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 dinner. Are you free tomorrow?”
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 running behind schedule?”
“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 disconnected, poured himself a glass of brandy, went back to the sofa, and slept until Tilly woke him. “Valya is on the circuit, sir.” His breathing changed again. Maybe her relatives had gone home early.
The moment she reappeared, though, he knew that wasn’t it. “Mac,” she said, “I have to bail on the dinner tomorrow night. Sorry.”
“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.”
“That hasn’t changed. She thinks I’m pushing the panic button.”
“Okay.”
“It doesn’t make any difference. She’ll do the job.”
Eric hesitated. Destiny was waiting.
“Did you have something else?”
Valya was going to go out there, spot a pair of incoming asteroids, give the alarm, and save one or two hundred lives. “Yes. I’d like to go along.”
ORIGINS WAS TWENTY-FOUR light-years away. Fifty-five hours flight time to get into the area, plus whatever it would take to get to the facility.
It was time for Hutch to decide whether she was willing to go the whole route with Amy. There was no safe way to play it.
She called Operations and got Peter. “We may want to get some resources over to Origins in a hurry. Do we have anything at all available if the need arises?”
“Nothing close by.”
“What about the Rehling?” It would be carrying two VIPs home from Nok. But it would be within range of Origins. It could only accommodate eight or nine people, but it would be something.
“It hasn’t left Nok yet.”
She stared at Peter’s image. He was annoyed, trying not to show it. He thinks I’m going off the deep end, too. “Tell them to head out now. I want them to get to Origins as quickly as they can.”
“You’re sure about this? They’re supposed to bring Autry and Cullen home. Those guys will not be happy.”
“Do it anyhow. We have anything else?”
“Nothing closer than a couple weeks.”
“Okay. Take care of it, Peter. And let me know what the TOA looks like.”
“Will do.”