“Sometimes,” Seth said.
As often as possible. Danger he loved. Every mind housed at least one dragon, and that was his.
Days 411-412
First-footers are the bravest of the brave. They are almost invariably young men, because most women have more sense. Those boys know that their chances of dying downside are worse than the odds on a battlefield, and that whatever wipes them will likely be something no one has ever met before, or even thought of. Yet still they go.
During the next two days, Seth had to explain it over and over to everyone except JC, who just wanted a sample and a video of the flag being planted. After that, whatever Duddridge might think he had found, Galactic would have to deal with JC. Seth Broderick’s survival was not important—and in fact would be detrimental to the financial bottom line. Remembering how easily the commodore had given in and granted him that extra two-and-a-half percent, Seth wondered if he might have signed his own death warrant.
The others came at him in groups or one at a time. Seth couldn’t see why everyone else was so excited. He even failed to get his point across to Jordan that evening. The captain dragged him into his cabin and produced a bottle of high quality whiskey, potent stuff. Then he tried his damnedest to talk Seth out of going downside at all.
“But this was always the plan,” Seth said. “I’m the prospector, this is my job. Yes, Galactic screwed up. Two women and a man lost, that’s tough. But we can learn from their mistakes. JC is right when he says Cacafuego needs heavier, tougher shuttles. If I can send back a sample with any pharmaceutical promise at all, Mighty Mite will find the money to build them.”
Jordan was more cynical. “JC just wants to score off Galactic. He’ll be all over the media. The multinational run away, but the great JC Lecanard and his little Mighty Mite start-up company persisted. They tamed the killer planet. Triumph of a lifetime.”
“Jordie!” Seth said. That was the name he used when they were in bed together, it came close to insubordination when they were officer and crewmember. “I’m not doing it for JC. I’m doing it for me.”
“You won’t get a mention.”
“I don’t want a mention. I want to be choke-on-it rich. Apart from that, I’m my own audience.”
“You’ll be your own chief mourner, too.” The captain refilled the glasses with a generous hand.
“Stuff it! I thrive on adrenalin with a side order of testosterone. Gives me a hard-on, so I go for it, whatever it is.”
“Reese is right. You’re crazy.”
“Sorry, buddy,” Seth said. “I don’t mean to worry you.” Being worried about was a very strange experience. Unique. “I’ll be all right.”
“I hope so. I really hope so. I’d miss you.”
Seth drained his glass just to give himself a coughing fit. It didn’t help. As soon as he got his breath back he found that he had to go on. “Nobody’s ever… I’m not used to… I don’t know how to say this. I know ISLA tested us for claustrophobia and we all rated zero, but I am heartily sick of living in this pill box.”
“We all are.”
“So I dream of all the things I’m going to do when we get home. Even if all we walk away with is two years’ back pay, I feel like I’m going to blow it all and then go back to being a bouncer, if that’s all I can find. Bungee jumping, mountain climbing, scuba caving… the wilder the better… Lordie, Jordie, in my dreams you’re always there with me. I guess what I’m trying to say is, you’re special. Never met anyone… Oh, balls! Now I’m drowning in clichés. I don’t care what anatomy you’re sporting, you’re the best company I ever known. I get along better with you than anyone else I’ve ever met. I know this will sound absurd in this time and place, but if we both get home alive and rich, then I’ll ask you to marry me.” It sounded so odd, he said, “That’s the truth, Jordie. Mean it.”
Jordan did not look startled, so he must have foreseen this madness. He shook his head sadly.
“Shipboard romances never wear well.”
“This one will, I promise.”
“No one I’d rather shack up than you, Seth. For a while, certainly. Years, maybe, but marriage won’t work. Once in a while a herm and a woman make it, but herm and man never. Men resent being cut off every second month. And sooner or later they want kids. We’re sterile. You know that.”
“So we’ll adopt. I am one hundred percent serious. Marry me!”
Jordan shook himself, or perhaps just shivered violently. “Go and first-foot Cacafuego, Seth. Come back safely, please, please come back safely! Bring the Holy Grail back with you and anything you want in the galaxy will be yours.”
“Including you?”
“If that’s your choice.”
Seth said, “Good.” Then he changed the subject. He could discuss anything with the female Jordan, but man-to-man sentiment made him uncomfortable.
Hanna cornered him in the mess when he’d just sat down to eat breakfast. Her red hair blazed like a warning beacon.
“We have only one shuttle.”
He wanted to say that he’d already noticed that, but his mouth was full of cherry Danish, so he just nodded.
“One landing may be a justifiable risk, but two is tempting fate. If it crashes the second time, you’ll be stranded down there forever.”
Or the first time, ditto. He swallowed and tried yet again to explain that a single grab sample would be very unlikely to provide reliable data on the planet’s pharmaceutical potential. A dozen varied samples gathered over a visit of several hours would be a million times more valuable. He didn’t mention that Control had now confirmed seeing a storm surge reach as far inland as the Apple site. The good news was the sea would have brought in samples for him to pick up. The bad news was that next time it might collect him for its own use.
Hanna was as stubborn as a squeaky floorboard, but she could recognize when she had met her match. “Why are you doing this, Seth?”
“For money.”
“Money to do what, Seth? Buy women? Big houses? You think those will make you happy?”
“Haven’t thought about happy,” he admitted. Happiness was doing crazy things, so he was happier now than he had ever been. “I’m doing this because I signed a contract. I gave my word. It looks dangerous, yes, but it’s doable and while I don’t go to church every week, I do regard my word as sacred.”
“You squeezed more money out of JC.”
“Yes, but if he’d balked and called me on it, I’d have gone down anyway.” He wondered if that might even be true.
“What comes after, Seth?”
“More of the same? You come with me on my next jaunt?”
The Big Nothing was notoriously addictive. Few wildcatters ever readjusted to life downside when they got back. Even those who struck it rich on their first voyage often went back out again to hunt for bigger dreams, for El Dorado or the Fountain of Youth, the jackpot beyond the rainbow. He could, of course, ask Hanna why she was back in space, having made a small fortune on her first trip out. He didn’t. Nor did he explain to her that danger gave him a thrill in his groin.
Hanna sighed. She was a very pretty woman.
“I shall pray for you, Seth.”
“Don’t you always?”
She bristled. “Pray for your safe return, I mean. I always pray that you will see the error of your lecherous ways.”
Lecherous? He? Seth Broderick? He was behaving like any healthy male animal would in the presence of mature mating partners. He was tempted to suggest she go and exchange notes with Reese about sexual peculiarities.
Golden Hind orbited Cacafuego in less than an hour. It rarely passed directly over Sombrero, but the unmanned probes' limited sensing ability contributed some data. Control was gradually building up a picture of tide and weather patterns.