Odyssey

“Do they have a right to push human sacrifice?”

“Of course not, Mac. But this isn’t human sacrifice. It’s just a church school.”

“I’m not sure the effect isn’t similar.”

“Whatever, we’ll never persuade a judge.”

“What are we claiming? Temporary insanity?”

“We’re going to argue that the damage done to Henry’s psyche was so severe that when he encountered the preacher he lost his judgment.”

“Why not insanity?”

“The judge wouldn’t buy it, take my word. I’ve done the research. But he is open to the argument that a justifiable anger drove our client to take matters into his own hands. He’ll still be guilty, but I think we can get clear with a minimum penalty. Probably a fine.”

“Do that, and the church schools will continue to poison kids’ minds.”

“Mac, my responsibility is to take care of my client. Not put the churches out of business.”

“What actually happened, Jason? How’d the assault take place?”

Glock was seated behind a table littered with papers. “Henry was in the store. He was waiting in line to pay for several novels, one of which was Co

“Fortunately, there were no serious injuries. The store manager and his security officer pulled Henry away from Pullman. Pullman was visibly bruised, but he declined medical assistance. Police arrived and arrested Henry. As they dragged him out of the store he was screaming that Pullman had ruined his life.

“The guy will never be sure,” said Glock, “that he’s not going to hell.”

“What kind of person is he?” asked MacAllister. “I mean, is he violating the Commandments on a regular basis?”

The lawyer smiled. “Not as far as I can tell. Probably no more than the rest of us. But he’s lost the conviction that the Bible is literally true. And Pullman made it pretty clear during the classes what the penalty was for that.”

The trial would start at nine. A seat had been reserved for MacAllister.

HE DECIDED HE’D skip the trial, at least on the first day. If he went, he wouldn’t get back in time to have di

He switched on the news. The Black Cat was ru

“It’s going to be somewhere else?” asked the interviewer.

“We were always divided about the site. There was a lot to recommend Capella, but we’ve come to feel that people would prefer a world where they can see some animals. So we’re going to build at Terranova.”

That fitted exactly with MacAllister’s notion. He personally preferred a quiet world. But he’d always known most people would want animals. Something they could throw bread crumbs to.

So they would build another Galactic. Something stirred in his memory. The comments of Karim and the others after the Salvator had rescued them. Three or four months behind.

Never had the people to do the job right.

The way things turned out, it was just as well.

MacAllister didn’t think of himself as cynical. Realistic was closer to an accurate description. It was remarkable, though, a tribute to his character, that he wasn’t a cynic. As a working journalist, he’d seen constant abuse of power and authority, too much greed, too much hypocrisy. The current surge of interest in building an armed fleet, in expanding the interstellar presence, would be of enormous benefit to Orion, which owned and operated three of the six deep-space stations. Other giants would benefit, as well. Monogram would get prime contracts for building warships. Half a dozen companies would profit from designing weapons systems. Much of the software would be created and installed by MicroTech. And then there were outfits like Kosmik, that had been forced out of the terraforming business when the desire to colonize never really materialized. Kosmik would love an opportunity to help establish naval bases around the Orion Arm.

Trillions would be involved if the World Council took the moonrider threat seriously.

Trillions.

The sun was a red splotch in his curtains.

He called Hutch and got right through.

“On the run, Mac,” she told him. “What can I do for you?”

“Got a question. From what I’ve heard, the Galactic asteroid was too big to have been diverted and aimed at the hotel by anything we have. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“You’re sure?”

She looked at him suspiciously. “Do you know something I don’t?”

“No, not really. I just wanted to know whether it would have been possible for, say, a couple of cargo ships to redirect that thing?”

“No.”

“No chance?”

“No more than you’d have of pushing the state building off its foundation. You could maybe nudge it in one direction or another if you installed a bunch of thrusters. But to manage a pinpoint strike. Without leaving a trace? No.” She waved it away. “It’s not possible. With no technology we can imagine.”

“Okay,” he said. “Thanks.”

“By the way, Mac, we’d like to have you over for di

Hutch would say yes if he asked to bring Valya, but it might put her in a spot. Bosses and subordinates and all that. That was another problem with relationships. They complicated everything. “Have to pass, Hutch. I’ve got commitments. Maybe next week sometime?”

HE CALLED WOLFIE. “Did you ever hear any stories about construction of the Galactic ru

“The hotel?”

“Yes.”

Wolfie was in his apartment. Someone else was there, out of view. A woman, undoubtedly. Wolfie mixed women and alcohol with enthusiasm. But he was a good journalist. “Not that I can recall,” he said. “Want me to look into it?”

“Yeah. Don’t make a project of it. But try to find out if there’s anything to it. And if so, why?”

He disco

The moment she reappeared, though, he knew that wasn’t it. “Mac,” she said, “I have to bail on the di

“Me, too,” he said. “Anything wrong?”

“No. I’m fine. I’m going to be gone for a while. They’re sending me out again.”

“Already?”

“Looks like.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

“On the Salvator? I mean, you’ve got an assignment?”

“Yes.”

“It’s short notice, isn’t it? Where are you headed?”

“Can you keep a secret?”

“Are you serious?”

“I mean it, Mac.”

“Sure.”

“They’re sending me hunting for asteroids.”

“You want me to talk to Hutch? I can probably get it canceled.”

“No. It’s my job.”

Damn. “Okay.” He sighed. “Are we talking about Origins?”

“Yes.”

“They’re taking Amy seriously.”

“Yes.”

“The Europeans have their own resources. Why don’t they send somebody?”

“I guess they don’t believe the story. Hutch was pretty vague about it. I suspect she’s not sure how to proceed. They probably don’t want to push too hard because it’s so crazy.”

“They have anything more to go on than Amy’s dream?”

“What more could they have? I think it’s a fool’s run, but Hutch asked, and I didn’t see how I could say no.”

“I guess not.”

“You want to come?”

It was tempting. But it would mean another week or two in that tin can. He had a lot of work to do. And there was the trial. “I have to pass, Valya. Is anyone going with you?”

“No. But that’s not the issue.”

“I understand. And I appreciate the offer. I’m just not able to manage it right now.”

“Okay.”

“See you when you get back?”

“Absolutely. Talk to you, Mac.”

DECIDING THAT AMY’S dream might have some substance in reality had unsettled Eric. He didn’t want to spend time alone in his modest two-story home outside Falls Church. The commissioner had left a message directing him to attend a staff meeting at the Academy that afternoon. A few weeks ago he’d have been right there. But it was a nice day, and he’d never been to a staff meeting at which anything was accomplished. So he decided to pass. He’d come up with a story later. Instead, he changed and went out for a stroll. Until about two years ago he had jogged regularly, but his knees had stiffened. Now he walked instead. He usually maintained a brisk pace, but today he decided he’d take his time.

He always had an audio book with him. On this occasion, he was starting Command and Control, an analysis of military and political leadership during the last sixty years. The book led off with the economic competition that had developed between Canada and the United States during the last century, and how it had led ultimately to their union. He was listening to an account of the cod wars when his link vibrated. It was Hutch.

He stopped on the edge of a grassy field and thought about letting the AI pick up, but Hutch wouldn’t give him away. “Yes, ma’am?”

“Eric, we’re sending Valya back to Origins to take a look around. Something about the mission will probably leak. Which means you may hear from the media later today or tonight.”

“Okay.”

“Officially, it’s a routine flight. After the incidents at Terranova and Capella, we’re just being cautious. Okay? It’s no big deal.”

“Unofficially, you think she’s going to find another rock?”

“Maybe two of them. For all we know, maybe the moonriders are thinking of hitting both ends of the accelerator.”

“Who’s going with her?”

“Nobody. She’ll be fine.”

“And if she sees an incoming?”

“Then we can sound the alarm.”

“When’s she leaving?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

“You know, she doesn’t believe it’s going to happen. Last time I talked to her, she thought Amy had imagined everything.”