Free Solar Express by L. E. Modesitt Jr.

strictly necessary, it might have been politic to have listed the Williams Observatory as a co-discoverer, since Comet COFAR was discovered during shared observation time. If this could be quietly remedied, it would be useful.
    Translated loosely, you should have thought of that, because anything will help with fundraising.
    With a sigh, Alayna went to work composing another message to IAU, not that it would do much good, given that the IAU naming conventions only recognized the first two discoverers, but at least she could note that she had tried and inform Director Braun. Sometime after that, perhaps, she could finally send a message to Chris, the one person who didn’t seem to be demanding something from her. Then, for a little while, she might listen to music or even see if any of the realies she brought appealed to her … or any of those left by Luis, although she had her doubts about whether any of those would appeal to her.

 
    9
    L UNAR L OW O RBIT S TATION
    2 A PRIL 2114
    Tavoian looked at the message that had come through the encrypted link several minutes before reading it a second time.
    Tavoian, Christopher, Captain, NSC
    FusEx Three, ONeill Station
    Noram Space Service

    You are hereby ordered to proceed with your vessel to Lunar Lagrange Station 1, for further assignment. Details for release and travel will arrive via LunaCon Operations. Authorizations to follow.
    That was all—no explanation. No details on the assignment, or how long it would be, or what it would entail. Or who his replacement might be. His tour at ONeill Station wasn’t due to end until October, and he’d been told it might even have to be extended. So what had changed, or had it been something he’d done?
    His first thought was whether he’d offended the Noram IG types. He shook his head. He might have done that, but the originating time and date on the orders were before he’d even linked to LLOS, and the IG types would have had no way to commlink while onboard. So whatever had caused him to come to the attention of detailing hadn’t been his passengers. He went back over his past shuttle hops, but he couldn’t think of a single incident that might have singled him out for something he’d done in either exemplary or terrible fashion. The one thing he did know was that, whatever it was, someone didn’t want the details on the commnet, and that was anything but routine.
    He puzzled over the orders for several minutes more, then shrugged. Whatever he’d done, or not done, or for whatever reason Space Command had made the decision, there wasn’t much he could do about it. All he could do was let a few people know.
    His first message was to Alayna.
    I’ve just received orders that I’m being transferred to L1 Station, for further assignment. What that means, I have no idea. I’ve never received orders like that before. Nor has anyone else that I’ve heard of. Then again, how would I know? As for messaging, keep using the same routing. I should get anything you send, except it might take a little longer.

    I only hope it doesn’t have anything to do with the mess developing between the Sinese and the Indians. If the Indians want to gamble their future on turning their partial space elevator into a surface-to-orbit operation, with the base link in the middle of the Indian Ocean, which doesn’t have the calmest of waters, then that’s their business. As I understood it, that was why they initially opted for a partial elevator that didn’t descend into the lower atmosphere. I’ll let you know what I can when I can.

    Have you made any progress in your solar project? Who knows? You just might discover something new about the sun. Or are you still dealing with the Noram IG team? I assume they at least paid a visit to COFAR. If they didn’t, count yourself quite fortunate.

    I’m still thinking over that selection you sent from The Passion of