“Go ahead.”
“We are back on a course that could take us to the station. Although we would run out of fuel well before an arrival.”
“We’re talking about a collision.”
“Yes, if we keep moving at our present pace, we will be just past 220,000 kph when we exhaust our fuel. The appropriate way to control an impact would be to shut down the engines while some fuel remains, and have that available for any final course adjustment.”
Damn. Had he still been aboard the Baumbachner, he could dump the fuel. But the newer ships, like the Venture, had no such provision.
He stared out at the stars. “Lily,” he said, “we’re the bomb.”
* * *
THE MILES CONOVER SHOW
(The Science Channel—Guest: Biologist Janice Edward)
IVY: Janice, did you see the lost world story we now have from Samantha Campbell?
JANICE: Yes, I did. This is one that simply blows me away.
MILES: Why is that, Janice? I mean, even if they’re right, and there is something alive out there on—what is it?—Orfano, it’s not as if it’s the first time we’ve found life outside the solar system.
JANICE: Miles, this one, if it turns out to be true, flies in the face of everything we thought we knew about life. I mean, the place is brutally cold. There’s no sunlight and no water. If we weren’t hearing this from Samantha Campbell, I wouldn’t believe any part of it. And, of course, she admits the evidence they have will probably be seen by many as less than persuasive.
IVY: So what does it mean if they’ve got it right?
JANICE: I would say it means that life can take on more wildly different forms than we have ever thought possible. It looks as if there’s an open door for anything. Now we know there could be living things swimming on Jupiter. Maybe an entire galaxy can be alive. I just don’t know where the possibilities would stop.
Chapter 52
FOR THE SECOND time in a few days, Priscilla was forced to change her mind about someone she hadn’t liked. Her respect for Governor McGruder had soared during the mission. He’d seemed genuinely interested in the monument, had been unable to take his eyes off Saturn, had reacted with dismay when the news from the station arrived. Moreover, he’d expressed his concern for her when he learned she’d be returning to Union after taking them to Reagan. “I wouldn’t want to see us lose you,” he said. “Can’t they send someone else?”
“I’ll be fine, Governor,” she said. “But I appreciate your concern.”
The transdimensional portion of the flight had taken little more time than the blink of an eye, and they’d surfaced only a few hours out. The Earth, Europe, Africa, and a substantial piece of Asia, filled the sky ahead. Immediately after she’d informed her passengers they were free to move around, McGruder appeared on the bridge and took the right-hand seat. “Priscilla,” he said, keeping his voice low, “I have a suggestion.”
“What’s that, Governor?”
“It’s going to take time for you to deliver us to Reagan, then go back to Union. Why not go directly to the station, pick up as many people as we can accommodate, then head home?”
“Governor, that would put Vesta and Al and the Secret Service guys at risk.”
“We’ve already talked. They have no problem.”
“Cornelius and Michael are okay with it?”
He hesitated. “They don’t want me doing it. But you know how it is.”
“I’d have to run it by Frank.”
McGruder frowned. “Who’s Frank?”
“My boss.”
“Okay. Ask him.”
“Louie,” she said, “get me a channel to Ops.”
Yoshie responded: “Go ahead, Thompson.”
“Yoshie, can you patch me through to Frank?”
“Wait one, Priscilla.”
It took a couple of minutes. In the meantime, McGruder thanked her for what she was doing. She was impressed that he was willing to take an unnecessary risk to get a handful of strangers off the Wheel early. It wasn’t the sort of behavior she routinely expected from a politician. Then it occurred to her that, if he’d bypassed the station and gone home, had thought only of himself, it would almost certainly have been used against him in the campaign. Especially if a few people died because the bomb went off before they’d completed the evacuation. It might even destroy his chances.
Frank’s voice broke through: “Yes, Priscilla, go ahead.”
“The governor wants to go to the station first to pick up more evacuees.”
“You mean before he leaves the ship?”
“Yes.”
“You can’t do that.”
“You want to explain that to him?”
* * *
CORNELIUS WAS NOT happy. Priscilla heard raised voices as she made a course adjustment and headed for Union. His objections were logged and forwarded to the appropriate authority. Vesta and Devlin seemed somewhat nervous, but they raised no objection. And a few hours later, as they approached Union, McGruder dropped another bomb.
“Priscilla, we’ve been talking, and we’re going to stay on the station until the evacuation has been completed.”
“Governor,” she said, “no. Absolutely not.”
“Notify whoever needs to know.”
“What are your Secret Service people saying?”
He smiled. “I think Cornelius is going to have a stroke. But they’re going to stay, too. How many people can this thing carry?”
“Normally about ten. We can add a couple more in an emergency for a short flight.”
“Good. Set it up for me, okay?”
“What about Vesta and Al?”
“They’ll stay, too.
* * *
CORNELIUS WASN’T THE only person riding into stroke country. “What the hell is going on out there?” demanded Frank. “We can’t allow that.”
McGruder was still on the bridge. He signaled for the mike. “Frank,” he said. “This is Andy McGruder. How’s the evacuation going?”
“Slowly, Governor. We don’t have the resources that we need.”
“I’m beginning to realize that. Well, maybe if I can make it into the Oval Office, we can change things. Meantime, we are going to stay on at the station until the evacuation is complete. Priscilla informs me we can put between ten and twelve people into this ship. I’d appreciate it if you have them ready to go when we arrive.”
“Governor, you can’t—”
“Frank, I’m sure you have more important things to do than waste time arguing with me. Everyone here is on board with the idea. So please just make it happen.” He smiled. “Thompson, over and out.”
* * *
THEY DOCKED AT the station and began refueling. Priscilla said good-bye to the governor, to Vesta, who was beaming when she wasn’t looking scared half to death, and to Devlin, who was first through the air lock and turned immediately to get pictures of McGruder coming out. They would, she realized, be all over the networks within ten minutes. She wished Michael and Cornelius luck, and they just shook their heads.
The governor took a long look at Priscilla. “I appreciate everything you’ve done. If I can ever return the favor, Hutch, please let me know.”
She smiled at the name change. “Thanks, Governor,” she said. “I hope everything works out for you.”
“So do I.”