Trajectory Book 1 (New Providence) Read Online Free Page B

tapped his screen and brought up an image of the bigger parent body, the unusually-named, bone-shaped Kleopatra. “We should figure out a way to get down on that thing.”
    “Nah, I’m pretty sure I got all of the good stuff.” Jerem grinned. They were getting some good bounty for this. Probably even be able to take a month or two of leave and first dibs on replacement parts for the ship. Tam’d have to get used to them being around again. And Em. He looked forward to annoying her by being around more. “Did you send it in yet?”
    “No, not yet. I’m still basking in the glow.” Hal grinned and put his feet up on the console. “Dinner’s on me tonight.”
 

007
    New Providence: Nicola Tesla University
    What’d you do last night? You never answered me.
    Emma was pretending to pay attention in geology class. She didn’t want Professor Richardson making a target out of her again.
    Tamra> um, nuthin…
    Emma> mmhm. I don’t beleeeev u.
    Emma knew about Greg. Everybody did. There weren’t many real secrets in the ship crew section of the colony. Most of the space crews’ families all lived in the same apartment complex. People talked.
    Emma> just be careful, k? so… about my question.
    Emma trailed off, keeping an eye on her prof at the front of class.
    Tamra> Doc Powell has office hours later today. We should just go.
    Emma> OK. Let’s meet after class.
    Doctor Richardson continued her lecture on the different melting points of various types of rock.
    *
    “OK Em, let’s go camp the Powell-spawn.” Tamra punched Emma in the shoulder.
    “Hey, what the hell?” Emma grabbed her arm and turned around to face Tamra, walking backwards.
    “That’s for message-stalking me.” Tamra grinned and wagged her finger in front of Emma’s face.
    “OK, I am so sorry for invading your personal special privacy time miss secret pants.” Emma started walking in the direction of Dr. Powell’s office, Tamra in tow. “It’s not fair that your boyfriend is down here with us while mine is in the asteroid belt.”
    “Fair shmare. I just wanted a taste.” There was some giggling and some more punching.
    Emma scrunched up her face. “Perv.”
    They walked up to Powell’s office, his door was ajar and another student was talking to him about something. So they waited.
    Tamra was still grinning. Emma looked at her and sighed. “Will you quit it? You can tell me about it later.”
    Eventually the student, Joe Price, got up and walked out. He nodded to Emma as he passed them, head down, shuffling out. Tamra snorted at him as he went past.
    Doctor Tadeuz Powell professor of Astronomy and council science member waved from behind his desk, leaning to see who was out in his hallway. He poked his glasses up to a more prominent position on his nose. “What can I do for you, ladies? Come in.”
    “We think we found something.” Em pushed into a chair on the other side of Powell’s desk. Tam followed and closed the door behind her. Emma brought out her tablet and set it in front of the old astronomy professor on his desk and lit the screen up.
    Powell studied the recording for a long time. Tamra thought he might be asleep. He had a nose whistle somewhere under his grey moustache.
    “I can zoom…”
    Powell held up a crooked finger and went back to wheezing at the video. Not much there. No detail. Which constellation was that?
    Emma was fidgeting so she sat on her hands to try to keep herself from exploding.
    On the ancient monitor panel on Doctor Powell’s desk, a swirling visualization of the asteroid belt near Mars rolled past. An ambient display of the known rocks of the solar system modelled into simulation on the school’s computer system.
    “It’s probably just a rock with a chunk of ice or metal on it.” Powell put the tablet back down on his desk and pushed it towards the students.
    Em couldn’t contain herself any longer. “That’s what I thought at first too, but the orbit’s wrong. It’s going too