บท 20: Chapter 15: Journey to the White Room
"Daniel! Daniel! Wake up! Today's the day!"
Dada's voice was my alarm clock. I stirred but did not open my eyes. Suddenly, a body threw itself on top of me. Dada. He gave me a knuckle rub on top of my head and repeated, "Today's the day! Today's the day!"
"Dada, what are you talking about?" I asked, still half asleep.
"You're blasting off in T-minus three and a half hours!" A few minutes passed, and then Dada finally got off me.
I opened my eyes and saw that I was back in my room in the space center.
Wait a minute! How did I get here? I asked myself. The last thing I remembered was falling asleep under the stars with PPMC.
Dada stood at my bed side, grinning like a little kid. He had my adventure uniform in his hands, and he tossed it onto the bed with me. He answered my mental question. "Professor Chenoa brought you back here around 2:30. She said you were bonding with PPMC."
Instantly, I sat up in bed. "My hoverscooter! Where's my hoverscooter?"
"Not to worry, Daniel. PPMC packed it for you. Now, come on, get changed and have some breakfast. You have a busy day ahead of you."
Even though I was still a little groggy, I changed into my adventure uniform. Robotic hands folded my pajamas, made up my bed, and opened my blinds. I stretched my arms over my head and looked out my window. The Sun was just beginning to rise, and Downtown Greenville's lights started to turn on. The day seemed perfectly normal, but it wasn't. I started to get nervous again, but I took a deep breath. "You can do this, Dan. You can do this," I told myself.
Breakfast was already on the table when I joined Dada in the hotel's dining room. We had a very Southern-styled breakfast that morning: scrambled eggs, grits, and sausages. It was quite tasty, but it did leave me wondering if PPMC's food was going to be just as good. While I ate, I noticed Dada staring at me. He actually looked a little worried. Him! Dada!
"Dada, are you okay?" I wanted to know.
"Oh, I'm fine." But I could tell he was lying.
The PPMC Gauntlet broke the awkward moment.
Beep.
Beep.
"Good morning, Dan. How are you feeling?" PPMC asked.
"Fine," I mumbled, but another sickening image of the black hole overtook my tired brain. The only way I could stay calm around Dada was by inhaling and exhaling multiple times.
***
Just like we planned, Dada and I met up with Professor Chenoa and Professor Julian in the space center's lobby at 7:30am.
T-minus two and a half hours until blast off. I was really getting nervous now. What if the ship blew up? What if I died before even making it into space? I ducked behind Dada, hoping that Julian and Chenoa wouldn't see me, but they definitely did.
Dada smiled at them. "Good morning, Chenoa. Good morning, Julian. Dan's a little feisty today."
Julian, dressed nicely in his lab coat and black shoes, smirked and nudged Chenoa. "I think he's upset because we didn't pack the Parmesan cheese and meatballs."
"What?" I shrieked, peering out from Dada's back.
Disgustingly, he added to Julian's joke. "Oh, that's a good one! Perhaps we should give him an Italian menu as well? He can tell PPMC what type of spaghetti he wants to be."
"Spot on! You're not half-bad, Ben!" Laughing, Julian cleared his throat. "'PPMC, I would like my arms to be extra stringy, and make sure you throw in some sauce, meatballs, and cheese as well.'"
Dada hooted.
Oh, ha, ha. Very funny.
I could not hold my fear in any longer. I burst into tears.
At least Chenoa had a heart. "Stop! You're scaring the poor kid even more!" she told Julian and Dada. She pulled me away from Dada and gave me a tight hug. She hugged like Mother: gentle and soft.
I put my head on her chest and allowed my tears to fall. Suddenly feeling hot, I coughed into my arm.
Julian was not finished with his joke. He bumped Dada's shoulder. "Maybe he'll feel better if we give him some garlic bread?"
"Julian! You're disgusting! Quit it with the lame jokes!" Chenoa snapped.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Julian apologized.
That wasn't enough for Chenoa. She glared at both Julian and Dad. "If I hear another peep about spaghettification, you two are not going to watch the rocket launch. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, ma'am," Julian and Dada said at the same time.
I laughed a little bit. Wow, Chenoa was so much like Mom. She was there with me.
Chenoa started to lead me towards the door we took overnight to reach the launch pad. She said one more thing to Dada and Julian: "Let's just escort him to the White Room and get him settled. We blast off in T-minus two hours and twenty-five minutes."
***
I stuck with Chenoa the whole journey to the White Room, only because Mother's presence was strongest around her. The morning was gorgeous, with clear blue skies and few clouds. I recalled the small, white building from overnight, as well as the elevator next to PPMC's pad.
Chenoa inhaled deeply, and I mimicked her. "Ah, just smell that fresh air. It's a perfect day for a rocket launch," she said. She placed her hand on my shoulder. "I'm glad you changed your mind, Dan. PPMC told me everything that happened last night. You're one lucky kid, you know that? The good news is that you don't have to be an astronaut in order to fly her. She will do all the work. Your job is to just sit back and watch."
I liked the sound of that. After all, I had no idea how to fly a starship.
Chenoa, Julian, Dada, and I stopped next to the white building, where an interviewer and cameraman greeted us. They were the only people who had permission to be on the island that morning. The interviewer was a middle-aged woman who had short, blonde hair and big, blue eyes. On the other hand, the cameraman had medium-length, brown hair and brown eyes. Their names were Diana and Rob.
One look at me, and Diana immediately grew excited. "Oh my gosh! Daniel Matton! Please, please, may I hit you up for a quick interview?"
"Um, sure," I stuttered.
"Oh, thank you! Thank you!"
I heard some sort of motor above and peered up to check it out. A News 4 helicopter flew around PPMC.
Julian and Dada ducked into the small, white building to boot up the elevator next to the gantry. Since we were running under a tight schedule, Chenoa told Diana that the interview had to be no more than ten minutes. Diana said that was plenty of time.
Rob pointed his camera at Chenoa and I and turned it on. I was officially on television.
Diana settled down next to us and faced the camera. "Good morning, 5022 Earth. I am Diana Heart, here with the star of the PPMC Project, seventeen-year-old Daniel Matton." She held her microphone up to my lips. "Tell me, Dan. What are you most excited about?"
"Um, well, I get to take a trip up the geologic time scale." I remember everything felt so awkward.
Diana vigorously bobbed her head up and down. "Yes, yes. What time period are you looking forward to the most?"
That was an easy answer. "The Mesozoic Era, the time of the dinosaurs."
"And why is that?"
"Because dinosaurs are fascinating!"
Chenoa jumped in. She waved at the camera and explained, "We have programmed PPMC to travel back to four distinct time slots in geological history: the Cryogenian Period of the Precambrian Time, the Carboniferous Period of the Paleozoic Era, the Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era, and the Eocene Epoch of the early Cenozoic Era."
Okay, I felt a little better. At least I was not going to travel back to any mass extinctions. That'd be even worse than a black hole. Again, conflicting thoughts bubbled in my brain. I was scared, but also excited.
Chenoa grabbed my left forearm, causing me to jump. She held the PPMC Gauntlet up to Rob's camera lens and pointed at it. "What Dan is wearing on his forearm is the PPMC Gauntlet. With it, he is able to communicate with the starship herself. I'll demonstrate. Ahem! PPMC, do you copy? This is Professor Chenoa Birmingham."
Intrigued, I kept my eyes on the gauntlet's screen.
"Professor Chenoa! It's great to hear your voice!" PPMC responded.
I have to admit, that was amazing. The starship was directly behind Chenoa and I, and she was talking. I noticed that Diana and Rob were just as fascinated. Maybe everything wouldn't be so bad after all.
"It's wonderful to hear your voice, too, PPMC," said Chenoa. "I just want to let you know that we are on our way to the White Room now."
PPMC chuckled. "Tell Dan I'm ready for him. We're going to show that black hole no mercy."
I interrupted her. "And if you're watching this, Ms. Tyesha, I hope that I will be able to find your husband and bring him home." I cannot believe I said that. Of course, Ms. Tyesha was watching. The whole world was. Why was I getting excited? No, no, Dan, you're supposed to be scared. You're traveling through a freaking black hole!
Dada and Julian came out from the white building. They told us it was time to head to the elevator.
Chenoa nodded. "Thank you for your time, Diana, but PPMC's waiting."
"No, thank you!" Diana said. She glanced at me. "Good luck, Dan. We'll be here when you return."
"Thank you." My voice shook slightly.
***
We were down to T-minus two hours. The elevator ride to the White Room was calm, with just the occasional bump. It was a glass elevator, circular in shape, and could hold at least ten people. Inside it, Professor Chenoa told me a little more about the blast off process.
"Dan, once PPMC reaches the exosphere and drops her external tank, she will transform into a starship. The journey to the black hole will take a few days, since it will be a combination of flying and hyperspace. That will give you and PPMC time to prepare. You should know this, since you passed the test, but PPMC will technically have to turn into a spaghetti strand to slide her way through the black hole, wormhole, and white hole.
Once you reach space in the Cryogenian Period, it will take another few days to get back to Earth, which will allow you and PPMC to recover from the trip through the wormhole. I should also tell you that we have included an Emergency Time Period, just in case something goes wrong, but I doubt it will. There is also an emergency telephone, in case you need to contact us right away."
I shivered. Calm down, Dan. Nothing is going to go wrong. It's going to be just like the simulation. PPMC and I would work together as a team. "I understand, Professor," I said, even though I was again getting very nervous. Please tell me this is a normal reaction if you found yourself in a situation like this.
Dada, who sat next to me, put his arm around my shoulders.
After a few more minutes, we made it up to the White Room, or the retractable arm that connected to the White Room. The next thing we had to do was cross a bridge, though it looked more like an outdoor hallway than a bridge. The floor had steel plates, and the bridge's wall-like rails were silver.
The doors to the elevator opened, and a mechanical voice told all four of us, "Cockpit level. Access walkway, White Room, PPMC, and happy endings. Have a great day, everybody."
Excited, Julian, Chenoa, and Dada got off first.
I stayed in the back, because I wanted to take in the sights and smells of 5022 Greenville, South Carolina one last time. The steel plates of the walkway rung under my feet. It sounded like music. The day grew hot, and I started to sweat. My throat was also sore. I think I needed some water.
Chenoa, and Julian opened up the door to the White Room at the end of the walkway. They ducked inside, but Dada waited for me. He reached inside the White Room, as if trying to grab something.
I clutched the bridge's railing with both hands. I listened to the birds chirping happily while they flew, as well as the News 4 helicopter that started to fly away from PPMC. I saw Diana and Rob down below. Like the helicopter, they backed away from the starship and made their way into the space center. I would miss its smooth walls, Gravity Room, and comfy beds. I just couldn't believe this was really happening.
The fresh scent of the newborn day and water of Greenville Lake tickled my nostrils like a soft feather. Was I ready? I didn't think so, but I went ahead and met up with Dada at the door of the White Room. I noticed he had something behind his back.
"Um, Daniel," he said in a nervous voice, "you have every right to be angry with me, but this is who you are. Your mother knew it, and so do I. You are a meant to be a paleontologist. This mission is perfect for you. Here, I wanted to give you one last birthday present. I take this with me every time I go into space to remember home." He held a book out to me–a book about 5022 Greenville, South Carolina.
I accepted it. "Wow, thank you, Dada."
"Whenever you start to feel homesick, refer to this book to remember your true home," Dada said. "Remember, Dan the Man, you don't belong in the Precambrian Time, Paleozoic, and Mesozoic Eras. You belong in the Cenozoic Era, Quaternary Period, Holocene Epoch, 5022. There's also some stuff about hoverscooting in this book. Dan, I want to see you again. It's going to be lonely without you in the house."
"Well, we'll see how things go," I said.
Dada nodded. "We will."
***
The White Room was small. It was so small, I was glad I wasn't claustrophobic. The room had a very space shuttle-like feel to it, even though I was not yet in PPMC. There were a few cubbies, every wall had tons of buttons, and a pipe stretched across the ceiling. There was also a small refrigerator that had some water bottles in it.
I asked for a bottle of water.
Chenoa got it for me. She gave Julian the task of making sure everything was ready to go with PPMC, so he took my book and opened up her hatch, climbing inside.
I remained calm, even though I screamed on the inside. Like what happened in the Simulation Room, robotic hands dressed me in an astronaut suit. They waited until I finished my water to put the helmet on.
"I need a moment," Dada said, stepping out of the room. Was he actually worried about me? But of course, every parent feels the same when their child leaves the nest.
Chenoa made sure everything was good with my uniform while we waited for Julian. We were down to T-minus an hour and a half. Things were going well, but then they took a twist. I had another coughing fit. That one was worse than the others I'd been experiencing for the past few days. I thought it would never end, but finally, it did.
"Are you feeling all right?" Chenoa asked me.
"I'm fine. I'm just enjoying my last few days of life," I choked out. But deep down, I was scared. I could not back out, not when I was so close to PPMC. I fought my nervousness by giving another geological lecture. "Hey, Professor, do you know what Meganeura and Hylonomus are?"
"No," Chenoa said.
Uh oh, I could feel my excitement rising. That always happened when I talked about geologic time. "Not to worry! I shall elucidate! Hylonomus and Meganeura are organisms from the Carboniferous Period of the Paleozoic Era. Meganeura, along with Arthropleura, was one of the first arthropods. Meganeura was a dragonfly. It had a wingspan ranging between twenty-five and twenty-eight inches long.
Arthropleura was a descendant of centipedes and millipedes. They grew to be six to eight feet long. Yeah, I said six to eight feet! To wrap this up, Hylonomus was the first reptile. It was a lizard-like creature. Well there you have it! That's my geological lecture for today! Next week, we will cover Rodinia and Snowball Earth. If you are eager to hear about these two incredible events, then don't let a certain teenager get spaghettified, okay?"
"Um, sorry, Dan. It's already too late," Chenoa explained. "We're in the White Room."
I stomped my foot. "Aw, fiddle sticks!"
Dada came back in, right when Julian jumped out from PPMC's hatch. He gave Chenoa a thumb's up. "She's all set. The time machine looks great! I think we're ready, Dan!"
This was it–the moment I dreaded. Or was it the moment I was most looking forward to? Heck, it was somewhere in between.
Professor Chenoa approached my left side. She used my gauntlet again to call PPMC. "PPMC? This is Professor Chenoa. I just want to let you know that Dan is ready to go."
Now the whole starship answered... not just my gauntlet. "Professor Chenoa, great! Send him in, and I'll get him strapped into his seat."
"Sounds good." Chenoa turned off my gauntlet and looked me in the eyes. "All right, let's do this, Dan."
"Oh gosh," I groaned.
Chenoa next looked at Julian. "Julian, I want you to head to the control room. Ben and I can handle Dan."
"Yes, ma'am," Julian said with a nod of his head. He picked up my hand and gave it a quick shake. "Good luck, Dan. Be safe, okay?"
"Thanks, Julian. Make sure to schedule my funeral, okay?" I muttered.
Julian laughed. "Oh, you're hilarious, son! Don't worry. We'll make sure PPMC gets into space safely. I'll see you later." He gave my hand a gentle pat and turned on his heel. Julian left the White Room, leaving me alone with just Dada, Chenoa, and PPMC.
Chenoa threw her hands into the sky, like when a child wakes up on Christmas morning, and announced to the whole world, "PPMC is ready for blast off!"
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