“Yes. I totally agree. The real question is why and what does that mean long term. As it gets closer to Jupiter we could see some real deviations starting to develop,” Abby told her.
“That is true. It has us concerned as well. If it becomes unstable from its flight path there is no way to know precisely where it will eventually end up. It is a disturbing development for sure.”
“Would you run a full composition analysis again. Total analysis?” Abby asked.
“Most certainly. We will add in our MID-infrared Interferometric instrument for photometry and spectroscopy as well. We can include our AMBER scopes as well.”
“Amber?”
“It is just another form of checking the composition. It’s called AMBER but it is really is a near infrared Astronomical Multi-Beam combineR. It is an instrument for photometric and spectroscopic studies, which combines the light of three telescopes.”
“CombineR? They certainly had to stretch for that one. Well, anyway, I certainly obviously came to the right place,” Abby said chuckling to herself.
“Hey, we have the equipment and this is a good way to show the world what it can do.”
“I can’t argue with that,” Abby replied.
“Speaking of which. I see you managed to get the University of Arizona full credit for the discovery. I had to laugh when I read the story. Nice job Abby. I will get back to you just as quickly as I can. This wobble thing is very disconcerting to say the least.”
“Yes. It truly is. I am very concerned about what this may mean,” Abby replied.
“That’s all we know at this point Mr. President."
“That the thing is wobbling. What does that mean exactly? Dose that change things? Make it more dangerous?”
“Tilting in one direction then the other. Unstable may be a better word,” Lance Weldon replied.
“Does that mean that nutty professor could be right?”
“Well sir, the short answer is no.”
“And the long answer Mr. Weldon?” the President asked.
“We don’t know exactly what it means. We won’t have adequate data until it gets to Jupiter. Once it passes there, we will have a better idea of its final trajectory.”
“Mr. Weldon, let me ask you in plain English. Is the Earth in any peril?”
The question was met with silence.
“Mr. Weldon?”
“Sir. I don’t want to be impertinent but we just don’t know at this time. It will pass Jupiter around 1:10 a.m. next Friday, and we will have a better idea then,” Weldon replied.
“Alright Mr. Weldon. I would like to be updated every day. I will make arrangements for you to reach me immediately in the event of some development that is of importance.”
“Sir, in the meantime, you are going to hear a lot of wild theories on this subject on television. They are all nothing more than someone’s opinion and carry no valid conclusions. We have the right people in place. We just need to let them do their job.
“Very well but let me know if you find out something valid sooner.
“Yes sir. Thank you sir.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Abby sat in deep thought pouring over the latest calculations that Brian had come up with. She placed them next to the ones from the JPL and they were significantly different. Enough that it would have an overall impact on the end results that took place on Earth. She shook her head and followed along with Brian’s calculations with her finger.
“How sure are you Brian?” Abby asked.
“Abby, I’ve done the math ten times. Lewis has checked and double checked it. I know what the JPL and the others are saying but they are not taking into account all of the variables.”
“Brian. They have some of the world’s leading astrophysicists working on these calculations. I’m pretty darn good at math myself but this is even above my head. You’re saying they are all wrong and you are right? Even accounting for the differences in the variables?”
“All I know is that I am confident that when you look at every facet of the possible influences, the facts speak for themselves. I have checked them over and over and each time this is what I come up with,” Brian told her.
“You know they are going to rip into this. I mean, it will get personal at some point. A graduate student telling the world’s most preeminent mathematicians they are wrong is bound to cause a great deal of stress for you. Can you handle it?”
“Do you believe in me?” Brian asked bluntly.
“Yes,” Abby said without hesitation, “I have seen what you are capable of and I certainly don’t doubt your abilities for one second. What you have to decide is if you can take the heat once you tell them they are wrong.”
“Aren’t you going to do that?” Brian asked, suddenly realizing that he was going to have to be the one to present the material.
“Brian, you understand it a lot better than I ever will. You are going to have to be the one who speaks up. This is one thing I cannot do for you. This is all your show. I will be there to support you but you have to make the presentation. I can’t do that for you,” she told him.
“As long as you back me up, I can handle it.”
“Surely you know I will. Brian. If I wasn’t willing to stand behind your calculations we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I would just tell you to drop it,” Abby said.
Brian looked down at his feet, “Yeah I know. Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, be right,” she said, patting him on the shoulder.
Brian was in a class all his own. He saw mathematical equations the way musicians see music in their heads. In every class since middle school, he could do math at a level above the instructor’s level. He was tall and gangly in appearance. Basically he looked like a nerd. His persona gave no indication of his intellectual ability when it came to math. He may forget to eat or tie his shoes and wear his tee-shirt inside out but no one could equal his deductive reasoning.
Abby was working at her desk, going over Brian’s calculations, looking for any error, no matter how small. She had to agree that it certainly appeared to be correct. It made sense both mathematically and logically which to her was just as important.
“Doctor Montgomery,” a voice said behind her.
She jumped and a small yelp escaped from her lips before she could get her hand up.
“Oh my. You scared the hell out of me,” she said turning in her chair.
“I am so sorry. I tried to make noise walking over here but I guess I didn’t do a very good job of it.”
She was holding both of her hands over her heart with a wide eyed expression.
“I was just so focused on this that I guess I was lost in my own little world. I certainly wasn’t expecting the Secretary of the Navy to drop in on me like this,” Abby said, starting to calm down after taking a few deep breaths and regrouping.
“I realize it is a little unorthodox but I was sent here by the President and someone should have informed you that I was coming.”
“I sent my secretary home so I could work undisturbed. I guess I just didn’t consider someone from Washington trying to contact me,” Abby said, her composure regained for the most part.
“I apologize for that oversight. When they couldn’t reach you they should have informed me,” Dan replied.
“No harm. It appears I will live after all. Mr. Secretary…”
“Dan. Dan Fowler.”
“Abigail or Abby. Actually most of the people around here call me Abby,” she told him.
“Alright Abby. I remember from our previous meeting. Go ahead, sorry to interrupt.”
“Oh, I was just saying I think I’ll live.”
“That’s excellent. I’m sure the President would not think too highly of me if I had caused you to expire. It is not the kind of thing that looks good on one’s resume,” he said.