"Bell, there's a lot of tension on this ship, and not just among the plebes. I just cashiered two junior-level cadets today for a fistfight over the separatist issue. Though I know it's against tradition to talk about it I think it's safe to say that even up here in officer country there are some sharp disagreements."
Justin said nothing, feeling it best not to comment.
"If this system, this dream, is to work, then we have to bridge the differences within our own community. I remember once reading about an old hero of mine, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain ever hear of him?"
"Yes, sir, I have. He was a Civil War general. My grandpa had an interest in the subject and even has his autograph."
"A good choice of heroes, Joshua Chamberlain. Chamberlain once wrote about how he had hosted a visitor shortly before the war. This man was from the South, Chamberlain from the North. Both were well educated and, given the climate of the times, the subject turned to the crisis that was about to divide your country. Chamberlain later wrote that their conversation simply broke down, with the Southerner finally announcing that Chamberlain could never understand how the South felt. Chamberlain realized at that moment that if two intelligent men could not bridge the gap, reach some sort of understanding or at least acceptance of the opposing view, then they were all doomed."
"And are we doomed, sir?"
Thorsson shook his head. "Not yet. At least I hope not. The separatists have to realize that the countries and businesses on Earth that financed this great expansion have invested trillions of dollars, and they expect a return and a certain amount of control. On the other side, those on Earth have to realize that we now have a new generation, like your friend Matt, who were not born on Earth they see their ship, or colony, or planet, as their place of allegiance. Offworlders like those have a hard time understanding how corporate administrators and political leaders millions of kilometers away can or should decide their destiny.
"If the separatists continue to move towards a radical position, people like Mr. Colson's father could lose hundreds of millions, even billions. But if Earth doesn't back off, grant more autonomy and ease taxes and restrictive trade regulations, the radicals will gain even more converts."
"So then it comes down to Matt and Wendell being ready to tear into each other," Justin said, a comment he instantly regretted, fearing that he had revealed something.
"I sort of assumed that," Thorsson replied, waving his hand to still Justin's uneasiness. "A pity. Neither Chamberlain nor his acquaintance from the old South created the divisions that divided them. That situation had taken generations to develop, but they certainly paid for it with their blood. I fear a reprise."
Justin was silent, not knowing how to respond.
"There are some in this Service who are all but ready to drum anyone out of our brotherhood if they weren't born on Earth, or willing to take an unconditional oath of allegiance. They fear that offworlders might seize a ship or some such madness and give it to the radicals on the other side. Let's just hope that calmer heads prevail."
Thorsson stirred uncomfortably, as if he had said too much.
T think your friend Mr. Everett will continue to show restraint. He's a good cadet and a worthy friend. I'd like to think that you could help him and Mr. Colson come to an understanding. That, in some small way, would most definitely prove something to us oldsters."
Justin felt as if he had just been given an order.
"I'll try, sir."
"Good. Going to Mars, especially this close to conjunction, might seem like short-haul stuff but I think all of you will find it interesting. Captain MacKenzie, who commands the ship you'll be on, is a tough man of the old school. Not to be crossed. He's not like the officers you know here on the Academy and that's part of the reason I want some of my best students to go out with him. Let's call it a dose of reality, Mr. Bell, one I hope you all learn from."
Thorssons voice trailed off.
"Make me proud of you out there, BelL Have fun on your jump this weekend, and see you in a month."
"We're going to Mars," Matt chortled. "I still can't believe it. Out of the classroom and away from Davis and his bloody Astro-Nav course, what a treat!"
Justin nodded, unable to speak as he double-checked his suit.
"All right, you guys, ready for a little fun?"
Brian stepped in front of Justin, checking the straps that secured the reentry shield and retro-pack to his back. Even at five hundred klicks out, gravity aboard the Skyhook Tower was just slightly less than on the surface of Earth, so that his suit and jump gear weighed over four hundred pounds. He wasn't even going to try and stand up from his sitting position in the support frame.
"Now, this is gonna be a cinch," Brian continued. "Remember, it's all a drogue line-run everything is on auto. No fancy high-low stuff or group maneuvers on this drop. You know the routine from the briefing, so just hang on and enjoy the ride."
"Yeah, sure," Justin replied softly.
Seay didn't bother to prompt him with a "sir." Once off the Academy ship he had slipped back into a slightly less formal routine.
"Now remember, you guys are A Company, so no screaming or hollering on the way down. If anything should malfunction, just tap into my channel. I'll be right above you all the way down."
"OK."
"Ready?"
Justin gulped hard and nodded. All the way out on the weekend shuttle from the Academy to the Skyhook he had been trying to figure out some way to get out of this mess. He half-suspected that Seay knew he wanted out, and in response was leaning on him more to go through with it. Justin felt cornered, once again cursing himself for going along with this insane suggestion to "join the team."
Until this very second he had been hoping for some convenient excuse or, better yet, the divinely inspired intervention of some real ailment. Brian had insisted upon eating before the jump and Justin had been tempted to get some sushi in the Skyhook tourist section-with luck it might have had bacteria in it. But then he realized that even if by a rare chance some bacteria did show up it'd be a while before it made him sick, whereas the taste of raw fish in his mouth just before a jump might have a more immediate consequence. He had settled for a chocolate milk shake, figuring that would not pose a problem even though it could not save him from his fate.
Brian walked over to Matt and checked him over, then sat down in a support chair and strapped his own gear on.
"Ready to depressurize," he finally announced and Justin tensed as the alarm bell sounded and then faded away into the silence of vacuum. The door into space slid open, sunlight streaming in.
"All right, who's gonna be first?"
There was a moment of silence until Matt chimed in on the headset. "Sure, I'll be the hero."
"Then let's go for it! Everett first. Bell, you follow. We're not doing any formation stuff, but I want a tight pattern, ten-second intervals."
Justin waited for Matt to stand up and hobble towards the door. Justin stood up, straining against the weight of the suit, feeling the power servos kick in. Clumsily he took a step; the servos sensed his move and activated the suit's leg, and he lurched forward like Frankenstein.
He shambled out on to the platform and looked around. Matt was already out on the gangplank extending from the walkway that encircled the tower. Justin gazed up, awed by the tower that soared straight towards the heavens. A car shot upward on tibe track behind him, disappearing from view within seconds. Another car streaked down, snapping silently past them.
He looked around the walkway at the tourists moving clumsily in their space suits, closing in around them to watch the show. None of them were tuned into his circuit but he could see their faces, mouths moving silently, several waving encouragement, a few shaking their heads as if he were crazy. Many of them were already crowding up to the side of the walkway, hands clinging to the wire fencing which prevented the overly eager from tumbling into space. Unfortunately, the platform he was on had no such safety devices.