Metafire

Our calculations show that you must immediately dispatch a ship if it is to catch us and be able to return. Dispatch a ship. Have Erisa confirm this to us with her personal signature and in two way video with Jane. Once you have dispatched the vessel, we will initiate the process to neutralize the bomb."

The response was immediate from Ferguson. He accepted. Shortly thereafter, they made a two way video conference call with Erisa. Jack and Scooter were there too. Also, in a separately encrypted window was Ferguson. The Simplaceanus, Frank, Angela, and Jane, spoke quietly, so as not to be overheard on Metafire.

"I can come get you." Scooter explained. "I have to leave right now. But the NSP has done the calculations. With my tug, I can successfully catch up and get you. You and whoever else wants to get off Metafire will be back to New Boston within two weeks!"

"Yes, that will be acceptable," spoke Angela.

Fergusin switched briefly to Scooter, "Then leave right now, Scooter." Ferguson was adamant. He also had the data from the NSP. It would be close. Every minute of delay, the Metafire colony was accelerating. Once it was past 150,000 of the 250,000 miles to the moon, catching up would be out of the question. It was making four thousand miles an hour relative speed. Scooter would be at full acceleration for ten minutes, deceleration for ten, in order to rendezvous with Metafire. Furthermore, he would have to go undetected and that meant that he would have to swing out and around in order to avoid radio shadowing.