Freelance On The Galactic Tunnel Network by E. Foner (best beach reads of all time TXT) 📗

“Mom,” Larry said. “You got here before us.”

“I’ve been tracking your transponder since you came out of the tunnel, but your father told me not to interrupt during the approach and landing. You’re right next to us.”

“I gave the controller the coordinates for the campsite Dad sent, so complain to him if you didn’t want me for a neighbor.”

“And who’s your friend?”

“Mom, this is Georgia Hunt. Georgia, Mom.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Uh…”

“Rachel. We don’t use last names in this family. I’m just putting dinner out so I expect to see you both as soon as you finish up there.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Larry said, snapping a salute. The main viewer went blank. “Hope you don’t mind family get-togethers,” he added as he unbuckled his safety restraints. “I just need to go through the post-landing checklist with the controller, but you can go out and stretch your legs if you want.”

“Sure. How long will it take?”

“Just five minutes or so if nothing needs adjusting. Aarden’s gravity is around eight percent higher than Earth standard, so don’t be surprised if you feel a bit heavy.”

Georgia wasn’t sure if she really felt the weight difference on her arms going down the ladder or if it was psychosomatic. She found that the ramp was already descending when she got to the bottom, meaning that Larry must have instructed the controller to do it for her. She barely had a chance to breathe in a lungful of fresh air before a woman who appeared to be in her early sixties approached.

“Georgia?”

“Rachel?”

“I was hoping you’d come out first. Once Larry and his father start talking Guild politics we won’t be able to get a word in edgewise. So how long have the two of you been together?”

“You mean me and Larry?” Georgia hesitated for a moment because she hated to disappoint Larry’s mother. “I’m a paying passenger. I work for the Galactic Free Press and I needed a way to follow the Colony One ship around.”

“Sally’s group? Whatever for?”

“I’m trying to get into investigative journalism and I thought Colony One was a scam.”

Rachel burst out laughing. “Oh, that’s funny. I’ll have to tell Sally. I’m planning on taking the elevator up tomorrow to meet her.”

“You know the head of Colony One?”

“I think she prefers Captain Sally now, but when you’re rich, you can get away with those minor affectations.”

“Rich? Do you mean Colony One is collecting money after all?”

“The opposite, my dear. You’re too young to remember her, but she used to be known as Sally Nugget.”

“The woman who discovered the solid gold asteroid? I heard about that when I was a child.”

“It wasn’t really an asteroid, mind you, just a big chunk of gold that had probably been part of some ship’s cargo a hundred million years ago, but nobody ever presented a counter-claim. It wasn’t worth anywhere near the trillion creds the Grenouthian News made it out to be either, but she was able to retire from trading before she really got started. I knew her before I married Phil and she found her pot of gold. Sally spent a few decades cruising around the tunnel network as a tourist after that, and she came back with this idea that humanity needed a colony ship of its own.”

“So the whole thing is philanthropy?”

“That’s a good word for it,” Rachel agreed. “Sally couldn’t have children because of a radiation accident when she was young, and she wanted to do something for future generations with her money.”

“Why didn’t Larry say anything to me about her?” Georgia asked.

“I’m sure he didn’t know. I hadn’t heard from Sally for years myself, and I only found out she was behind Colony One when she contacted me to say she would be coming here. She knew that I would never miss a Rendezvous.”

“I’m going up myself for the tour of Flower that Colony One is sponsoring. I’m hoping to manage at least one story that isn’t about food out of this trip. Are you taking the elevator?”

“Of course. If you promise not to ask any of those hard-nosed reporter questions, I’ll introduce you to her.”

“I’d love that.”

“And I’d love to hear more about you and Grumpy,” Rachel insinuated.

“Grumpy? Do you mean your son? He’s been very nice to me.”

“Maybe he’s finally getting over it. Did he tell you about his ex?”

“Only to say he didn’t want to talk about it.”

“It was our fault, really, by which I mean my husband’s fault. He and Thistle’s father are old friends—they operated a two-man trader together when they started out. Larry and Thistle grew up hearing from their fathers how perfect they were for each other, and they were always inseparable when we met up. They even got married at a Rendezvous.”

“What happened?”

“Thistle was always a bit, well, let’s just say she liked to get her way. When she was ten, it was sort of cute. By the time she turned twenty, I had my misgivings, but Larry didn’t seem to mind. It only took her a year of marriage to decide she had made a mistake. Larry was heartbroken as well as nose-broken since he never saw it coming, and I don’t think he’s looked at another woman since she left.”

“Oh. Well, I think he’s very nice.”

Rachel groaned. “Nice?”

“More than nice,” Georgia amended herself, “but we have a working relationship and I don’t want to mess that up. Besides, he’s never given me the slightest sign.”

“If you’re hoping my son will share his feelings first you’re both in for a long wait. Forgive me for presuming, but do you mind if I give you a piece of advice?”

“Please do.”

“Get him drunk,” Rachel said, and then smiled over Georgia’s shoulder. “There you are, Phil. Come