It’s a short commentary this week as I was traveling for work. I had a wonderful Uber ride that I’ll share about in the near future. One thing I want mention is that my wife just found out (and so did I) that Robert Redford died last Tuesday. I find it so odd that information didn’t reach either of us until Saturday. Anyway, I enjoyed his movies and craft.
I remember watching Robert Redford in The Natural, playing Roy Hobbs, the phenom baseball player whose life got sidetracked. He eventually makes it to the majors later in life and becomes “the best there ever was.”
Robert Redford was born in 1936 and died at the age of 89 at home. He stared in dozens of movies. If you have anything you want to share about him, comment below. I’d love to here what you have to say. May Robert Redford rest in eternal peace.
The next installment of New Earth is below. I hope you enjoy it. To read the entire series, click here.
Peace.
New Earth, Chapter 4 Continues
Tao urged Reed to run faster, pushing him forward from the side. While the swift sound of Liberty’s footsteps became distant, Max and his staff’s footsteps grew louder.
“Time to cowboy up,” Tao smiled at Reed. “Unless you want to stay on this spinning station for five years.”
Reed said, “I’m feeling better. Really, I am. Just…can’t…seem…to catch my breath.” He stopped, resting his hands on his knees. He could ride horses for hours on the Texas plains, but here, the weakness embarrassed him. “I’ll be fine in a minute.”
Max called out, “Tao! Reed!” He was much closer now.
“Time’s up,” Tao said. He and Reed sprinted ahead. They reached the next turn when someone jumped out. They froze—it was Liberty.
She pointed to the inner wall and leaped inside. The surface rippled and stilled again.
“Did she just disappear into that wall?” Reed asked.
Tao looked both directions. To his right, a woman kept running. To his left, he saw the shadows of Max and his team approaching. There wasn’t time to discuss. He took two steps and jumped into the wall.
Tao landed inside a room, not unlike the ones assigned to the delegates. Liberty held her finger against her lips and pointed outside. Tao nodded, then was abruptly crushed by the weight of Reed, who had leaped in.
“Sorry!” Reed said, dusting Tao off. Liberty remained still, willing their silence. Footsteps thundered in the hallway. Reed froze.
Max stopped, out of breath. “Where’d they go?” He looked up the hall and said, “Fiji, Pluto, Kenny and Cartman, run ahead. The rest of you, check each room. They must have gotten inside somehow.” He walked back and forth. “They couldn’t have outrun us.”
Inside the room, Liberty moved to a closet door. She motioned with her head for Tao and Reed to follow. She opened a floor panel and went through. Reed went next and Tao followed, sliding the panel closed.
They stood quietly in a dark room, holding their breath. Finally, red infrared lights blinked on.
Reed jumped, “Ahhh!” A figure loomed in front of him.
Liberty said, “Calm down. Those are just your space suits.” They hung on the wall, human shape, arms outstretched like waiting bodies.
“You’re kidding, right?” Reed said. “Tao—this must be a joke.”
Tao grabbed a helmet, “And where are we supposed to go with these?”
“Why, to the spaceship,” Liberty said. “To get away.”
“To go where, exactly?” Reed asked.
“To space, of course. The further the better.” Liberty pulled a lever on the wall and opened both hatches into a small tunnel, just big enough for someone to crawl through. “Let’s go! Put on your suits and get inside. Time is tight.”
Reed and Tao looked at one another. Tao said, “You mean to launch us into space?”
“That’s the idea,” she said. She grabbed a spacesuit and held up an arm. “These have built-in thrust controls on each limb.” “Spread your fingers to increase thrust and retract them to decrease. Just aim properly.”
Reed said, “That’s it? You’re going to shoot us into space—and that’s your training? What does ‘properly’ mean?”
Liberty said, “Focus more on your foot thrusters. Keep your hands in fists, together in front of you—that will activate them.”
Tao was already in his suit, helmet in hand. “Let’s go.”
Reed shook his head. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.” Reed wanted to ask for help from the good ruler—the one his grandmother told him about when he was a child. He reached and reached, seeking the good ruler once again, letting out a breath of relief.
Liberty said, “You’ve got to go, now!” She slammed Reed’s helmet on and sealed it.
Tao and Reed climbed into the launch tube. Just before it closed, Tao asked, “What about your suit? How are you going to get on the ship?”
“I’ll be there,” Liberty said, hitting the red button.
Tao and Reed shot out of the Welcoming Station—a roar of pressure, then silence. Stars sharp and infinite filled their vision as they drifted in space.