What I will tell you is important; it will make you rich too. Enough of this scratching in this stony earth of Kawu. I have met someone who will give us a lot more money than what you will fetch from this dirt.

Salu was curious but he didn’t really trust Tolu. He knew Tolu was a philanderer and a man of not much morality. But, still, he was fun to drink with and he kept Salu’s secrets well when the two of them frequented one of the local brothels.

Tolu carried a large umbrella and, waving to Salu, he urged him to stop and sit, to join him under the umbrella. It seemed like a good idea to Salu, at least for a while, as he was hot and thirsty.

Tolu took out a thermos from the bag and the two men drank freely of the cool water.

Now, what, brother, have you got to say to me? inquired Salu.

Look, Salu, whispered Tolu, leaning forward to speak more quietly. Salu thought it funny considering that the two men were all alone on the big plain and there was not a soul anywhere in sight. Still, Salu sat back and listened.

I met a man at the market today. He knew me, knew my name, and came up to me, Tolu, and spoke to me like I am a very important person. He asked me to come to the bar and there we drank. By the way, he bought the good stuff, Salu, not that cheap crap that they serve down at the village. Anyway, he is willing to give me, and a partner that I chose, $15,000 each to bring him that Ife Terra-Cotta head in the display case over in the National Museum in Ile-Ife.

Salu stared at his brother-in-law, sure now that he was indeed crazy. Forming a fist and bopping Tolu on top of his head, he said, You are crazy, brother! You know what could happen to you—and me!—if we get caught? It was one thing for someone to break into that small museum in town and steal those few pieces, but now you talk about breaking into the National Museum and stealing what they have there?

Salu shook his head and started to get up.

Tolu pulled him down by his shirttails.

No, look, Salu. This is a good deal. This man says he knows some people who will watch out for us and all we have to do is get in, break the display case, and get that Ife head. It will be easy and then, brother, we are rich men!

If it’s so easy, why us? Why don’t they do it themselves? queried Salu.

Don’t know, don’t care, shrugged Tolu. Look, what does it matter? I know we can do this. You want to grow old and lose your mind scratching in this dirt for the rest of your life? Think what $15,000 will do for you, and my sister! You know she will make you a happy man when you come home with all that money!

Salu tried to be serious, but he could not help but laugh.

Tolu, you crazy, man.

Well, think on it, Salu. I will be home tonight. Come by after dinner and we talk again.

With that, Tolu took his umbrella, his thermos of water, and wandered back down the trail, over the hill and out of sight.

Salu just stood there staring at him. He shook his head and shrugged again. Oh well, he thought. Maybe after dinner I will go see that crazy Tolu and we’ll talk again. He returned to his digging, hopeful that today would be his lucky day.

Why you go to see that crazy brother of mine, Salu? I want you stay here with me tonight. You been gone all day and now you go out again? Where you go? Nagging was a favorite sport for Salu’s wife.

Look, Miku, I promised Tolu I would go to talk to him tonight. He has some ideas he wants to talk to me about.

Yes, and I can bet what they are, Salu. That brother of mine is no good. He lazy and drinks and I hear in the village that he sleeps with all the women . You going with him to one of those places?

No, Miku, really, I am going to his house. I promise I will be home soon.

With that, Salu put on a clean shirt and left the house, looking back at Miku who stood with her hands on her hips at the doorway.

You come back soon, Salu! she demanded.

Yeah, yeah, he waved, and headed down the trail in the moonlight. He was curious and anxious to find out what this crazy Tolu had in mind.

As he came up to Tolu’s house, a flimsy wooden structure that shook violently when the winds blew in that area, he found his brother-in-law sitting on the porch, swaying back and forth in the rocker, a drink in his hand.

Smiling, Tolu waved Salu up to the porch.

Ah, I see you have not fried your brains out there in that miserable sun, brother. Come, sit and drink with me, urged Tolu.

Salu did as Tolu bid, coming up the step, taking the drink and joining his brother-in-law on the porch. Outside,