“Well, that’s a surprise.”

“All right. Look, I know you too well to try to talk you out of doing it. In fact, I think you’re precisely the right person for this idiot mission. And I don’t mean that as an insult.”

“Of course not.”

“No, I mean that if anybody can make it turn out well, you’re the person. And it’s very likely a smart career move for you. If things go the way we hope they will, if you get there and discover intelligent squirrels or something cruising around in rockets, it’ll provide another boost to the space program, which I know is what you live for. And you’ll come home on top of the world. So, really, the only reason I’m here is to wish you luck. I hope everything goes according to plan.”

“So why do you want me to pass on this?”

He got up and walked over to the muffins. “You want one?”

“No, thanks.”

He picked one up and took a bite. “Hutch, you’ve become one of my favorite people. I don’t want to see anything bad happen to you. And this business just feels unsafe. And not only for you but for the whole planet. Look, I know you’ll go out there and probably nothing bad will happen. But you might light the fire again, and if you do, somewhere down the road—” He shook his head.

They sat for a minute, staring at each other. “I’ve only said this to one other woman in my life, Hutch: I love you. I would not want to see you become known to history as a primal figure in a global catastrophe.”

•  •  •

On the way home, she got a call from Derek. “Priscilla, the director’s flying into DC tomorrow. He wants to talk to us. Eleven a.m. at the Truman Building. I’m not sure what this is about, but I assume it’ll have something to do with the Centauri Initiative. You want me to have someone pick you up?”

SCIENCE DESK

Tuesday, February 19, 2256

QURAQUA READY FOR COLONIZATION

KOSMIK CEO Marie Dubois Announces Terraforming Complete

Millions Around the Globe Apply

SIX CARRIERS WILL BEGIN MOVING SETTLERS IN MAY

Supply Stockpiles Already in Place at Quraqua

UN PROMISES FUNDING FOR MORE CARRIERS

COMMUNICATION IMPLANTS LOSING

POPULARITY IN NAU

Doctors for Common Sense: “I’d Rather

Carry a Commlink”

STUDY REVEALS DISADVANTAGES OF

EXTENDED LIFESPANS

With Passing Years We Become Progressively

Wedded to Opinions

Research Suggests Exercises Designed to Maintain Mental Flexibility

Population Issues Grow

TIME TRAVEL EXPERIMENTS PROVIDE NO SURPRISES

Some Particles Can Be Sent “Down Time,”

but Not People

BREAKTHROUGH IMMINENT IN CLIMATE CONTROL

Techniques Acquired from Terraforming Show Terrestrial Applications

Research: Polar Ice Caps May Be Restored by 2400

ALVIN CARMICHAEL DEAD AFTER FALL

FROM ROOFTOP

“What’s the Point of Being Alive,” He Famously Asked, “if You’re a Tree?”