Privateers Read Online Free PDF Page B

fewer?”
    “Well …”
    “Don’t you really think that they’ve just been picking your brains, learning your technology, and by the time they let your Saturn Orbiter go on its way they’ll be ready to take over all future planetary missions for themselves?”
    The scientist’s round face grew somber. “Where did you hear that?”
    “I have sources of information,” Dan replied. “You’d be shocked at how easy some of these dedicated Communists are to bribe.”
    “There”ve been rumors … I thought they were just the usual scare stories.”
    “The future exploration of the cosmos will be done by Soviet spacecraft, lifted aboard Soviet boosters,” Dan warned. “When men go to Mars, and Jupiter, and Saturn and all their myriad moons, they will be Russians. That’s their intent.”
    Freiberg said nothing.
    “The Russians think they’ve got it all sewed up. They keep telling themselves that they represent the inexorable forces of history. Bullshit!”
    The scientist blinked at Dan’s sudden vehemence.
    “That’s just a load of Soviet tripe, that inexorable forces of history garbage. People make history, Zach. What I do, what you do, what each of us does is important. Calories don’t count, maybe, but people do. You’re an important man, Zach. A very important man.”
    “But I’m just one person… .”
    “Of course. But you’re not alone. There are others. I’m fighting as hard as I can,” Dan went on, earnestly, coaxingly, “to prevent the Russians from achieving a total monopoly on space operations. Even if the United States has been forced officially to abandon space, Americans can still carry on the fight, still explore the solar system.”
    The scientist looked sharply at him. “And make profits from it.”
    Dan had been waiting for that one. He grinned. “Zach … how do you think we pay for the research we do? How do you think we’re going to finance our missions to the asteroid belt?”
    “You’re going to the belt?”
    Now you’ve got him hooked, Dan knew. He’s easier than you thought he’d be. Just reel him in, nice and gently.
    “We plan to. We want to. With the Russians monopolizing the Moon and setting their own prices for lunar ores, we’ve got to look elsewhere for raw materials. The asteroids are the obvious answer.”
    “Yes. obviously.”
    “We need you to head the program, Zach. You’re the only man who can do it for us.” Flattery. Dan knew, but not too far from the truth. “If you don’t come with us to head the team. I don’t think we’ll be able to pull it off.” Then he grinned again and added, “Unless we can get one of the Russians to defect.”
    Freiberg visibly straightened in his chair, squared his pudgy shoulders, lifted his round chin.
    “Will you help us, Zach? Will you help us to expand beyond the limits of the Earth-Moon system? If we wait for the Russians to do it, we’ll both be dead and in our graves before the first asteroid mission goes out.”
    “I’ll … have to talk it over with my wife, of course.”
    “Of course.”
    “She’s a native Californian.”
    A mental picture of a lank-haired vegetarian who believed in astrology and the mystical benefits of cocaine flashed through Dan’s mind. But he said, “Tell you what, Zach. You bring your wife down here for six weeks. Just to see how the two of you like living here and working with Astro Manufacturing. What does she do?”
    “She’s a social worker.”
    What else? Dan quipped to himself, thinking of the vast sea of unemployed and unemployable Californians. Half the state stood in welfare lines while the other half stood behind the desks ministering to them. Maybe they take turns at it, he thought, one week in line and one week running the system.
    “She speaks fluent Spanish.” Freiberg added, brightening.
    I’ll bet she does. Cautiously, Dan replied. “I wouldn’t be
    surprised if we could find something useful for her to do here in Caracas.”
    “That sounds good.