Read Online Hot Sleep by Orson Scott Card - Free Book Online Page B

was tacked onto the huge stardrive as an afterthought. The tail wagging the dog. A hammer to drive a needle through nothing.
    Over the ship stretched the huge girders that supported the roof, now looking like fine lace in the distance. Only here, in the ship cradles, were there large doors in the metal roof that sheathed the entire planet of Capitol.
    Hop watched as, far below the audience, gates were opened and the crowds flooded in. Jazz's arrival was big news on Capitol. Hop felt the old resentment as he watched the crowd fill all the available space around the base of the cradle. He had made a fortune by charging admission to Jazz's arrivals — but some of his competitors, sponsoring less popular pilots, had managed to convince the government that it was illegal to charge admission for entry to public government facilities — and they had even made Hop give back the money he had already made on it. Damn poor losers, that's all they were.
    And then the door of the ship fell open and out stepped Jazz Worthing. Two hundred meters below, the fans started screaming so loudly that the sound could be heard even above the roar of the machinery that was testing the stardrive. Hop Noyock threw out his arms and made the theatrical gesture that had been seen by billions at the end of every Jazz Worthing loop. He strode to the tired–looking pilot and embraced him.
    "Jazz Worthing, Capitol is grateful that you're home safe and victorious again."
    "Nice to be back," Jazz said, smiling slightly, his bright blue eyes flashing in the dazzling lights. He was several centuries old, and looked younger than twenty. One last pat on the back, and then Hop reached down and flipped off the loop recorder. Jazz relaxed as soon as the taping was finished. He tensed again, though, when Hop whispered in his ear, "Somebody may be trying to kill you. Don't leave the crowds."
    "Hop, I don't even want to see the damned crowds."
    "No one'd dare try anything in the crowds. We'll talk in a minute."
    Hop led Jazz to the railing and showed him off to the cheering fans. Their roar of approval was quite stirring. Hop felt quite stirred.
    "Hop, what the hell is going on?" Jazz asked.
    "I don't know," Hop said. "Bow for the bastards, Jason, give them their money's worth."
    Jazz looked at Hop in surprise. "You don't mean the government's letting you charge admission again?"
    "No, no, figure of speech, little figure of speech, you know."
    "I just want to go home and go to bed, Hop. Don't give me any trouble about it or I'll fire you."
    Hop shrugged. "If you get killed, I'll be out of a job anyway."
    Jazz sighed and listened as Hop told him about the note.
    "I especially like your hiding place," Jazz commented as they walked down the winding ramp.
    "It's my body's only built–in pocket."
    "How are we doing?"
    "Financially? Latest audit was five years ago, and it said about seventeen billion."
    "I left about forty years ago. What would it have been worth then?"
    "Eleven billion. Inflation's getting worse."
    "That note. Are you sure you weren't just playing a joke?"
    "On myself? Ha ha, what a riot."
    Jazz set his lips tightly. "Why would anyone want to kill me?"
    "One of the other captains?" Hop suggested, lightly.
    "We're all friends. We all like each other."
    "Are you sure?"
    "I'm sure."
    Hop shrugged. "One of their managers then. Out to wipe out the competition."
    "Do you believe that?"
    "Hell no. It sounds more like treason. Must be something involved with the government, or how could the information have reached me in the Sleeproom? Somebody thinks your death would help or hurt some faction in the government. I wish you'd stay out of politics."
    The ramp seemed to go on forever. The roar of the stardrive test grew softer; the roar of the crowd grew louder. "Are you sure," Jazz asked, "that you didn't already know the information, and put it together after you were taped?"
    "I've been racking my brains. Nothing. I didn't know anything about any threat on