them. Jupiter Five is going right there, so he’s getting together a
biological team to go with it.”
Hunt already knew all this. Nevertheless, he went through the
motions of digesting the information and checking through it for
any point he might have missed. After an appropriate pause he
replied:
“That’s fine-I can see his angle. But what does it have to do with
me?”
Caidwell frowned and drummed his fingers, as if he had been
expecting this question to come, while hoping it wouldn’t.
“Consider this an extension of your assignment,” he said at last.
“From all the arguing that’s going on around this place, nobody
seems to be able to agree just how the Ganymeans fit into the
Charlie business. Maybe they’re a big part of the answer, maybe
they’re not. Nobody knows for sure.”
“True.” Hunt nodded.
Caidwell took this as all the confirmation he needed. “Okay,” he
said with a gesture of finality. “You’ve done a good job so far on
the Charlie side of the picture; maybe it’s time to balance things
up a bit and give you a crack at the other side, too. Well”- he
shrugged-“the information’s not here-it’s on Ganymede. In six weeks
time, J Five shoves off for Ganymede. It makes sense to me that you
go with it.”
Hunt’s brow remained creased in an expression that indicated he
still didn’t quite see everything. He posed the obvious question.
“What about the job here?”
“What about it? Basically you correlate information that comes from
dilTerent places. The information will still keep coming from the
places whether you’re in Houston or on board Jupiter Five. Your
assistant is capable of stepping in and keeping the routine
background research and cross-checking running smoothly in Group L.
There’s no reason why you can’t continue to be kept updated on
what’s going on if you’re out there. Anyhow, a change of scene
never did anybody any harm. You’ve been on this job a year and a
half now.”
“But we’re talking about a break of years, maybe.”
“Not necessarily. Jupiter Five is a later design than I Four; it
will make Ganymede in under six months. Also, a number of ships are
being ferried out with the Jupiter Five Mission to start build-.
ing up a fleet that will be based out there. Once a reserve’s been
established, there will be regular two-way traffic with Earth. In
other words, once you’ve had enough of the place we’ll have no
problem getting you back.”
Hunt reflected that nothing ever seemed to stay normal for very
long when Caidwell was around. He felt no inclination to argue with
this new directive. On the contrary, the prospect excited him. But
there was something that didn’t quite add up in the reasons
Caidwell was giving. Hunt had the same feeling he had experienced
on previous occasions that there was an ulterior motive lurking
beneath the surface somewhere. Still, that didn’t really matter.
Caidwell seemed to have made up his mind, and Hunt knew from
experience that when Caidwell made up his mind that something would
be so, then by some uncanny power of preordination, so it would
inevitably turn out to be.
Caldwell waited for possible objections. Seeing that none were
forthcoming, he concluded: “When you joined us, I told you your
place in UNSA was out front. That statement implied a promise. I
always keep promises.”
For the next two weeks Hunt worked frantically, reorganizing the
operation of Group L and making his own personal preparations for a
prolonged absence from Earth. After that, he was sent to Galveston
for two weeks.
By the third decade of the twenty-first century, commercial flight
reservations to Luna could be made through any reputable travel
agent, for seats either on regular UNSA ships or on chartered ships
crewed by UNSA officers. The standards of comfort provided on
passenger ifights were high, and accommodation at the larger Lunar
bases was secure, enabling Lunar travel to become a routine chore
in the lives of many businessmen and a memorable event for more
than a few casual visitors, none of whom needed any specialized
knowledge or training. Indeed, one enterprising consortium,
comprised of a hotel chain, an international airline, a travel-tour