Forbidden the Stars Part 18

"That's what they're calling it until they can find a responsible party and lay charges. Also, the weekly Dis Pater Dis Pater/Element X update has been downloaded as well. I didn't know if you caught it on your meshmail."

"No. Too busy with the media subculture." He gestured to his computer.

Calbert grimaced. "Tabloids. Never touch the stuff. I stick to the Globe and Mail, and the Was.h.i.+ngton Post. Everything else is trash. Too bad the rags have ten times the circulation of any legitimate paper. Crackpots and unrateds."

"On that, we agree."

There was a short silence where Michael decided Calbert was gathering himself to ask something of personal importance. He gave his a.s.sistant all the time he needed.

"Uh," Calbert began, "My wife asked me to invite you and Melanie if you were available for dinner this Friday. We're having a few couples over for cards. If you don't have any other plans."

"No, our schedule is clear. Mel would be delighted. We haven't really been social since moving to Toronto. How is Joan?"

"She's adjusting, but preferred Ottawa. The generous raise you approved for us helps keep her mollified, though. She's got her eye on an Alaskan cruise this spring."

"Sounds wonderful."

"Yeah. If you like boats."

"I think they're called s.h.i.+ps," Michael joked.

"Change the 'p' with a 't' and that's what I get when I board them. Anyway, I've got to bring this budget down to Ray and see if we can figure it out together."

Michael laughed. "The mysteries of physics are laid to waste by your brilliant minds, and you can't figure out a simple budget."

Calbert mimed offering the report to Michael. "Then you wouldn't mind going over it yourself."

Raising his hands in a forestalling gesture, Michael shook his head. "Not on your life."

Offering a conciliatory laugh, Calbert got up and said, "Talk to you later."

"Later."

When Calbert had left, Michael sighed, took a sip from his now-cold coffee and grimaced. Clearing his throat, he went back to his computer and pulled up the files from NASA.

The "Incident" report told him nothing new, and he closed the cas.e.m.e.nt. The weekly update on NASA's efforts in the Dis Pater Dis Pater investigation did not offer Michael any new insights, and he skimmed the long-winded paragraphs, scanning for anything of interest. investigation did not offer Michael any new insights, and he skimmed the long-winded paragraphs, scanning for anything of interest.

He brushed over one paragraph, and the meaning of it did not register in his mind until he reached the end of the report. The author had alluded to an interview, but the report did not have any attachment that indicated where the interview was. He read the phrase again: *

[Ref: n:982563nvstgtn.dispater.ntrvw325.nasa.gov] "The translation of the sacred scroll the old man revealed to me leads me to believe a further investigation is fully warranted. There is a possible link between the fall of the Mayan civilization around 800 AD, and the discovery of "The translation of the sacred scroll the old man revealed to me leads me to believe a further investigation is fully warranted. There is a possible link between the fall of the Mayan civilization around 800 AD, and the discovery of Dis Pater Dis Pater..."*

Michael checked the file location on the NASA LAN, to which he had been given access, but it was not there. He went back to the report and checked the file details. The author's name was George Markowitz, and it gave his meshmail and vidcomm addresses.

Dialing George Markowitz' vidcomm through the DMR cas.e.m.e.nt, Michael waited patiently as the ringer sounded four times. He was expecting a voicemail message, but was surprised when the screen blinked on to reveal a fortyish man with a receding hairline and a sour expression on his round face, shadowed by most of a day's growth of beard. He wore a simple blue s.h.i.+rt, with no tie.

"h.e.l.lo-" George checked the display bar on the bottom of the screen that flashed the caller's ident.i.ty. "-Director Sanderson." The irritated look on his face did not alter with the knowledge or recognition of his caller's ident.i.ty. "What can I do for you?"

"h.e.l.lo, Mr. Markowitz. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if you could help me."

Markowitz nodded impatiently.

"I've just finished reading the weekly NASA update on Dis Pater Dis Pater-Element X, and I saw your report. In it you make reference to an interview with a Mayan Indian."

"Yes." There was a decidedly bitter tone to his confirmation.

"I tried to find the attachment, but couldn't. I was wondering if you could direct me to where it is posted."

George Markowitz looked around him at the other end, as if ensuring no one was listening in. "Look, Director, I could get into a bit of trouble for this."

"My interest is strictly official," Michael a.s.sured him, momentarily confused.

"That's almost worse. If you must know, I presented the interview to my Investigation Supervisor, and he dismissed it as irrelevant and ordered me to remove it from my investigation. He also directed me not to bother any of my superiors with this again. I haven't shown the interview to anyone else, and erased it from the NASA LAN as I was instructed. The editing department must have forgotten to delete my header info in their daily update. It has been posted for a couple of days, but no one is all that interested in the oversight; you're the first to say anything about it to me."

"So the interview is deleted?" Michael pressed.

There was a moment's hesitation as George considered his reply. "Officially, it never existed. But-" He sighed ponderously. "I have a copy on digital."

"Would it be too much trouble to ask you to transfer it to my LAN at Quantum Resources here in Toronto? I wouldn't ask otherwise, but I have a bit of a vested interest in all aspects of this investigation."

"Yeah, I know." George took a few breaths. "All right, but I'll send it through a proxy mesh service, so there's no official log, and no immediate link to me, even though, officially, the interview is no longer considered NASA property, but decla.s.sified and Public Domain; my Supervisor might not see it that way. It's a lengthy video, so the upload might take a few minutes."

"That's perfectly fine. Here's my mesh address." He typed it onto the video transfer so that it appeared at the bottom of Markowitz's DMR cas.e.m.e.nt. The NASA investigator copied it to his mailer.

"Maybe you can do me a favor in return," Markowitz suggested. "If it's not too much trouble."

"Of course."

Markowitz's demeanor transformed over the course of the conversation. He became more relaxed and eager, finding someone interested in his work.

"I would like to meshmail you my resume. I've been keeping up with your press releases, and reading your meshpage. I think you could use someone with a knack for gathering information. It's not that I'm dissatisfied with NASA. I'll be honest; there is a personality conflict between me and my supervisor. I...married his sister when we were all in university, and he's never forgiven me for that.

"Circ.u.mstances threw us into the same department a few months back, and he won't authorize a transfer for me. I don't mean to burden you with personal problems, sir, but just wanted you to appreciate my motivations."

Michael c.o.c.ked his head. "I can't promise you anything right now. If we don't find any more samples of Element X, it might be me peddling my resume around town. But I will take a look at it and give it due consideration."

"That's all I could ask. Thank you. I'll transfer the interview file shortly, after I log on to my mesh service."

"Thank you."

They disconnected the transmission, and Michael decided to go get a fresh coffee while he waited for the download. By the time he got back, his inbox had a new item.

There were two messages from George Markowitz. The first was his resume. Michael quickly perused it, and found himself growing increasingly impressed with the man's qualifications and career history. They were wasting him as a junior investigator at NASA's R&D department.

He was thinking, Raymond could use a catch-all information a.n.a.lyst like this, Raymond could use a catch-all information a.n.a.lyst like this, and forwarded the resume to his a.s.sistant. and forwarded the resume to his a.s.sistant.

Then Michael opened the second message.

It was straightforward.

"Here is the file you requested."

Michael loaded the file into his DMR AVOT Viewer, donned his equipment: earmask for audio, and ocular cap for visual. There were also the options of a nose filter for olfactory input, and even a full electronic suit for the full tactile experience, both of which he opted out of. Michael was more interested in the context of the interview than smelling anyone's perspiration.

He ran the interview.

Orcus 1 : : Sol System : Luna Approach:

Justine had been in s.p.a.ce four times before. Every time she returned home, she had watched in rapt fascination as the Earth began as a tiny speck against the black backdrop of s.p.a.ce, and slowly grew to the size of a walnut on the monitor screens. As the days progressed, the blue orb gradually encompa.s.sed her entire range of vision. She loved this part of it, and looked forward to it every time. four times before. Every time she returned home, she had watched in rapt fascination as the Earth began as a tiny speck against the black backdrop of s.p.a.ce, and slowly grew to the size of a walnut on the monitor screens. As the days progressed, the blue orb gradually encompa.s.sed her entire range of vision. She loved this part of it, and looked forward to it every time.

There was little else for Justine to do on final Earth approach. The s.h.i.+p's navigation computer handled most everything. A human observer was only needed in case the NASA guidance computer lost contact with the s.h.i.+p. When not in the observation lounge, Justine spent the days whiling away in her cabin, going over her notes of Alex, and of the coup coup that had taken both him and the CSE TAHU. She wondered whether she should have been able to predict any of it, or could have prevented it from happening. that had taken both him and the CSE TAHU. She wondered whether she should have been able to predict any of it, or could have prevented it from happening.

Standard procedure did not include the event of s.p.a.ce piracy. Justine had to use her judgment; and that had resulted in disaster. She knew she should not blame herself, but there were those in the Administration who would blame her, especially those seeking promotion who would use this incident as their own personal stepping stool for promotion.

Her chances of redeeming herself were practically non-existent.

She was on the verge of penning her resignation, with plans to rejoin the Lowell Observatory, when her communicator chime captured her attention.

Depressing the receive b.u.t.ton, she mumbled a desultory, "Mmm-hmmn?"

Helen's voice came over the non-video communication transfer. "Priority message to you from Director Tuttle, ma'am."

"I'll take it in here."

"Very good."

Justine's computer beeped a few seconds later, indicating that it had accepted the data dump and was ready for her perusal. She depressed the appropriate commands, and on her small DMR screen, the NASA Director's face appeared.

The Captain of the Orcus 1 Orcus 1 listened carefully to all Director Tuttle had to say; then, her heart pounding with barely suppressed excitement, saved the message on the public drive, and immediately called a meeting of all crew and science team members. listened carefully to all Director Tuttle had to say; then, her heart pounding with barely suppressed excitement, saved the message on the public drive, and immediately called a meeting of all crew and science team members.

In the Command Bridge, she waited until everyone was a.s.sembled before addressing them.

"I have just received a priority message from Director William Tuttle. I won't waste time on any lengthy preamble trying to explain the content of the message. Instead, I will play it back for you, and let you come to your own choices."

At the use of the word "choices" everyone began to talk at once. Justine waved her hand at them for silence, then she motioned for Helen to begin replay of the message on the large DMR in the Command Bridge.

Director Tuttle's face appeared when the NASA insignia faded into the background.

"Justine," the image said. "Conferencing with both the heads of the Canadian s.p.a.ce Exploration, and with the CEO of USA, Inc., we have come to a unanimous agreement to launch a return mission to Pluto, exclusive to both our country corporations. This has been achieved in compliance with a new contract between Canada Corp., its subsidiary, CSE, and with USA, Inc. and its subsidiary NASA. As well, the new joint-partners.h.i.+p corporation, Quantum Resources, Inc., which has been set up to exclusively study the phenomenon of the asteroid, Macklin's Rock, its sole surviving occupant, Alex Manez, and all aspects of the mysterious Element X.

"However, since the bulk of our scientific evidence has been pirated from the Orcus 1, Orcus 1, including Alex Manez, the information concerning our plans, and our future agenda, has been brought into the public spotlight. Under amendment of our initial exclusive contract with Quantum Resources and its parent companies, we have agreed to offer limited partners.h.i.+ps on this new mission to Pluto, to be called the including Alex Manez, the information concerning our plans, and our future agenda, has been brought into the public spotlight. Under amendment of our initial exclusive contract with Quantum Resources and its parent companies, we have agreed to offer limited partners.h.i.+ps on this new mission to Pluto, to be called the Orcus 2 Orcus 2 mission, to all original partic.i.p.ants of mission, to all original partic.i.p.ants of Orcus 1 Orcus 1. No doubt the s.p.a.ce agencies concerned will be EPSing messages to your crew and scientific team presently; so I have taken the initiative to warn you and inform you of these developments.

"It is our consensus that any member of the crew or Scientific team who wish to extend their tour to the Orcus 2 Orcus 2, and return to Pluto, may do so. For those who are ordered back by their respective s.p.a.ce agencies, or do not wish to partic.i.p.ate in the Orcus 2 Orcus 2 mission, we have made arrangements for the mission, we have made arrangements for the Orcus 1 Orcus 1 to rendezvous with the Lunar Station, instead of returning home. Flight trajectories will be uploaded into your s.h.i.+p's navigation computer within a few hours. to rendezvous with the Lunar Station, instead of returning home. Flight trajectories will be uploaded into your s.h.i.+p's navigation computer within a few hours.

"There, at Luna Station, a crew transfer will be initiated, as well as a refit and restock of supplies. There will be a two-week sh.o.r.e leave on Lunar Station following a debriefing.

"Both myself and the CEO of USA, Inc. extend our most hopeful request that you should head up this subsequent mission, Captain, if it is your wish. In return, we will be extending your tenure, and offering you a substantial flight and mission bonus. We leave it to you whether you wish to present this news to your crew, or wait until they are contacted by their respective s.p.a.ce agencies. Your replies will be required no less than twelve hours from the time of this transmission.

"Director Tuttle, out."

Justine turned in her command chair and watched as members of the Orcus 1 Orcus 1 began the process of realizing that their initial mission, although it had technically failed, still brought reward. Most of them would be given the opportunity to try a second time. began the process of realizing that their initial mission, although it had technically failed, still brought reward. Most of them would be given the opportunity to try a second time.

The pall that had settled over the members of the s.h.i.+p over the past six months, and more especially, after the pirate attack, had suddenly lifted with the news that they would be going back to Pluto.

"We all have some thinking to do-" Justine began, but was interrupted by Helen Buchanan.

"Sorry, Captain, but I don't require any time. The minute the CSE sends me the offer, I'm going to EPS back that I'm staying for the duration. I know I don't have much to do with the scientific aspects of this mission, but I've always been one to see it through to the end. I wouldn't miss this for the world."

One by one, the members of the science team agreed with the First Mate's sentiments, in their own words. Not only were their careers going to be saved by this opportunity and their professional sense of duty appeased, but their personal ambitions to unlock the secrets of Pluto and Dis Pater Dis Pater were being granted in a way none of them had even entertained. were being granted in a way none of them had even entertained.

In the end, Sakami Chin bowed out when the order from the People's Republic of China s.p.a.ce Agency ordered him to return to their country, to be replaced by Chin's esteemed colleague, Dr. Soon Tek.

Justine, however, was going back to Pluto, and nothing was going to stop her.

Quantum Resources, Inc. : Toronto : Canada Corp.:

George Markowitz had personally traveled to Honduras to get the interview. had personally traveled to Honduras to get the interview.

Being one of the Senate's favorite hobbies, NASA benefited through generous government corporate transfers, and was able to buy the latest in high-tech equipment. Quantum Resources did not have an AVOT, or Virtual Tourist Camera (the name by which they were marketed in the private sector), in their inventory, but luckily, the output could easily be played on any DMR cas.e.m.e.nt with a specialized adapter.

Michael had the option of viewing the flat screen output (slightly distorted), or taking in the full 270 visual 3D audio and full factory and tactile experience of the Virtual Tourist operator.

The VT Camera took samples of the air around the helmet the operator donned, and recorded the scents as part of its database of over sixteen thousand smells. When played back, the DMR could, if the option were desired, give off a small spray of one of its twenty-three basic scents, and send electronic pulses to the brain that tricked it into thinking the viewer was smelling the smells in the field.

Normally, those wanting to go on a virtual vacation without leaving their homes or offices on lunch break used the full experience tapes.

Michael's interest was purely business. He turned off the extra features, and just used the VR helmet to watch the A/V interview.

[Copan : Honduras : Central American Conglomeration]