Pegasus In Space

Peter Reidinger accepted the contact and, still confused by Johnny's whirlwind visit, 'ported the carrier back to the Jerhattan telepad.

"G'day, Pete," and Harry arrived on his pushbike. The mulgah trees that obscured the Center from the roadway half a mile away had also hidden Johnny's carrier. "Up early, ain'tcha?"

"Nice day," Peter said noncommittally.

Later that morning, Lance contacted Adelaide, spoke at length to the duty officer, and then asked to speak to Peter.

"Thanks for that package, Pete."

"You got it? I didn't damage anything, did I?"

"Nope," and Lance chuckled. "Plowed up a ridge of moon dust against the bollard though. Some thrust!" His voice went off-line for a moment. "Hold it, guys, be right with you. We got those chips you've been looking for. Thanks again, Pete. See ya."

A weary general was admitted to Admiral Dirk Coetzer's office on Padrugoi Station.

"Johnny, what brings you up here today?" The admiral waved him into the nearest chair and gestured to the coffeepot on its warming plate that was a feature of most naval offices.

Greene shook his head as he sat heavily down.

"I did it," he said.

"I don't think you mean the drones that arrived this afternoon."

"Not them." Johnny flapped his fingers in dismissal. "I got Rhyssa Lehardt to see to the wisdom of letting Peter Reidinger get into space, instead of farting around pushing junk from one continent to another."

"How'd you do that?" That was the best news Coetzer had had all morning, what with the rumor that fuel prices were going up and a very expensive component that had to be rescued from tumbling out of sight in space. "I didn't think she'd put him at risk. I'd prefer that he had the gumption to speak up for himself."

Johnny let go a sigh. "I would, too, Dirk, but he's still in grateful mode for her rescuing him from the A frame, hospital, and all that shit. I reminded her that he's less at risk up here than downside. Risk of boredom. He'd have real work to challenge him," was Johnny Greene's reply. He cocked an eyebrow. "Of course, you'll have to promise to give him the proper EVA training."

"She'd permit him to work outside the Station? In space? That's where we could really use a powerful kinetic right now."

"Sure. Why not? I reminded her, as I do you, that young man's been maneuvering himself in space ever since he learned how to gestalt. And he's much better at that than I am."

"Could he manage a space suit to do the EVAs?"

"That's what you're to find out."

"Ahhhh," the admiral drawled, comprehending. "So if he isn't capable, it's me that gives him the no-go, not her? Right?"

Johnny chuckled. "Well, he'd accept it from you. He wouldn't from Rhys. He'd always wonder if she prevented him from getting up here."

"I noticed that he and Ms. Lehardt have an unusual bond."

"They do. She got him out of Jerhattan General Hospital and the prospect of a useless existence."

"He's what-just eighteen?" Coetzer asked.

"By a couple of months. Kids join the navy at that age all the time."

"A point."

"Hell, Dirk, he's much more powerful a kinetic than I am. You need him up here."

"You don't have to convince me of that. But I'd hate to have to put an end to his aspirations if he can't make the grade in EVA."

"If the grunts from the Linears can, he can."

"If he doesn't freak out first time he goes extravehicular." Dirk's expression mirrored a legitimate skepticism.

"Well, we'll just have to find out. And if, mind you, and it's a big if," Johnny said, pointing his finger at the admiral, "he proves agoraphobic and useless in a space suit, he could probably do more kinesis from inside the Station than Baden did. He can also haul a lot more weight than I can."

Dirk gave him a long sideways glance. "Like all the way to First Base?" Johnny's reaction was not what Coetzer expected. He gave a diffident shrug.

"He might at that. At least he can stand on this Station to do his pushing. You've got all those powerful generators." His smile was sly. "Pete loves generators. The bigger the better."

Dirk gave his head a twist, trying to conceal his elation at the prospect of having Reidinger on contract to him. "Padrugoi is 440 klicks from Earth. The Moon's between 400,000 and 450,000."

"I know. We can start when the Moon's at perigee and work up to apogee," was the blithe reply. "Working him into the distance gradually, Dirk. Who knows what he'll be able to do when his Talent matures."

Again the admiral favored the general with a long and speculative look.

"You're up to something, Greene."

"Yeah, up on Padrugoi, and I want the guy who taught me all I know up here, too. I owe Pete big."

The admiral couldn't suppress his suspicion that Greene had some hidden ulterior motive. Which, doubtless, would be confided in him at a time Greene thought appropriate. The former etop pilot and bodyguard of the Secretary of Space was Peter Reidinger's staunchest supporter. If he couched his admiration and respect for the young man in a slightly cynical manner, that was preferable to patronization or fawning. And Coetzer had plenty of proof that Greene was also his dedicated adherent in all matters that forwarded humanity's progress starward.