“He was a fine geologist. But there were plenty of fine geologists who left the program, leaving Schmitt standing there. Schmitt made himself useful, and in ways the other guys — the decision makers — could recognize. He was asked to be the astronaut representative on the Apollo lunar surface gear, and he did it. And without waiting around to be asked he went on to cover the whole of the Lunar Module’s descent stage. He worked on lunar exploration strategies. He helped to get the other guys to take the geology seriously.”

“But, Ben — Schmitt never walked on the Moon.”

Priest shook his head. “You aren’t listening. Because Schmitt was around at the time, the geology we did on the Moon was a hell of a lot better than it might otherwise have been. You ought to think about that. The late landings got canceled out from under him, and that was that. But if any scientist was ever going to walk on the Moon, it would have been Schmitt. He gave himself the best possible chance.” He eyed her. “Anyhow, Schmitt has had a tour in Moonlab. He’s gotten as close to the Moon as sixty miles, at least. And you know Ralph Gershon, don’t you?”

“Sure. One Grade-A asshole.”

“No,” Ben snapped. “You’re being the asshole, Natalie. I’m sorry, but that’s the truth. Listen: Gershon is having just as hard a time as you, but from a different angle. He’s the best pilot in the Agency, and most of us know it. But he doesn’t fit in. He’s a different generation from these other guys. He’s fought in a dirtier war, and maybe they think that’s left him a little dirty.

“But,” Priest went on, “Ralph hasn’t given up. He’s doing his damnedest to get a seat. Here he is, for instance, making himself useful by nursemaiding you guys.”

“But he’s a lousy instructor!”

Priest shook his head. “Wise up. That’s not the measure. Taking the assignment, completing it, being a team player: that’s what counts. And on top of that Ralph spends half his life out at Langley, and Rockwell, wherever the hell they are trying out bits of MEM concepts. And you know why? Because he figures that when push comes to shove, he doesn’t want there to be anybody around here who knows more about flying the MEM than he does. Just like Schmitt, he’s giving himself the best shot he can.”

“And that’s what I should do?”

“That’s what you should do. More. Stop griping, for Christ’s sake. You have a great opportunity here. Get on the sims. Grab all the training you can, no matter how obscure and irrelevant it seems. Go to the meetings about the damn EVA gloves, or whatever. And try to find ways to leverage your own skills. Get on the Mars landing site selection board, for instance…”