Metafire

Erisa was right to worry that Angela and Frank might check to make sure a rescue craft was in route. Immediately after the conversation, Angela told Frank, "We can check how close the rescue craft is very easily, Frank. We simply ask the craft for a TCP/IP network socket and then inspect the ACK speed." She was referring to a direct Internet connection and an acknowledge or handshake response that occurs in the low level electronics. Such responses are limited, at these distances, by lightspeed. Responses that were short enough could only be made by a craft close enough to them to be a real rescue.

Chapter 41 Saving

Ferguson contacted George with a simple message. "We need to resupply Bluebird. They are running out of air, water, and food. Can you allow us to dock a tug? This can bump your bomb, and, at the very least will wind up moving it, perhaps several hundred feet."

Angela by this time had come forward and was with George when he got the message. He asked Angela, "Should we allow this?"

Angela responded, "I don't know why not. I can set the inertial motion detector to be less sensitive. Can you give me the current release code?"

"Sure." George was in no way alerted. "Platon said that the killer satellite will be pushed free tonight. Tomorrow I'm going to make some more demands on the FBI. We want our communications with Earth restored." Matter of factly, he emailed her the release code, "D54AA0B32D332EF."