Once the pattern cleared, Kepi was directed to the senate landing site. Once she touched down she was escorted from her shuttle by one valet as another jumped on board to actually park her shuttle elsewhere.
The valet led her to a electric kart, and drove her to a bus that looked to be pretty full. She hopped on board and the driver closed the door behind her and slowly headed for the senate building. Kepi saw the only seat available was the one in front of Fletcher. She widened her fake smile and sat in the seat. "So," She started. "The response to the cal for ships has been pretty incredible." She said.
He nodded slowly. "It's a good start." He replied, looking out the window. "But we've got a long way to go." He looked back at her.
Kepi nodded. "How hard can it be?" She asked. "What ever gets left here is going to revert to the most basic matter in the universe. Do you really think there are going to be people who refuse to lend a hand out of sheer spite?" she spat.
He shook his head. "You misunderstand." he replied. "I am not worried that there's not enough interest in getting off the planet." He sighed. "I am worried there is too much interest." He explained.
Kepi rolled her eyes. "Of course you are Fletcher, God forbid too many people want to escape before it's too late." Sarcasm dripped from her lips.
Fletcher glared at her. "You think I want these people to die?" He spat. He looked around the bus and leaned as closed as his girth would allow, and then whispered. "Kepi we don't have the resources to get three hundred million people off this planet." His voice was rushed. "If we have the space, fuel, and supplies to get even a hundred million of us to earth I'll be shocked." He admitted.
The numbers hit Kepi like a ton of bricks. She never taken the colony population from theoretical to actual fact in her mind. She had been prepared for Greed, not for resource limitations.
The color drained from her face.
Fletcher sat back and took a few breaths. Kepi looked like she might cry. He patted her arm "Don't worry, we have options and plans and hard decisions to make." He said as soothingly as possible. "They aren't going to be easy to make, but that's why we were elected to make them, right?" He gave her an awkward empty smile. She nodded and smiled back in a way that betrayed the fact that she was heavily considering throwing up on the floor of the bus.
