BooksBarbecue
Back The Long Sunset
Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Prologue
  5. 1.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 4.
  9. 5.
  10. 6.
  11. 7.
  12. 8.
  13. 9.
  14. 10.
  15. 11.
  16. 12.
  17. 13.
  18. 14.
  19. 15.
  20. 16.
  21. 17.
  22. 18.
  23. 19.
  24. 20.
  25. 21.
  26. 22.
  27. 23.
  28. 24.
  29. 25.
  30. 26.
  31. 27.
  32. 28.
  33. 29.
  34. 30.
  35. 31.
  36. 32.
  37. 33.
  38. 34.
  39. 35.
  40. 36.
  41. 37.
  42. 38.
  43. 39.
  44. 40.
  45. 41.
  46. 42.
  47. 43.
  48. 44.
  49. Epilogue
  50. About the Author
  51. Copyright

The problem with the corporations was that they didn’t really go anywhere. If she got hired by TransGalactic, all she’d do would be take tourists around the solar system, and occasionally the more adventurous ones to 61 Cygni to look at the Blue Cone left by the Monument Makers. Or possibly haul supplies and passengers to Quraqua and Pinnacle. Her life would become nothing more than riding back and forth to the same places. She’d prefer making her living as a speaker. She enjoyed having an audience, and she was well known because of her encounter with the omega cloud last year. People were prepared to make substantial payments to bring her into various civic, religious, and educational events. Though Hutch made it a practice not to charge schools or nonprofits. She lost nothing through her generosity. The events served to expand her position as a celebrity.

“I’m in a fairly good spot,” she said. “But I’d just as soon pass on the bullets.”

Derek tried to reply, but whatever he said was overwhelmed by a sudden rush of laughs and shrieks from the front porch.

•  •  •

They had thirteen Broadway shows on file, and decided to watch one every third evening to make them last. “Do we have Farewell to London?” asked Ken. It was the biggest hit show of the past two years.

Wally posted the titles. And yes, they had it. Along with Lost in Paradise, another major hit. And some comedies: Time and Tide; It’s a Long Way to Albuquerque; Lights Out, Louie; and Love at Zero Gee. Ken suggested they start by watching Farewell to London.

“Why don’t we hold it aside for a while?” said Beth.

“Why’s that?”

“That’s probably the best show we have.”

“So, what’s your point?” asked Wally.

“It might be a good idea to save Farewell to London and a couple of the comedies so we have them on the way back. If this mission doesn’t have a good outcome, we might need the lighter stuff.”

“Okay by me,” said Ken.

It sounded good to everybody. They started with Riot Act, a light comedy that had been running for three years. Ken and Beth had seen it before and were happy to watch it again. Then they switched to some game-playing in which different teams were trying to rescue stranded sailors from an oncoming tidal wave. They watched some recorded TV programs over the next few days. And they played bridge and poker, traded stories, and just hung out.