Book Review: '2001: A Space Odyssey' - Chapters 9-10: "Moon Shuttle," "Clavius Base"

Clavius Base. Source

 Don't worry, you guys. The other famous scene from the film is coming up, but first we have to get through these chapters.

Chapter 9: "Moon Shuttle"

After making a phone call to Earth from Space Station One, Dr. Heywood Floyd is met by Russian astronomer and friend Dr. Dimitri Moisevitch. Dr. Moisevitch asks him if he's "on his way up," to which he responds that he is. Mr. Miller comes back holding the cup of coffee Dr. Floyd asked for earlier. Moisevitch asks Miller to put the coffee down since "[t]his is Dr. Floyd's last chance to have a civilized drink--let's not waste it."

The three men go out of the main lounge into the observation area where one can see the Earth and nearby stars. While there, Dimitri asks about the quarantine in the US Sector. Watching his words, Dr. Floyd answers that the quarantine is for safety precaution and that he was told he can't say anything about the disease for now. Dimitri ponders how Dr. Floyd, an astronomer, could be going to the moon to investigate an epidemic, to which Floyd answers he is an ex-astronomer. Dimitri then asks if he knows anything about TMA-1. Mr. Miller almost chokes on his drink, perhaps knowing what that means, and Floyd asks his friend where he has heard of that name. Dimitri dismisses the conversation, and Dr. Floyd looks at his watch and states he has five minutes left until the shuttle leaves, when in reality it is only twenty minutes. As they leave the lounge, Floyd thanks Miller for saving him back there. Miller hopes that they don't run into something they can't handle. Floyd answers that is what he intends to find out.

Forty-five minutes later, Dr. Floyd is on the Aires-1B heading for the moon. Like last flight, he is the only passenger. He has a meal with a touch of stickiness on it so it won't float away, and then he goes to the restroom (or rather the "washroom," since the author is British). Later, he picks up a Newspad, basically a modern-day iPad, and reads the latest Earth news. He takes a nap, then wakes up later to see the moon in sight. The ship lands on the moon's surface.

Chapter 10: "Clavius Base"

The author gives us a detailed explanation of Clavius Base, a moon dwelling inside the Clavius crater, the second-largest on the moon.

A bus with an extension tube attaches to the spaceship that landed Dr. Floyd on the moon. The inner door of the airlock opens, and a group of people enter. The leader is Ralph Halvorsen, Administrator of the Southern Province (of the moon). Next to him is Dr. Roy Michaels, Chief Scientist, and some other scientists and executives. Halvorsen greets Floyd, and they all load the bus and leave the spacecraft. The vehicle goes underground to the office area.

Dr. Floyd and Halvorsen eventually find themselves alone outside the administrator's room after the others have gone. A little girl comes up to Halvorsen. She turns out to be Diana, Halvorsen's four-year-old daughter. Dr. Floyd recognizes the girl and states she was a baby the last time he was on the moon. He asks her if she'd like to go to Earth, to which she replies no because of the gravity and the high population.

After Diana leaves, Dr. Floyd and Halvorsen go to the administrator's office. Through their conversation, it is revealed that the so-called "moonplague" is actually a coverup for something else on the moon, known as TMA-1. Halvorsen tells Floyd that Dr. Michaels may know something about it, to which Floyd answers he would like to know too.