Iran; it was his apprentice. After the assault on the shuttles, when no one would be capable of getting the mineral or technology from the surface of the Moon, Iran would take control of the one source left in the universe: the mines in Ecuador.
The Tomcat received the vectoring, precise coordinates, and altitude for the launch of the American-built ASATs, then the pilot was given clearance for takeoff. The most complicated interception in history was about to be attempted and, with luck, God’s wrath against the Americans would be complete.
The Tomcat’s aging GE turbofans lit off at full afterburner as the old airframe tore down the dirt strip. The lumbering fighter held firmly to the ground as the weight of the two ASATs clung to her underbelly. Finally, when it looked as though the pilot would slam Iran’s hopes and dreams into the side of the mountain pass, the ground crew watched the tires lift free of the Earth.
The F-14 flew low over the Caspian Sea. As the pilot executed a northerly turn, the red light on his nav-board flashed bright red. The signal was given for the intercept of Discovery first and then Endeavour.
The pilot said a silent prayer and pushed the throttle to full afterburner, pulling the stick straight back into his stomach. The old fighter fought gravity with all his strength as the Tomcat scratched its way into the dark skies over Kazakhstan.
Normally, the missiles could have been launched at 37,000 feet for any low orbit target such as a communications satellite, but since the shuttles were flying at a higher orbit, they would have to be launched at an incredible 65,000 feet.
The pilot was feeling the effects of the g-forces as the jet fought for its target altitude. The airframe, after so many years of neglect, started shaking and the pilot knew then that it was going to be sorely taxed. As he fought through the 42,000-foot mark, his threat detector announced that he would soon have company. Four MiG 31s were in high-speed pursuit of the venerable Tomcat.
The pilot watched his altimeter roll through its paces. A green warning light flashed as he passed through the 60,000-foot range. He calmly moved his thumb over the selector switch just as the electronic tone in his headphones started making a warbling sound, indicating that his fighter was being painted by enemy radar. Then the tone changed as the MiGs gained weapons lock on the Tomcat. A second later they launched their air-to-air missiles.
The Iranian pilot knew the Russian attack would come too late to stop the launch. He switched the selector over to missiles and the tracking radar in the Tomcat’s nose sprang to life with targeting data relayed from the Iranian ground stations. The ayatollah’s scientists had successfully intercepted NASA’s downrange telemetry signal, which emanated from their radar stations in Kuwait. This gave the seeker heads in the ASATs a perfect vector for the attack. As the pilot watched the relayed information from the ground station, he saw the first blip of the American target aircraft, the Discovery. As he reached altitude, the first ASM-135 ASAT was launched automatically. The loss of weight made the F-14 slide to one side as the ASAT left the rail along the right side of the fuselage. Then, a second later, the second ASM-135 ASAT left its rail, its engine flaring to life as the first stage lit off, nearly blinding the Iranian pilot.
As the two ASATs sped on their way, the F-14 turned to meet the oncoming threat of the Russian MiGs and the six missiles heading toward him. Instead of zigzagging to make his fighter hard to detect on the seeker heads of the missiles, the pilot closed his eyes and flew straight on, the g-forces of the dive shaking the overtaxed airframe of the old Grumman. He felt as well as heard a loud snap as one of the streamlined wings lost a restraining bolt along the right fuselage. The pilot smiled as he realized the jet was starting to come apart. The dive was so steep and he was traveling so fast that the g-forces were tearing the aluminum away from the structure. The forces were giving the old pilot tunnel vision as his brain was denied life-giving blood.
The pilot didn’t think about his martyrdom. He thought of the family that would now have everything they needed to survive in today’s Iran, a land he no longer knew. Then, at that precise moment, the first of six air-to-air missiles detonated in the falling Tomcat’s path, sending shrapnel out to meet the disintegrating jet.
A few moments later, the only things left in the sky were orbiting Russian fighters and the falling remains of the F-14.
Discovery was leading the way, followed three hundred miles behind by Endeavour. The two shuttles had just opened their cargo doors to cool the interior bay from the massive heat buildup caused by the launch. The crew was starting to settle into the routine of space flight. The mission commander was in the process of explaining to the military personnel how they would proceed once they met up with the International Space Station. He was assuring them that all they needed do was check their small amount of weaponry and stand by for the ride of their lives.
“ Discovery, Houston, stand by for an emergency OHM burn. Get your people strapped in for evasive maneuvers.”
The shuttle pilot didn’t stop to ask why. He practically flew to the pilot’s side of the spacecraft and prepared to fire his maneuvering jets. He just needed to know which ones and where he would be going.
“ Discovery, this is Houston. You have an attack heading your way. We believe it to be an ASAT of unknown origin. We are now waiting for the exact targeting data before we move you out of the way. Do you copy, Discovery?”
“Everyone strap in, get the cargo doors closed, and prepare for maneuvering.”
Hugh Evans stood and shouted, knowing at the same moment that no matter what they did, the shuttles would be successfully targeted.
“Get them out of the way!”
With the technicians watching the merging of two ASATs and the two shuttles, they all felt helpless as the ASATs’ first stages separated.
“Flight, we have a direct feed of long-range enhanced photog from the ISS.”
“Put it on!” Evans said loudly.
As the main view screen on the control room floor switched views, everyone immediately picked out the Discovery as she flew in what looked like an upside-down attitude over the blue world below. They also saw the streaking second stage of the first ASM-135 ASAT as it merged with the shuttle. They watched in horror as the warhead struck the cabin between the crew area and the cargo bay. The impact sheared the cabin free of the rest of the shuttle and then they watched as the cabin came apart, sending pieces of composite material and humanity out into space. The harshness of the hit sent electrical currents through to the OHM’s maneuvering jets and fuel line. They all erupted at the same moment. The silence of the detonation took every man and woman by surprise, the shock of what they were seeing quickly becoming overwhelming. The explosion became a burst of silent energy as it expanded outward.
“ISS, this is Houston Flight. Give us the track of Endeavour! ” he said more loudly than he intended.
As the camera shifted to the International Space Station, they saw the second explosion enveloping Endeavour. This time the ASAT struck the aft OHM’s jets and the fuel tanks housed there. The crew cabin and the newly designed pod for the cargo bay were gone. The wings of Endeavour were separated from the shuttle’s main body and were floating free of the debris field.
Hugh Evans sat hard into his chair. He had just witnessed the death of two space shuttles and their crews. The twenty men and women of Dark Star were gone in a flash of energy that would haunt everyone who witnessed the tragedy for the remainder of their lives.
Many technicians were still doing their jobs as they tried to trace the attack from its origins. Evans knew he had to get things as far back on track as he could.
“CAPCOM, do we have anything?”
The astronaut manning the crew communications systems tried to raise anyone from the two shuttles. He
