Blog followers; you will find included from earlier chapters some italicized comments explaining Bessie’s amazing teleporting ability. They might even keep stepson Kevin, a big deal chemistry professor, from nit-picking about what he’ll claim are all my scientific inaccuracies.

(Chapter CONTINUED)                Peril on Pluto!

Still fuming over Alex’s parting remark last night, Bessie’s jaw tightened-Count on it, smart guy! To lighten her mood, she clicked an old favorite on Song Select and laid her phone on the console. And sure enough, after a few bars Eleanor Molina’s “You Rev Me Up” started doing it quite nicely, thank you. Heart beginning to race, she pressed Play and dropped the visor.

 She instantly felt it, the oddly pleasant sensation of the quantum-flux energy bubble forming around her. The computer room disappeared, leaving her and the chair, a small circle of carpet beneath it, and the monitor playing the DVD.  Within seconds the images dancing around her beam were gone too… and Pluto’s cratered surface was rushing straight up at her!

Whoa, too fast!—she thought and slowed her descent. When hovering just over the surface she looked past her boots at the landing spot. Satisfied, she touched down. Gripping the chair arms, her eyes widened behind the visor. “Unbelievable!” she gasped.

A great ice field of smudged grays and yellows stretched off to the flanks of a large crater. Beyond was a row of tall narrow peaks like monstrous jagged teeth. Nearest her was a knee high rock outcrop just to the right. Overhead the Great Orion Spur of the Milky Way swept its mighty arch of countless brilliant points across jet black. The brightest one now tiny and low on the horizon was the Sun.

            The stark desolation beneath the vastness of starry sky was for her, both terrifying and indescribably beautiful. A deep chill ran all through her. Reflexively hugging herself, she saw the thermometer holding at 70-degrees. This temperature and the air she breathed were those of the computer room, she knew, but the sigh of relief escaped anyway – Whew! So far, so good!

            Taking a long moment, she simply took in the utterly alien off-worldly vista spread before her. Lowering her eyes, she saw to the immediate right a low rock outcrop barely peeking back from beneath the leading edge of the ice shelf. Casting her gaze this way and that, it suddenly struck her that way out here so far from the Sun why wasn’t it much darker all around? She blinked-Its light enough to read by!  Dad’s flashlight could stay where it was, but what was causing this extra illumination?

Swiveling the chair around, she found her-self being moon-bathed by Pluto’s largest satellite, Charon. Though barely a third the size of Earth’s Moon but only 12,000 miles away, it covered sixty-four times as much sky! 

            She sang out, “It has rings!” Faint but distinguishable, the great ellipse rose to a sharp apex above Charon and plunged from sight at the far side. While nowhere the size of Saturn’s she thought them wondrous all the same. It dawned-Your camera, dummy!

Her cell’s 12.1 Mega pixel camera worked fine during all of her other VR trips, except? Most disappointingly the one to Mars materialized her within one of the Red Planet’s monstrous dust storms. The few resulting snapshots of the Red Planet showed only yellowish-orange blurs of dust and sand. In other words, totally worthless to show anyone – especially Alex. 

Dropping the gloves in her lap, she smiled – But just you wait, Skeptical Boy! You’ll be a believer when you see these beauties! Angling the camera this way and that, she never stopped clicking the shutter until the digital finally read RECHARGE.

Filled with delight, she leaned back in the chair. Throughout these past two weeks she had constantly asked her-self – How am I doing this? As for whisking off whenever she wanted, to Mars, Hawaii, and now even to here, Bessie had by now gained a few clues hinting at an answer. But as yet, it still had her stumped.

(Told earlier; she and Alex batted it back and forth - whether or not QE (quantum entanglement) lay at the heart of her supposed transports to other places. What QE’s discoverer, Albert Einstein, had called “the spooky effect” was the instantaneous and identical reaction of atomic particles acted upon even when separated by great distance. He and countless others, including her and Alex had batted zero with figuring it out. Even so, couldn’t this at least partly account for her amazing abilities?)

At the moment she couldn’t care less – she was here and that was that. Wearing a self-satisfied grin, she nodded toward the direction of Earth – If you guys could see me now! The grin soured at recalling what Alex had teased her with last night – that she was nuts. He was only kidding of course but it brought her musings to a halt. Beyond doubt, a piece of Pluto’s surface material would certainly be proof positive that she had truly been here. Her mouth tightened – Not to also mention wiping off that snotty smile of his!

Poked out a few inches from beneath the small ice ridge was the rock outcrop. Though super cold, a piece of it of it would do no harm once inside here. She hoped. But what if she accidentally also brought in some of this ice? Spectrographic analysis by NASA’s fly-by revealed that 98 % of Pluto’s surface was frozen nitrogen, a highly stable gas, and therefore safe.

She frowned-But what if it’s frozen methane? Once inside her 70-degree bubble it could sublimate into something like sewer gas. Her Chemistry class taught that this wasn’t all it might do. Tremendously volatile, it could explode. Even if only a loud fire-cracker, she wanted no part of it inside her safe place. The odds were 98% in her favor…but? What to do – what to do?

Meantime her Song Select began playing 2018’s current top of the charts hit, a real rocker. Soon swaying and bouncing in time, her fun side pictured it - a NASA fly-by giving her doubting pals a sight to see – their crazy space geek billions of miles from nowhere and moving to music only she could hear. Clapping her hands, she burst out laughing.         

While enjoying the moment, her science-minded discipline nudged – Hey, what about that sample! Slapping the arms of her chair, she said it loud- “Let’s do it!” Being careful would yield strictly bare rock and if a little ice came in with it, then no big deal. She hoped.

Her gloves back on, she asked the outcrop with more aplomb than she felt, “Like to come home with me?” It seemed easy enough; grab the sample, flip up the visor, and be home free.      

            Hammer in the right hand and opened container in the left, she scooted the chair closer to the outcrop and the bubble obligingly followed. When Bessie leaned down with the hammer raised, the amorphous bubble conformed to her stretched-out shape by lowering a foot and a half deeper. Her waffled soles now in full contact with Pluto’s surface, the terrible deep cold penetrated instantly. “Oh! No-no-no!!” she cried and kicked backward. Obediently following, the bubble raised back up to its original level. 

            Stunned, she dropped the hammer and container and tore off the gloves. Fumbling with icy fingers to undo her boots, she dimly realized that even the air around her was now very cold. Rubbing chilled hands and stocking feet, she knew the 70-degree computer room would soon warm everything back up. Taking no comfort whatever from that anymore, she needed to snatch this sample as fast as possible and just get out of here!            

            After tugging the gloves and boots back on, she took a deep breath and looked down-Okay, rock, ready or not! Eyes locked on target, she lunged and swung the hammer as hard as she could. A chip bounced off the container and landed near her boot. Afraid to grab it even while gloved she cried out and kicked backward. Scared witless…and furious, she lunged again with a martial-arts scream and struck! A piece arced into the container with a tinny-- Klink! Cheeks, feet, and hands already growing numb, she shot out her heels and pushed back.

Unfeeling fingers all but useless she chinned the container’s lid shut and let it fall. Making sounds like a stepped-on cat, she ripped the gloves off with her teeth. Unlacing her boots was hopeless so she left them on. Hands clamped beneath her armpits, she stamped her feet as white puffs jetted from her nose and mouth. Stinging like needles, the returning circulation made her teary. Brushing them away, she glared down at the container and scolded through chattering teeth, “You were mean but I gotcha!”

Had she bothered to look, she’d have seen the mercury in the thermometer plummeted to forty-below. No, Ms. Bessie Howard, intrepid explorer of other times and other worlds had all she could do to send her headpiece a single shaft of thought – Please, Maxwell! Take me home!

            Flinging her headband, she sprang up from the chair. Nearly tripping over it, she grabbed the backrest and steadied herself. Gulping in the room’s blessedly warm air, she held her head to keep it from spinning. Upside down on the carpet the container was covered with ice crystals, with a vaporous cloud curling up from the lid.

Her jacket hit the floor and a short struggle with her boots left them there too. Somehow remembering her phone on the console, Bessie jammed it into her waistband. Stumbling all a-shiver into the kitchen, she saw the wall thermometer showing its usual 70-degrees, but this only made her shiver even more. Pacing in circles while scrunching her toes and rubbing goose bumps on her arms, she managed only one clear thought; the temperature differential between this cozy kitchen and the place she’d barely escaped was an unholy 450 degrees!

            Blowing warm breath on her hands, she heard her inner voice half-heartedly praising her heroic adventure. Butting in, a newly wiser one sneered – Idiot! You could’ve killed yourself!

            Startled by her phone chime she yanked it out. The Caller ID said it was Alex. Bursting to tell him what she had been through, all her tightened throat allowed was…“Awwk!”   

            He asked, “Bean? Is that you?”

            She tried again but only squawked. Clutching her throat, she coughed.          

            He laughed, “You okay? Haw-haw! You sound like that duck in the commercial!”

            Throat cleared, her words rolled out like spilled marbles. “Alex, I nearly froze to death! Pluto was so horribly cold that…!”

             “Whoa, I couldn’t follow! Start over!”

            Hand to her forehead, she collected herself and tried again. “I meant… while chipping this rock my fingers and toes nearly froze solid! I…!”

            Jocularity gone, he cut in, “Jeez, Bessie, were you hurt?”

             “No! I mean-yes! I don’t know what I mean!” She took another breath. “Are you free?”

            “After what you said last night I was coming over anyway to see if you were okay. Feel like going for a walk or something?”        

            This sounded like the best idea in the world. Better, the sound of his voice was literally bringing her back to Earth. “Please! I’ll meet you out front!”           

            “Okay Bessie, I’m out the door!”       

            Clicking off, her next thought was too familiar—He probably won’t believe me. No matter! She just wanted to go somewhere-anywhere with him right this second and pour it out. Set to charge out the door she saw herself in the full length hallway mirror. Any of her hair not tumbled around her shoulders stuck out in all directions. She also had on only one sock half-off. Holding out a handful of bedraggled hair, she grimaced-Can’t meet him like this!

            She left her winter clothes where she climbed out of them. After putting on her shorts and wiggling bare feet into the sneakers, she did a fast brushing of her hair. The dresser mirror told her - Still not looking my best, but...? No time to waste!

            Ducking into the computer room for the rock sample, she saw that the container’s ice crystals had melted. Re-gloved, she gingerly lifted it while poised to pitch it if need be. There wasn’t. Container held in front of her, she went out the front door.

            An “Ahhh…!” escaped at feeling on arms, legs, and face the delicious warmth of the Sun so wonderfully near and large again. Hurrying down the steps, she saw Alex coming toward her on the sidewalk. She felt another kind of warmth as it occurred - He called me Bessie for once!    

            Before long they sat on a park bench, the container between them. Her rock thawed enough to hold bare handed, Alex had already examined it with his hand lens. Just now finished with his perusal of her photos, he closed her phone. “They’re a little dark but not bad.”

            Bessie expectantly raised an eyebrow. “I know they’re dark but the close-ups are way more detailed than from NASA’s fly-by.” Jabbing a finger, she added, “Mine prove I was there so quit thinking I’m crazy, all right?”         

            He laughed, “I stopped thinking that after your first few trips!” Then he waggled the phone, “But you won’t like what I say about these. Just promise me you won’t get mad, OK?”

            “I won’t, I promise! Say it!”

            “Well, NASA can enhance their photos to look just as close. People could say you ripped these off from theirs.”       

             “Alex, that really makes me mad! I’d never do that!”

            Big husky that he was, Alex shrunk and held up his hands. “Whoa, Bean, I know you wouldn’t!” He missed her little growl at the nickname.

            Dismissing the stab of irritation, she brushed away a stray lock. “So forget the photos! What about my rock?”

            Unwilling to face any more glares he was quick to make a second inspection of it. Putting down the lens, he shrugged, “The dark patches mean it’s carbonaceous…” Came the grin - “I’m also brilliant with mineralogy, you know.”

            Not quite ready to banter like they usually did, she said dryly, “I’m sure you’ll get the Nobel.” She made an impatient beckoning motion. “What else? After traveling three billion miles to get it, I’d like to know!”        

            “There’s some green, probably olivine like near a volcano.”

            “No! There aren’t any on Pluto!”

            “Yeah and none are erupting here in central Wisconsin. But my little home lab wouldn’t prove it’s from Pluto and neither would the school’s.”

            She threw up her hands. “I give up! Whether with photos or even samples I can’t convince you or anyone!” She slumped down with a muttered, “Bummer.”

            “You know what really bugs me about your VR trips?”

            She said testily, “What?”

            “None of us can do them like you, not even with the same kind of headset. It’s like you’re some kind of mutant.” Seeing her eyes narrow, he held up a hand. “Hold it! What about when you hit your head and they scanned it at the hospital? You said they found what? Ha-ha…besides empty space?”

            Sitting here safe and warm beneath the noonday sun, she found it impossible to stay angry with him. Her own sense of humor beginning to rebound, she leaned toward him and said straight-faced, “You’re right, it was empty. No, wait! They did find…” Pausing, she let him hang for a second. “…some old Star Wars DVD’s.”

            They both laughed. Then he started in again, “Seriously, Bean! You said they found…” He saw her flinch. “You don’t like it when I call you that.”

            “I hate it. Anyway, Dr. Haley told me and Mom I’d only had a mild concussion. But he did say my brain structure was different from anyone else’s.”

            (Explained in an earlier chapter; Dr. Haley found her ITC (inferior temporal cortex) to be much larger than average. Plus, the fall hadn’t caused this. She’d been born with it. He had reassured the condition was harmless and she had left feeling only a headache.

            Bessie had immediately learned from a website; “…structured within the ITC are the amygdale and hippocampus, both crucial for spatial navigation and deciding which routes to take in order to get from one place to another...”)

             Alex waited for her to go on. She shook her head. “I’ll tell you more someday, but this one’s too beautiful to talk about…my brain.”

            “Fine, because that’s not your problem.”

            “What is?”

            “It shows when talking about your trips-it’s that no one else comes with you.”

            She sighed, “Yes, I have felt pretty lonely with that.”

            He asked hopefully. “Next time why not take me along?”      

            Her deep blue eyes regarded him thoughtfully for so long, he began to fidget. She clapped her hands and he jumped!

Bessie laughed, “Gotcha! Anyway, stop squirming. You’re a believer, right?”

            “Correct!”

            “Good, then you can come with.”

            “Fantastic! When?”

             “But…not today. We will though, next chance.”

            No longer alone with this stuff and having someone she liked very much finally in on it with her felt wonderful. No longer the least unhinged by Pluto, she asked cheerily, “Let’s do something, you want to?”

            “Yeah, but forget space travel! The Badgers game has probably started, so let’s watch it!” To the despair of the school’s football coach, tall and husky Alex never tried out for the team. “Sorry, Coach, too busy studying!” he’d say. But during football season he shed his studious nerd disguise and donned the cloak of Super Fan.  No one followed the Packers or the University of Wisconsin’s Badgers more avidly than he.

            His shy guy disguise also gone for the moment, he faked a lecherous grin. “So, baby, your place or mine?”

            As they stood up she gave him a sideways whack on the arm. “In your dreams… baby! Besides, I’m under orders, so my place is out. Let’s call the others and meet at yours, okay? I’ll bring the chips!”      

            “Great! If mom’s back by now, she can make her killer dip. We’ll have us a Badgers party!”

             “Good!” she said and reached for the rock he still held. “I’ll take that.” Dropping it into the container, she snapped shut the lid. Her cares put away, Bessie threw back her head and laughed, “We might as well! After all my babbling about Pluto, I still haven’t a single shred of evidence to prove I was even there!”

                                                           

*

           

On a world beneath the starry blackness billions of miles away lay a panorama of rounded hills strewn with craters. An ice field swept up to the flanks of a larger one and out in the plain where the ice began was a low rock outcrop. Within the layer of dust in front of it was a circular patch of heel marks and sets of imprints arranged in perfect squares. 

 

                                    THE END OF PART ONE