Read Online Heaven's Shadow by David S. Goyer, Michael Cassutt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: David S. Goyer, Michael Cassutt
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beat them? I have some vague memory that you might have disapproved of Buell’s little speech at Shackleton.”
“I don’t care who gets there first. But I think we’ll be kicking ourselves years from now if we pass up a chance to go there at all . How many monster NEOs will ever be in reach?”
Now Weldon sat, fingers drumming on the desk. “We’ve never simulated a landing on a NEO.”
“Look, are we a space program or not? Destiny is the vehicle that’s supposed to open up the solar system. It’s already been to the Moon twice. It was designed for missions to Mars and—I seem to recall—Near-Earth Objects. The guidance teams will have a challenge with a short deadline, but this would be just the kind of grenade they’d dive on.”
“Is there some takeaway from this mission? Some cool science?”
“For God’s sake, Shane! This won’t be flags and footprints! We’re creaming our jeans because we found a few tons of ice on the Moon—Keanu’s covered with the stuff. It’ll be like taking a trip to the birth of the solar system!” He noticed that Weldon was actually typing on his laptop. “Are you writing this down?”
“It’s good phraseology. Not that I expected anything less from you.”
“So you’re considering it.”
“Way ahead of you. Did Kerrie say why I was late?” Zack shook his head. “I was in a double-secret meeting with Gabe Jones and the entire eighth floor: HQ and the White House want us to send Destiny-7 to Keanu, and beat the Coalition there.”
He turned his computer so Zack could see the cover of the Powerpoint presentation. “You bastard!” But there was no anger in it. “Why didn’t you tell me to shut up?”
“I’m going to have to sell this thing to a bunch of very skeptical division heads. For every one who’s eager to embrace the challenge, there will be two who think it’s too dangerous or just too much fucking work. I need to show the same enthusiasm you just did.”
“Then send me.”
“I might do that. I need to double-team this—”
“Fuck your briefings , Shane.” Zack leaned on the desk. “Send me to Keanu . Put me on the crew . I’m the center’s expert on the subject. I’m qualified on Destiny and Venture .”
Weldon stared, his face neutral, giving away nothing. “Seven has a crew.”
“For a lunar mission. It needs a Keanu expert.”
“Which happens to be Zack Stewart.”
“Look around the astronaut office and tell me who else even comes close.” Zack didn’t wait for a correction. “Besides, I’m current on hours and classes.”
“No question.”
“But you’re still reluctant.”
“True.” Now Weldon looked directly at him. “Really, Zack . . . you lost Megan two years ago, but you’ve been wandering in the wilderness a little. Are you ready . . . mentally?”
“I wouldn’t be here.” At that moment, Zack realized he needed this mission—this new goal—more than anything in the past two years. If Weldon said no, he was going to walk out of the office and out of NASA.
“I appreciate the enthusiasm, Zack, but—”
Now Zack got to his feet. “Fuck it, Shane. You owe me the spot. Deke’s Rules.”
Weldon blinked. “No doubt. Of course, Deke’s Rules may not carry a lot of weight on the ninth floor or at HQ—”
“Okay, then, look at your crew matrix. You’ve got Tea, Yvonne Hall, Oliver McCabe and Pogo Downey. Hall is capable, strong, great on EVA, but loaded with Daddy issues. Call her a ‘possible.’
“Downey is the best ops guy in the office. And for going into a strange environment on short notice, nobody better.
“McCabe is smart but green and so totally focused on lunar regolith that he’s a fucking bore on the subject. You’re already planning to unload him.” Weldon’s face gave nothing away.
“Tea . . . who knows her better than the boyfriend? She’d be a great commander, for a lunar mission. You know and I know how programmed she gets: As commander of a Keanu
“I don’t care who gets there first. But I think we’ll be kicking ourselves years from now if we pass up a chance to go there at all . How many monster NEOs will ever be in reach?”
Now Weldon sat, fingers drumming on the desk. “We’ve never simulated a landing on a NEO.”
“Look, are we a space program or not? Destiny is the vehicle that’s supposed to open up the solar system. It’s already been to the Moon twice. It was designed for missions to Mars and—I seem to recall—Near-Earth Objects. The guidance teams will have a challenge with a short deadline, but this would be just the kind of grenade they’d dive on.”
“Is there some takeaway from this mission? Some cool science?”
“For God’s sake, Shane! This won’t be flags and footprints! We’re creaming our jeans because we found a few tons of ice on the Moon—Keanu’s covered with the stuff. It’ll be like taking a trip to the birth of the solar system!” He noticed that Weldon was actually typing on his laptop. “Are you writing this down?”
“It’s good phraseology. Not that I expected anything less from you.”
“So you’re considering it.”
“Way ahead of you. Did Kerrie say why I was late?” Zack shook his head. “I was in a double-secret meeting with Gabe Jones and the entire eighth floor: HQ and the White House want us to send Destiny-7 to Keanu, and beat the Coalition there.”
He turned his computer so Zack could see the cover of the Powerpoint presentation. “You bastard!” But there was no anger in it. “Why didn’t you tell me to shut up?”
“I’m going to have to sell this thing to a bunch of very skeptical division heads. For every one who’s eager to embrace the challenge, there will be two who think it’s too dangerous or just too much fucking work. I need to show the same enthusiasm you just did.”
“Then send me.”
“I might do that. I need to double-team this—”
“Fuck your briefings , Shane.” Zack leaned on the desk. “Send me to Keanu . Put me on the crew . I’m the center’s expert on the subject. I’m qualified on Destiny and Venture .”
Weldon stared, his face neutral, giving away nothing. “Seven has a crew.”
“For a lunar mission. It needs a Keanu expert.”
“Which happens to be Zack Stewart.”
“Look around the astronaut office and tell me who else even comes close.” Zack didn’t wait for a correction. “Besides, I’m current on hours and classes.”
“No question.”
“But you’re still reluctant.”
“True.” Now Weldon looked directly at him. “Really, Zack . . . you lost Megan two years ago, but you’ve been wandering in the wilderness a little. Are you ready . . . mentally?”
“I wouldn’t be here.” At that moment, Zack realized he needed this mission—this new goal—more than anything in the past two years. If Weldon said no, he was going to walk out of the office and out of NASA.
“I appreciate the enthusiasm, Zack, but—”
Now Zack got to his feet. “Fuck it, Shane. You owe me the spot. Deke’s Rules.”
Weldon blinked. “No doubt. Of course, Deke’s Rules may not carry a lot of weight on the ninth floor or at HQ—”
“Okay, then, look at your crew matrix. You’ve got Tea, Yvonne Hall, Oliver McCabe and Pogo Downey. Hall is capable, strong, great on EVA, but loaded with Daddy issues. Call her a ‘possible.’
“Downey is the best ops guy in the office. And for going into a strange environment on short notice, nobody better.
“McCabe is smart but green and so totally focused on lunar regolith that he’s a fucking bore on the subject. You’re already planning to unload him.” Weldon’s face gave nothing away.
“Tea . . . who knows her better than the boyfriend? She’d be a great commander, for a lunar mission. You know and I know how programmed she gets: As commander of a Keanu
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