Read Online The Ganymede Club by Charles Sheffield - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Charles Sheffield
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known it wouldn't work. And it didn't. One of the hi-vee projectors blew up when it was discharged. You felt it, and I saw it. And the power draw knocked out half the electricity supply lines. Thank goodness, the laser launchers are on independent power lines, or we'd still be sitting there." He laughed. "Anyway, all the damage to Earth today has been self-inflicted. Maybe from now on they'll leave it to professionals."
As he spoke, the laser boosters on the ground finished their work. The ship was suddenly in free fall, moving more than fast enough to take it into orbit.
"Where are you two heading?" The lunar serviceman had reached across both Spook and Lola with his long arm, making sure that even without their belts they were in no danger of floating across the cabin.
"To Ganymede. Our parents are coming out next week to join us." Lola felt a huge sense of relief. Her worries about Jaime and Theresa Belman had all been unnecessary. "We're taking our vacation there."
"So you'll make your ship transfer when we get to geosynch. That's a couple more hours. Looks like the excitement's all over." He nodded at the port. "By the time we arrive at geosynch everything should be all quiet again."
The flicker of lights had ended. Bright, steady stars were replacing the blooming deep-space explosions.
"I only went to Ganymede once," Coline said, "and I didn't care for it." The slight vibration and the return of partial gravity showed that the ship's own engines were working, lifting them to a higher orbit. Attendants were beginning to move from seat to seat, helping passengers who had thrown up during the free-fall phase. Suddenly it felt like a normal flight. "The natives there are rock rats," he went on, "all of 'em, they don't see the sky more than once a year but they don't seem to miss it. Any idea what you're going to do when you get there?"
"I want to try the Puzzle Network. Ganymede is supposed to have some real hot-shot juniors." Spook had been quiet so far—a first for him, in Lola's experience. But then he had never been to space before. She knew that feeling. During free fall he must have wondered what his stomach was doing.
"Bit young for that, aren't you?" Audie Coline spoke to Spook but winked at Lola, with an expression that said he was more interested in her than he was in her brother. "What are you, ten, eleven?"
"But he's a genius." Lola grinned back. "He'll tell you so himself."
"Quit that!" Spook, wedged between the other two, sat straighter and stuck out his chin. "I've seen the Ganymede problem sets. They're tough, but I can handle them."
"Hardest in the system, I've heard. And the best, if you believe their publicity. But they say they're best in everything." Coline sniffed. "Listen to the Jovian moons, and you'd think Earth, Luna, and Mars are washed up and nothing but old history." He casually reached over and fastened a belt across Lola and Spook. " 'How I spent my Ganymede vacation.' I aced the Puzzle Network. What about you, miss? Any idea what you'll be doing?"
Lola hesitated. She knew what she wanted to do, but was she willing to admit it? Even her parents did not know, but the images had been locked in since the time of her earliest memories: Uncle Wilber, grinning at nothing, frightened of everything, forever on the brink of self-destruction. And his madness had been an unnecessary madness.
"I want to check out the schools," Lola said at last. "I've heard that they have a reputation for—for being good at what I'm interested in."
"And what might that be?"
She had to say it now: "I want to train as a haldane."
That certainly got his attention. "A haldane? " he said. "Do you, indeed. Well, remind me to be careful what I say to you from now on."
It seemed to be the universal reaction—and Audie Coline was being kind. The usual comments were much harsher: "Only someone who is crazy to start with wants to work with crazy people." Or: "You want to be a haldane? How long have you been off
As he spoke, the laser boosters on the ground finished their work. The ship was suddenly in free fall, moving more than fast enough to take it into orbit.
"Where are you two heading?" The lunar serviceman had reached across both Spook and Lola with his long arm, making sure that even without their belts they were in no danger of floating across the cabin.
"To Ganymede. Our parents are coming out next week to join us." Lola felt a huge sense of relief. Her worries about Jaime and Theresa Belman had all been unnecessary. "We're taking our vacation there."
"So you'll make your ship transfer when we get to geosynch. That's a couple more hours. Looks like the excitement's all over." He nodded at the port. "By the time we arrive at geosynch everything should be all quiet again."
The flicker of lights had ended. Bright, steady stars were replacing the blooming deep-space explosions.
"I only went to Ganymede once," Coline said, "and I didn't care for it." The slight vibration and the return of partial gravity showed that the ship's own engines were working, lifting them to a higher orbit. Attendants were beginning to move from seat to seat, helping passengers who had thrown up during the free-fall phase. Suddenly it felt like a normal flight. "The natives there are rock rats," he went on, "all of 'em, they don't see the sky more than once a year but they don't seem to miss it. Any idea what you're going to do when you get there?"
"I want to try the Puzzle Network. Ganymede is supposed to have some real hot-shot juniors." Spook had been quiet so far—a first for him, in Lola's experience. But then he had never been to space before. She knew that feeling. During free fall he must have wondered what his stomach was doing.
"Bit young for that, aren't you?" Audie Coline spoke to Spook but winked at Lola, with an expression that said he was more interested in her than he was in her brother. "What are you, ten, eleven?"
"But he's a genius." Lola grinned back. "He'll tell you so himself."
"Quit that!" Spook, wedged between the other two, sat straighter and stuck out his chin. "I've seen the Ganymede problem sets. They're tough, but I can handle them."
"Hardest in the system, I've heard. And the best, if you believe their publicity. But they say they're best in everything." Coline sniffed. "Listen to the Jovian moons, and you'd think Earth, Luna, and Mars are washed up and nothing but old history." He casually reached over and fastened a belt across Lola and Spook. " 'How I spent my Ganymede vacation.' I aced the Puzzle Network. What about you, miss? Any idea what you'll be doing?"
Lola hesitated. She knew what she wanted to do, but was she willing to admit it? Even her parents did not know, but the images had been locked in since the time of her earliest memories: Uncle Wilber, grinning at nothing, frightened of everything, forever on the brink of self-destruction. And his madness had been an unnecessary madness.
"I want to check out the schools," Lola said at last. "I've heard that they have a reputation for—for being good at what I'm interested in."
"And what might that be?"
She had to say it now: "I want to train as a haldane."
That certainly got his attention. "A haldane? " he said. "Do you, indeed. Well, remind me to be careful what I say to you from now on."
It seemed to be the universal reaction—and Audie Coline was being kind. The usual comments were much harsher: "Only someone who is crazy to start with wants to work with crazy people." Or: "You want to be a haldane? How long have you been off
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