Free Luna by Rick Chesler Page A

overseeing a “sample return” objective where moon rocks would be brought back home. Having an outside selenologist declare the sampling techniques to be scientifically sound would prevent skeptics from claiming that their samples had been contaminated because they didn’t adhere to accepted collection techniques. Never mind that most of the moon rocks would end up in the hands of CEOs who were in a position to return the favor someday to Blake Garner, exotic paperweights that would inevitably end up on eBay when a big enough financial meteor storm made an appearance.
    “Sunlight reaches all the way to the bottom,” Asami continued while zipping the specimen bag shut. “The only lunar ice we know about so far is found in the polar craters.”
    “Oh c’mon, Dr. Buzzkill,” Martin said, “there could be a pocket of ice down here somewhere under some rock heap.”
    “No, she’s right,” Blake cut in. “There’s no ice down here.”
    Caitlin hopped her way down the slope, finding it much easier going compared to the outside of the crater.
    Below her, Martin halted his forward progress and stood there motionless.
    James Burton took advantage of the silence. “Blake, don’t think I overlooked the fact that you haven’t addressed my concerns.” He was a few feet behind Blake, who made his way around the side of the rock formation that they could now see was almost twenty feet high.
    “I believe I have partially addressed them.” Blake disappeared around the outcropping. “But allow me to add that no one has to stay with us down here if they don’t want to. I can have Caitlin take anyone who wants to back to the rovers to await our return. Just say the word. That will go for our tourist EVAs as well.”
    “Some people might feel too embarrassed to speak up like that in a group setting, over open communications channels,” Burton pointed out. “They’ll be forced to go along with the group against their better judgment.”
    Blake gave an exaggerated sigh from around the other side of the rocks. “Follow me this way, people. We’re almost there.”
     

 
     
     
    13 | Descent
     
     
    Caitlin heard the rasping hiss of Blake’s breath as he apparently made a move requiring exertion, before continuing. “James, they can switch over to a private channel to express their wishes if they want. I’m sure we can devise some kind of alert system, but really—they came here to explore! These early lunar tourists aren’t your typical family who goes to the Grand Canyon on vacation, who want to drive to the lookout, take a couple of pictures and go, ‘Okay, we saw that! Let’s go get some fast food!’ No, the clients we cater to will, in all likelihood, be more like the adventurous souls who hike down into the Canyon and then go whitewater rafting at the bottom, camping out for a few days before trekking back out.”
    “Well that’s funny, Mr. Garner, because your brochure states quite prominently, ‘Our lunar landing trips are designed to be enjoyed by any able-bodied person. If you can endure a transoceanic flight on a commercial airplane and then walk across the terminal to make your connection, then you are able to participate in our premiere space experience product.’ Or some such drivel.”
    “Hey, I wrote that!” Suzette turned around to face Burton as he made his way around the outcropping. James did not apologize.
    Caitlin scanned the crater further down towards the floor, and she noted that there were several such outcroppings dotting the landscape. The one they had reached just happened to be the highest up.
    Suzette raised her camera to her shoulder to aim it in Blake’s direction. “And there’s an asterisk that refers to the fine print where it says they have to pass the physical first.”
    “I’m rolling my eyes inside my helmet right now,” Burton responded. “Because I suspect a diabetic Alzheimer’s patient could pass your physical if they had the financial wherewithal