Under Strange Suns Read Online Free PDF Page A

family, that collection of individuals he’d not seen for so many years yet were still so dear to him.
    The Y-Drive began to take shape on the table before him, occupying most of the surface. He sensed a certain disquiet in the chamber, papers rustling, the shifting of forty congressional rumps picked up by sensitive microphones. The chairman broke into Azziz’s spiel, clearing his throat and ensuring that the cameras were focused on him before saying, “We’ve all seen the dog and pony show, Doctor Azziz. With respect for the Committee’s time, would you mind getting to your theory regarding Doctor Yuschenkov’s disappearance?”
    “Yes, sir. I wish to prepare the ground, so it doesn’t appear that I am merely speculating.”
    “How ‘bout I do a little layman speculating? Was there a fundamental flaw in the early design? Something we should be concerned might have carried on to the current Y-Drive models? Or was it what the scientific consensus has assumed these last couple of decades: a surge in the graviton splitter rendering inoperative all the drive components within the Y-Drive bubble.” The congressman sounded pleased with himself.
    “Scientific consensus may be on the right track, Congressman.” Azziz smiled, playing along. Meanwhile he clicked a circuit board in place.
    “So are your fellow scientists correct or not? Is that the reason we lost about one in fifty ships during the initial space push? ”
    “Correct or not, mandating that FTL ships operate in pairs, each carrying a backup Y-Drive, was an admirably practical solution.”
    “Practical, maybe. Expensive, definitely. My colleagues would love to hear you say there was another reason. My constituents would love to hear you say there was another reason. Eliminating the redundancy would cut operational costs in half.” The chairman paused. He’d set the table for the public, explaining the issue in a condescending fashion to the foremost expert on the subject precisely to set up the next moment. He leaned forward. “Doctor Azziz, was it something else? Not a mechanical defect after all? Of course, I don’t yield to scurrilous rumors, but some others, perhaps in this august body itself, suggest Doctor Yuschenkov deliberately included a flaw in his design, and withheld the fix. Perhaps you can help clear up this...slander. Do you have some insights into Doctor Yuschenkov’s mindset? Was–as some claim–the disappearance of the Eureka II deliberate?”
    Azziz looked up from his work, scanning the faces of the committee. In his hand he clutched a lead that would slot into the power supply in the open case directly in front of him. “Deliberate? A conscious choice? An exercise of free will? Is that what you are asking? It would be comforting, wouldn’t it? If Doctor Yuschenkov had simply decided not to return, it might suggest that our actions are truly our own, not dictated by externalities. Not ordained by God.”
    The disquiet grew, adding a susurrus of whispering. Azziz noted an armed policeman at one of the back doors straightening, beginning to take an interest. “I know I’d like to think I was in full command of my fate, making my own decisions, and not compelled to act in a certain fashion.”
    “Doctor Azziz,” the chairman said, “what are you talking about? Why, exactly, have you assembled the Y-Drive? How does this explain..?”
    Azziz interrupted him, seeing the policeman dropping one hand to the weapon at his hip and beginning to saunter in his direction. “But ultimately it is all in God’s hands. I am sorry.” He watched the policeman approaching, dedicated, insightful. A good man he was sure, as conceivably were many others in this room, and he mourned them all. He thought of Brennan Yuschenkov, wondering how he had met his end. Had he time to ponder the oncoming abyss? Another good man, Yuschenkov, though rash, coarse, probably irredeemable.
    He was almost glad his mentor was not here to witness this day. This day,