Wildcatter

JC said, “Control, record this agreement between Mighty Mite Ltd. and Prospector Broderick as an addendum to his contract, to be valid as soon as he and I attach our personal sigs.”

— Done, Commodore, said Control’s disembodied voice.

JC smiled a gotcha smile: the elevator was bugged like everywhere else.

Seth grinned and offered a hand. “Pleasure doing business with you, sir.”

“A man after my own heart.” JC accepted the shake.

And screamed.

Seth had been waiting fifteen months to repay that squeeze in La Paz, with a little interest, but he was pretty sure that in winning the handshake he had lost the battle. He’d been outwitted somehow. Just like Commodore Duddridge, JC had given up too easily.

* * *

Still massaging his knuckles, JC led the way back into the control room and four expectant stares.

“Boy Wonder believes he has found an answer to the landing problem. In return for an agreed sum of danger money, he will attempt a trip downside, while releasing the corporation from any and all liability. Does that satisfy you, Captain?”

Jordan had lost his cherubic grin. “I’m tempted to certify him insane. Let’s hear the plan, Broderick.”

Seth leaned back and tried to look relaxed. He didn’t feel it. He had just committed to the most dangerous thing he had ever contemplated, by far, and he was fizzing. Walking on another world was his lifelong dream, and he would probably have agreed to go if his odds of returning were one in a thousand.

“To start with, we deploy more of the ferrets in orbit, to act as passive relays, so we have complete over-the-horizon connection between ship and shuttle.” Even a brief gap in communications could be fatal. He got a nod from Maria, whose babies the probes were.

“Then we choose some landing sites. I’d like to keep Galactic’s Apple as primary choice, because shots of their smashed shuttle could be valuable if we ever meet them in court. It’s a good site anyway. But we’d better have backups, in case Apple socks in on my way down. As I said, I start with a fast descent, while Control keeps a weather-eye open. After we choose, I’ll make the final approach very slow. That will waste even more fuel, but a few extra minutes in the lower atmosphere-and with luck a rainstorm-will cool off the skin, so I won’t have to wait for that to happen. I’ll be wearing my K333 suit even on the descent. Two minutes after set-down I jump out, plant a flag where the cameras can see me, and throw a sample of dirt in the hopper.”

“And then leave?” Jordan asked suspiciously.

JC was frowning.

“No,” Seth said. “I pull out my overnight bag and Control brings the shuttle back up to the ship to refuel.”

He had to wait for the protests to die down, but JC was smiling again.

“I forbid this as too dangerous,” Jordan said, blue eyes icy.

“I don’t think you can, Captain,” JC said with venomous politeness. “A landing is written into the original contract. Prospector Broderick has assessed the risk and freely volunteered to perform this duty, while holding his employer and the ship’s officers free of liability for the consequences. He will not endanger the ship, only himself. You cannot reasonably stop him.”

“I forbid it!” Jordan had flushed.

Now JC did. “Letting your love life overrule your duty, Spears? First Officer Finn, what do you say?”

Hanna bit her lip, looked down at her hands, and said, “I think I agree with the commodore, Captain. A landing is in the contract. He agrees.”

Silence. Jordan did not answer. After a moment, Seth resumed his presentation.

“I estimate about three hours’ turnaround for the shuttle, depending on where the ship is relative to Apple. As soon as it’s ready and the weather looks reasonable, Control brings it down and picks me up.”

“Which may not be for a week!” Jordan said. “This is suicide.”

“Why, sir? I said we had no way of staking down the shuttle, but I can stake me down if the wind gets obstreperous. On that open ground I can lie flat and wait out winds that would utterly trash the shuttle. There should be no flying chimney pots or tree branches out there on the flats. Or I can shelter in Galactic’s shuttle, which has been there a couple of weeks now, and must be well lodged. The EVA suit will keep me aseptic, if not comfortable, for a full Earth day in any climate. Even if I can’t remove my mask to eat, I can drink from my water bottles, and a few days without food won’t kill me. I can handle the atmosphere, as long as I’m careful with decompression later. I’ll have my blazer along to deal with predators, if any. What is such a big deal?”

Jordan shook his head in despair. “Don’t you ever get scared, man?”

“Sometimes,” Seth said.

As often as possible. Danger he loved. Every mind housed at least one dragon, and that was his.

Days 411-412