За разломом орла

           Icheckedthattheywerelockedintheirfullyextendedpositionsandthatthestatuslightswereallinthegreen. ThejibswereRay’sarea. He’dbeencheckingthealignmentoftheski-shapedq-planeswhenIorderedhimtocloseupshipandpreparetolift. Icouldn’tseeanyvisibleindicationthattheywereoutofalignment, butthenagainitwouldn’ttakemuchtomakeourtriphomebumpierthanusual. ButasI’dtoldRay,whocared? TheBlueGoosecouldtakealittletunnelturbulence. Itwasbuiltto. 

           Icheckedthesurgepointagain. Onlythreeshipsaheadofus. 

           IwentbacktothesurgetanksandcheckedthatSuzyandRaywereallright. Ray’stankhadbeencustomizedatthesametimethatSuzyhadhadhersdone. ItwasfullofimagesofwhatSuzycalledtheBVM:theBlessedVirginMary. TheBVMwasalwaysinaspacesuit,carryingalittlespacesuitedJesus. Theirhelmetswereairbrushedgoldhalos. Theartworkhadacheap,hastylooktoit. IassumedRayhadn’tspentasmuchasSuzy. 

           QuicklyIstrippeddowntomyunderclothes.Iplumbedintomyownunpaintedsurgetankandclosedthelid. Thebufferinggelsloshedin.WithinabouttwentysecondsIwasalreadyfeelingdrowsy. BythetimetrafficcontrolgaveusthegreenlightI’dbeasleep. 

           I’vedoneitathousandtimes. Therewasnofear,noapprehension. Justatinyflickerofregret. 

           I’veneverseenanaperture. Thenagain,veryfewpeoplehave. 

           Witnessesreportadoughnut-shapedlumpofdarkchondriteasteroid,abouttwokilometresacross.