Read Online Leviathans of Jupiter by Ben Bova - Free Book Online Page B

leer. Corvus was clutching a large aluminum box, gripping the handles on its sides in both his hands.
    â€œWe’re going down to the dolphin tank,” Andy said enthusiastically before any of the others could speak. “Wanna come with us?”
    Deirdre blinked at him. “The dolphin tank?”
    Yeager piped up. “The ship’s carrying six dolphins out to Jupiter. Andy wants to talk to ’em.”
    â€œCome on,” Andy coaxed. “I’ll connect you to the dolphins if you like.”
    The box he was holding was obviously heavy; she could see the tension in his arms. Why doesn’t he ask Dorn to hold it for him? Deirdre wondered. Or at least to help him carry it?
    Dorn spoke up. “If we’re imposing on your privacy…”
    â€œNo,” Deirdre decided, “it’s perfectly all right. I could use a little diversion this morning.”
    The four of them started down the passageway toward the elevators, Corvus lugging the big case all by himself.
    *   *   *
    Katherine Westfall was deep in discussion with Grant Archer, at the research station orbiting Jupiter.
    The discussion, though, was not a conversation. Australia was still so far from Jupiter that it took electronic communications, traveling at the speed of light, slightly more than twenty-one minutes to span the distance between the ship and the Thomas Gold station. So their discussion consisted of alternating monologues. One would talk and then, some forty-two minutes later, the other could respond.
    Archer’s serious, steady-eyed face filled the wall screen in Mrs. Westfall’s sitting room. As she reclined in a softly yielding chaise longue, she studied the scientist’s intense, oh-so-earnest expression. He’s rather good-looking, she thought. Boyish, almost, except for that gray little beard. Married. Happily, from what his dossier says. At least, he’s been married to the same woman for more than twenty years.
    â€œâ€¦ and although we’re considerably over budget in several areas,” Archer was saying, as if reading from a text, “I feel certain that once you’re here and have the chance to see what we’re trying to accomplish, you’ll agree that our work is too close to success to be inhibited by budget cuts.”
    She smiled at him. Naïve fool, she thought. Scientists are all alike. What I’m doing is so important that it mustn’t be stopped or even cut back. Money is no object. Of course it isn’t. It’s not their money that they’re spending.
    Archer had stopped talking. His image stood frozen on her display screen. That meant that he was finished for the time being and was waiting for her reply to reach him.
    Westfall did not need a prepared script. Keeping her smile in place, she said, “I’m sure that the work you’re doing is very important, Dr. Archer, but the economic facts of life must be taken into account, whether we like it or not.”
    Sitting up a little straighter, she went on, “Your research work is funded out of the profits made by the scoopship operations, as you know. The market for scooping fusion fuels out of Jupiter’s atmosphere has leveled off. We are no longer expanding our construction of new fusion powerplants on Earth, and even the market for fusion torch ships has gone rather flat.
    â€œThat means that the profits have leveled off, and you can’t expect increases in your funding. I’m afraid there’s nothing that I, or you, or anyone can do about that. You must cut back on your budget, just like the rest of us.”
    She hesitated, wondering inwardly, Should I let him know that I’m aware of this giant submersible he’s building? No, she decided. I want to see the shock on his face in person, up close.
    She spoke a few more meaningless words of farewell, ending the discussion. The screen went blank gray.
    Katherine Westfall leaned back in the couch