This Old Rock by Nordley G. David

Author:Nordley, G. David [Nordley, G. David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Variations on a Theme
Published: 2013-11-12T22:00:00+00:00

The End

Continue reading for a sample chapter of

THE BLACK HOLE PROJECT

by G. David Nordley and C. Sanford Lowe

available in Kindle ebook and print

at Amazon.com

and

a sample chapter of

TO CLIMB A FLAT MOUNTAIN

by G. David Nordley

available in Kindle ebook and print

at Amazon.com

THE BLACK HOLE PROJECT – sample chapter

In Space, at the Impactor Launch Site

26 October 2275

The impactor looked like a long thin filament that seemed to run out to infinity. At high magnification, Liz and David could see a slight texture to it; individually controlled superconducting solenoid rings were placed every few meters to stretch the wire taut to just the right tension, giving it some rigidity for maneuvers and providing a fine control on its density. Somewhere, out toward the end of the rod, was the main magnetic reflector. Any time now, David thought.

Cyan’s term as chief executive had begun well. The impactor launch was back on schedule, albeit with the smallest of windows. No more delays could be tolerated, but so far, so good. He, Judi, Cyan, and Liz took a shuttle out to the launch site, a point high over the asteroid belt where the impactor coasted, waiting for the main beam. While far from the revelry, they had all wanted to, well, be there.

They waited in blackness, their eyes adapted to the star spangled night. Some constellations he could recognize despite the distortions of distance: the hook of Scorpius, belted Orion, and the mane and haunches of Leo. He smiled. From here, Leo had acquired a knee; Rigel Kentaurus, Alpha Centauri’s other name, was now Rigel Leonis! And between the lion and a barely recognizable big dipper was the Sun. If I forget thee, oh Jerusalem, he thought.

Liz announced, “About now.”

He looked south to the impactor, below the lion and its new knee. At its far distant end a tiny blue star appeared and gradually grew to an iridescent flower, brighter and brighter with its far edges fading into a deep violet.

In the close-up optics, the impactor began to move across the field of view. Faster and faster it went. The view zoomed back.

It was bright enough now that David risked a look at Campbell and the ring of beam projectors around it. Only a few of them were active at this early stage, he knew, but already the power was a million times that used to launch a starship. And it would grow by many orders of magnitude over the next nine months. By that time, he would be deeply into analyzing the results of the planetoid’s impending impact on Martin.

He felt Liz’s arms around him and smiled. Time enough for work later. Her face was glowing—he kissed her. Cyan Mutori glanced at them and looked away.

They watched for an hour or so, until the violet flower had faded into the interstellar depths. Then their shuttle turned back for Minot.

Once home David put his full energies into his own projects. To the victors went the spoils, David thought. His work, which he’d worried about losing altogether, was now getting high priority; such was his reward for backing the winners.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.