Corsair: A Science Fiction Novel by James L. Cambias

Author:James L. Cambias [Cambias, James L.]
Language: eng
Format: azw
ISBN: 9781466866126
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2015-05-05T04:00:00+00:00

8

JULY 28, 2031; 04:40 GMT

The Delta rocket sat steaming on the pad at Kennedy in the predawn light. Inside the payload fairing were two orbiters. One was an atmosphere research platform called AEOLUS—the name was a typically convoluted acronym made up to fit a nice classical mythology reference. The other was SOTHIS. Since it was a propulsion test vehicle, the exact orbit didn’t really matter, and Mike Levy had been able to work out a bargain with NOAA and NSF to share the launch cost.

The control area at Icarus was jammed—all the employees and partners were there, along with some reporters, family members, friends, and hangers-on. Mike Levy looked magnificent in a new seersucker suit as he spoke to the press, while Yumiko nervously hovered in the flight control area, trying to do three people’s jobs at once. Jack Bonnet even sent a video greeting from the Moon.

Elizabeth Santiago sat on the floor of her apartment drinking rum straight from the bottle.

Three weeks earlier, she had gotten off the flight from California and gone straight to see Mike. As it happened, he was at home that day. Mike and Yumiko lived in an old slab-foundation ranch house from the Space Coast’s glory days. Elizabeth found him in the kitchen, peeling tomatoes.

“Oh, hey!” he said when he looked up. “I’m just making some gazpacho. I’ve got chicken marinating to put on the grill when Yumiko gets home. Want to stay for dinner?”

“No thanks,” she said. Her mouth was dry. “I’m afraid I have to quit the SOTHIS project.”

“Aw, that’s terrible. Air Force sending you somewhere else?”

“No. I’m resigning.”

He looked shocked. “Why? What’s going on?”

She took a deep breath. “I lied to you. I told you ORBITCOM was considering SOTHIS for a new inspection orbiter. There is no new orbiter planned. I just wanted you to change the mission plan so it would be testing at L1.”

“Liz, I don’t understand. Why? Was this some kind of undercover project, or—?”

“No. It was just me. I wanted to have something—anything—up at L1 to stop the next helium piracy attempt.” She didn’t mention the GyroJet launcher. That would bring Jack into it.

“My little bird a pirate-hunter?” He almost smiled, but then shook his head. “No, it wouldn’t work without legal cover. Crash into someone else’s satellite, and it’s lawsuit time. Even winning in court would break Icarus right now. Did you think of that?”

“Yes,” she said quietly. “I just thought it was more important to show the pirates we can still fight back.”

“I see. So why’d you decide to fess up?”

“My boss talked with you at the airport the other day and figured it out. He gave me the chance to tell you first and then resign. I’m out of the Air Force, and the space business.”

“God damn. Do you know how much launching that extra propellant’s going to cost? Never mind. McEwan sending me someone else to fly SOTHIS?”

“Probably. There are some good junior officers who could use the experience.”

“And you?”

“I don’t know yet,” she said.

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