Read Online Heaven's Shadow by David S. Goyer, Michael Cassutt - Free Book Online
Authors: David S. Goyer, Michael Cassutt
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it’s not enough.”
“We’ll be vigilant.”
“When are you dropping by?” It killed him to sound like a suburban dad making a playdate, but he had to keep this casual. No doubt Taj was under the same pressure.
“We expect to land on the next rev. You should be able to see us.”
“We’re standing by to offer any assistance.” That was probably as close as he could get to saying, We’re not armed! “Still offering that cup of sugar.”
“We look forward to shaking hands in a few hours.”
Zack knew he needed to prolong the contact. “It will be good to see you again. The last time was . . . two years ago.”
Taj hesitated, causing Zack to wonder if his Brahma crewmates were listening, reacting. Then: “This could be a new start for everyone. Take care, my good friend.”
The moment the link was broken, Pogo said, “You didn’t ask him about the Stinger!”
“It’s an open loop, for God’s sake! He wouldn’t tell me, and even asking would give away the fact that we can see it . . . whatever it is.”
“Noted,” Pogo said.
“Keanu’s only a NEO, but it ought to be large enough for all of us,” Zack said.
“Besides,” Yvonne added, “it’s moving out of range in a few weeks. Why fight over something that’s not even going to be here?”
Zack stepped away from the console toward the airlock, where Tea was assembling the pieces of his surface suit. “Now I know why Weldon gave you my mission,” she said.
Yes, Zack thought, but did not say: Because I am the kind of astronaut who will do anything for the mission, even expose my private grief.
All astronauts are created equal. Some are more equal than others.
DEKE SLAYTON
SEVENTY-THREE DAYS EARLIER
There were historic buildings on the campus of the NASA Johnson Space Center. Building 30 held mission control; Building 9 the Destiny and Venture simulators. Building 2 was the tall headquarters building.
And 4-South was where the astronauts had their offices, on the top floor. Where Zack had worked for a decade.
But by accepting a transfer to management status and an assignment to the planetary sciences group, Zack found it easier to make the physical move across the quad to the unremarkable Building 24.
He kept current on aircraft, logging his mandatory forty hours a year, much of it acquired while strapped into an ancient WB-57 flying high-altitude loops to acquire imagery of Keanu.
He also made sure to attend the weekly Monday morning “pilots’ meeting” in 4-South to hear the often raucous, sometimes serious, occasionally tedious presentations on technical developments with Destiny and Venture . . . on the political fallout from Travis Buell’s popular and controversial “claim” of the Moon, made all the more interesting by Buell’s physical presence.
And to hear the assignments to new missions, including that of Tea Nowinski as commander of Destiny-7 .
But his days were spent in a nondescript office on the second floor of Building 24. It was early on the morning of June 9; Rachel had had a sleepover at the Meyers’, so Zack was in his office at seven A.M. when Harley Drake—another early-to-work type—rolled in and closed the door. “Seen the news?”
“Narrow it down a little for me. Are we talking budgets, politics, women, or Keanu?” Harley had taken the loss of his mobility—and his flying and astronaut careers—better than Zack would have, throwing himself into a new career as a space scientist. He was enrolled in a master’s program at Rice, and had established himself as the hardest-working member of the Keanu Group . . . all without losing any of his bawdy irreverence, sometimes shocking the more genteel, academic types in Building 24.
“ Brahma’ s going to Keanu.”
The Coalition was scheduled to send its first mission beyond Earth orbit—to the Moon—three months hence. Since Brahma would be landing at Shackleton Crater, there was some chance—and outright concern—that Brahma’ s stay
“We’ll be vigilant.”
“When are you dropping by?” It killed him to sound like a suburban dad making a playdate, but he had to keep this casual. No doubt Taj was under the same pressure.
“We expect to land on the next rev. You should be able to see us.”
“We’re standing by to offer any assistance.” That was probably as close as he could get to saying, We’re not armed! “Still offering that cup of sugar.”
“We look forward to shaking hands in a few hours.”
Zack knew he needed to prolong the contact. “It will be good to see you again. The last time was . . . two years ago.”
Taj hesitated, causing Zack to wonder if his Brahma crewmates were listening, reacting. Then: “This could be a new start for everyone. Take care, my good friend.”
The moment the link was broken, Pogo said, “You didn’t ask him about the Stinger!”
“It’s an open loop, for God’s sake! He wouldn’t tell me, and even asking would give away the fact that we can see it . . . whatever it is.”
“Noted,” Pogo said.
“Keanu’s only a NEO, but it ought to be large enough for all of us,” Zack said.
“Besides,” Yvonne added, “it’s moving out of range in a few weeks. Why fight over something that’s not even going to be here?”
Zack stepped away from the console toward the airlock, where Tea was assembling the pieces of his surface suit. “Now I know why Weldon gave you my mission,” she said.
Yes, Zack thought, but did not say: Because I am the kind of astronaut who will do anything for the mission, even expose my private grief.
All astronauts are created equal. Some are more equal than others.
DEKE SLAYTON
SEVENTY-THREE DAYS EARLIER
There were historic buildings on the campus of the NASA Johnson Space Center. Building 30 held mission control; Building 9 the Destiny and Venture simulators. Building 2 was the tall headquarters building.
And 4-South was where the astronauts had their offices, on the top floor. Where Zack had worked for a decade.
But by accepting a transfer to management status and an assignment to the planetary sciences group, Zack found it easier to make the physical move across the quad to the unremarkable Building 24.
He kept current on aircraft, logging his mandatory forty hours a year, much of it acquired while strapped into an ancient WB-57 flying high-altitude loops to acquire imagery of Keanu.
He also made sure to attend the weekly Monday morning “pilots’ meeting” in 4-South to hear the often raucous, sometimes serious, occasionally tedious presentations on technical developments with Destiny and Venture . . . on the political fallout from Travis Buell’s popular and controversial “claim” of the Moon, made all the more interesting by Buell’s physical presence.
And to hear the assignments to new missions, including that of Tea Nowinski as commander of Destiny-7 .
But his days were spent in a nondescript office on the second floor of Building 24. It was early on the morning of June 9; Rachel had had a sleepover at the Meyers’, so Zack was in his office at seven A.M. when Harley Drake—another early-to-work type—rolled in and closed the door. “Seen the news?”
“Narrow it down a little for me. Are we talking budgets, politics, women, or Keanu?” Harley had taken the loss of his mobility—and his flying and astronaut careers—better than Zack would have, throwing himself into a new career as a space scientist. He was enrolled in a master’s program at Rice, and had established himself as the hardest-working member of the Keanu Group . . . all without losing any of his bawdy irreverence, sometimes shocking the more genteel, academic types in Building 24.
“ Brahma’ s going to Keanu.”
The Coalition was scheduled to send its first mission beyond Earth orbit—to the Moon—three months hence. Since Brahma would be landing at Shackleton Crater, there was some chance—and outright concern—that Brahma’ s stay
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