6
WINGED FIRE
“MR. DEMBURTON,” Tom said, “how did you, er, ‘identify’ this asteroid? I don’t recall it from any of the recent news reports, and we get science updates continuously here over our videophone network.”
The hotelier laughed. “Oh, we forward-thinking business types have our ways, Tom. I put out the word quite some time ago that WPHC had an interest in funding scientific research involving near-Earth asteroids with certain characteristics. A friend of one of my managers turned out to be an astronomer. The manager, Niras Ewelle, called me last Friday; I called her friend that evening—it was morning there...”
“It was overseas?” Tom asked curiously—curious for some instinctive reason.
“Yes, the hotel is in Madagascar. Off the east coast of Africa, you know. As we say, the sun never sets on our hospitality.”
Madagascar—where the head of the Bose family held court! Was there a connection between the Fearing raiders and this sudden proposal to Swift Enterprises? “Sir, if you don’t mind my asking, what is the name of the astronomer? I might know him myself.”
The executive searched his memory. “Hmm. I’m told he’s a well-regarded professional in the field...”
Gerard spoke up in his unwarned way. “Talmadge. My brain noted it down, directly on the lobes. Easy enough. Always a snap to remember names that start with ‘T’.”
“That’s right,” nodded Mr. Demburton. “Louis Talmadge. He said his observatory is in the mountains east of Fianarantsoa—‘Fianar’. That’s a growing little city near a big nature preserve. We anticipate tourism in its future. We opened the Fianar Portico Magnifico three years ago.”
“I think I’ve read of Dr. Talmadge,” Tom said uncertainly. “I’m curious, sir. Did he mention how he was able to discover such a small body?”
Demburton gave Tom a look that was mildly shrewd. “Why do you say ‘small,’ Tom? I didn’t use that word.”
“You sure did, Felton,” languidly objected Neil Gerard. “I heard you use it just the other day. I’m not saying it’s, wha? important that you did. Just trying to stickle . You can’t build this future stuff on word-stupidity. I’ve always said that. Or at least I’m saying it now . As you can hear. Hunh.”
After a kindly pause that avoided eye contact, Demburton continued. “It is rather compact, I’m told. Something like ten miles across. Talmadge said the weight—I mean mass —is promising as to our purpose.”
“I also said that,” added Gerard. “In a sense. You have to listen.”
Tom decided to be cautious in further probing and to avoid mentioning the developing plan to visit the planetoid. For the moment he thought it best to not reveal Dr. Jatczak’s discovery. “We’d want to focus on the scientific and technical elements of this sort of project, of course. Gentlemen, no promises yet, but I think you can count on interest by Swift Enterprises. I’m always working on something, but we have no time-critical projects at the moment.”
As Tom had come to fear, Mr. Gerard spoke up. “Time is always critical. Without time... well, where would space be ?”
There was a split-second pause, rushingly filled.
“Wonderful!” exclaimed Mr. Demburton, shaking Tom’s hand. Mr. Gerard just shook, no exclamation, evidently bored at the prospect that his life’s dream might soon be realized.
As the two began to leave, Demburton waved Gerard ahead and strode back to Tom. He leaned forward and spoke in a near-whisper, with abundant coffee-breath. “Tom, please understand. Neil has always had his own unique way of expressing himself. His thinking is hard to follow at times... well, frequently. But I’m advised that he has substantial legal claim to his work, and his name does mean something to at least a fraction of the public. We keep him close and—keep an eye on him. Feel free to ignore him. As we do. But smile!”
The young inventor did smile, if warily. “It
WINGED FIRE
“MR. DEMBURTON,” Tom said, “how did you, er, ‘identify’ this asteroid? I don’t recall it from any of the recent news reports, and we get science updates continuously here over our videophone network.”
The hotelier laughed. “Oh, we forward-thinking business types have our ways, Tom. I put out the word quite some time ago that WPHC had an interest in funding scientific research involving near-Earth asteroids with certain characteristics. A friend of one of my managers turned out to be an astronomer. The manager, Niras Ewelle, called me last Friday; I called her friend that evening—it was morning there...”
“It was overseas?” Tom asked curiously—curious for some instinctive reason.
“Yes, the hotel is in Madagascar. Off the east coast of Africa, you know. As we say, the sun never sets on our hospitality.”
Madagascar—where the head of the Bose family held court! Was there a connection between the Fearing raiders and this sudden proposal to Swift Enterprises? “Sir, if you don’t mind my asking, what is the name of the astronomer? I might know him myself.”
The executive searched his memory. “Hmm. I’m told he’s a well-regarded professional in the field...”
Gerard spoke up in his unwarned way. “Talmadge. My brain noted it down, directly on the lobes. Easy enough. Always a snap to remember names that start with ‘T’.”
“That’s right,” nodded Mr. Demburton. “Louis Talmadge. He said his observatory is in the mountains east of Fianarantsoa—‘Fianar’. That’s a growing little city near a big nature preserve. We anticipate tourism in its future. We opened the Fianar Portico Magnifico three years ago.”
“I think I’ve read of Dr. Talmadge,” Tom said uncertainly. “I’m curious, sir. Did he mention how he was able to discover such a small body?”
Demburton gave Tom a look that was mildly shrewd. “Why do you say ‘small,’ Tom? I didn’t use that word.”
“You sure did, Felton,” languidly objected Neil Gerard. “I heard you use it just the other day. I’m not saying it’s, wha? important that you did. Just trying to stickle . You can’t build this future stuff on word-stupidity. I’ve always said that. Or at least I’m saying it now . As you can hear. Hunh.”
After a kindly pause that avoided eye contact, Demburton continued. “It is rather compact, I’m told. Something like ten miles across. Talmadge said the weight—I mean mass —is promising as to our purpose.”
“I also said that,” added Gerard. “In a sense. You have to listen.”
Tom decided to be cautious in further probing and to avoid mentioning the developing plan to visit the planetoid. For the moment he thought it best to not reveal Dr. Jatczak’s discovery. “We’d want to focus on the scientific and technical elements of this sort of project, of course. Gentlemen, no promises yet, but I think you can count on interest by Swift Enterprises. I’m always working on something, but we have no time-critical projects at the moment.”
As Tom had come to fear, Mr. Gerard spoke up. “Time is always critical. Without time... well, where would space be ?”
There was a split-second pause, rushingly filled.
“Wonderful!” exclaimed Mr. Demburton, shaking Tom’s hand. Mr. Gerard just shook, no exclamation, evidently bored at the prospect that his life’s dream might soon be realized.
As the two began to leave, Demburton waved Gerard ahead and strode back to Tom. He leaned forward and spoke in a near-whisper, with abundant coffee-breath. “Tom, please understand. Neil has always had his own unique way of expressing himself. His thinking is hard to follow at times... well, frequently. But I’m advised that he has substantial legal claim to his work, and his name does mean something to at least a fraction of the public. We keep him close and—keep an eye on him. Feel free to ignore him. As we do. But smile!”
The young inventor did smile, if warily. “It
Similar Books
