The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut, #1)(113)
That last sentence was so matter-of-fact that a laugh surprised its way out of me. Wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, I looked up at Nathaniel, but his eyes were squeezed shut, a crease carved between his brows. “You … you aren’t kidding.”
He let his breath out in a controlled stream. “No.” Rolling the bottle in his fingers, he shook his head. “I have never had such a strong urge for violence. If I had been there, I probably would have punched him. And then he would have beaten the tar out of me.”
With each revolution of the bottle, the little white pills inside rattled and shifted. Their tiny clatter promised a blanket of soothing calm. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Do you think the pressure is going to get any lighter?”
Sighing, I folded in on myself, and sagged against Nathaniel. He pulled me tight, pressing his lips against the top of my head. “Here’s what I think. You keep yourself healthy, and then we can deal with Parker. Together. I don’t know how, but I know we can.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because we survived the end of the world.” He kissed me again. “And you are my lady astronaut.”
*
I followed Nicole’s maid back to her sunken living room, where most of the 99s were munching on hors d’oeuvres and sipping cocktails. Jacira and Sabiha had joined the mix, but I didn’t see Betty or Violette.
“Sorry I’m late. Aunt Esther called, and it took a while to get off the phone.”
“How is the dear?” Nicole rose from the arm of the sofa she was perched on, leaving Imogene with her head bowed over a flight manual. “Martini?”
“Please.” The glory of knowing a senator’s wife was that liquor was never lacking at the Wargin house. I’d taken the Miltown out of my purse, but hadn’t gotten rid of it, and having something to take the edge off seemed very appealing.
Helen bounded across the room to hug me, still holding the manual she’d been studying. “Missed you.”
“Me too. Maybe we can grab dinner sometime?” I’d gone past the computer department a couple of times after my “promotion,” as they called it, but it had been awkward. I kept wanting to check numbers, but that would just annoy everyone. “What are you reading?”
She shrugged. “It’s just orbital trajectory calculations. Pretty basic.”
“Basic for you!” Nicole handed me a martini with a laugh. “Some of us struggle with that stuff.”
“That’s why we trade. You teach me about simulator. I teach you about orbital calculations.”
I raised my glass. “And if someone can get the acronyms through my head, I would be greatly appreciative.”
The clear, cold gin lit up my mouth with all its juniper glory. I closed my eyes and sighed with appreciation as my shoulders relaxed, just a smidge. I’d missed these women. Thank God Nicole had thought about setting up a study group. Opening my eyes, I carried my cocktail and my books over to join Helen on the sofa.
Kicking off my shoes, I settled down and tucked my feet up under me. “No Pearl?”
Helen shook her head and scowled. “She doesn’t think there’s any point in prepping for the astronaut tests.”
“They have to open it up more widely at some point, if it’s really going to be a colonization effort.”
From her spot on the sofa, Nicole nodded. “And that’s something my husband strongly supports.”
“Wait—” I blinked, feeling like I’d missed something. “Are they still talking about keeping it a military venture?”
With a sigh, Nicole scooted forward to face me. “I know you hate the idea, but—”
“But nothing. We have to get off the planet. I mean, sure, they might—and I stress the word might—be able to keep the greenhouse effect from running away, but by the time we know if that’s going to work, it’ll be too late to try to establish colonies elsewhere. We have to do it now, while we have the resources and the time.”
“Preaching to the choir.” Nicole smoothed the pages of her book, then reached for her martini. She took a sip of it before she continued. All of us—it wasn’t just me—were staring at her, waiting to see what she was going to say. “But. There are members of Congress—and, in fact, of the UN—who only respond to questions of military threat. So if having a military component to the missions is useful in getting funding and keeping the program going, then that’s what my husband will do.”
“That’s … Why are people so stupid?”
Nicole shrugged and unbuttoned her blouse by one. “Hormones. And if men are going to be led by them, then I’m happy to play my part.”
Ida raised her glass. “Hear, hear!”
“How are you ladies doing this evening?” Poor Senator Wargin chose that moment to wander into the living room. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t used to a roomful of women laughing at him, but he didn’t seem to mind.
*
“Does anyone know what a MITTS is?” Jacira looked up from the binder she had been studying. She’d stretched out on the floor with her legs kicked up behind her.
“Um…” That was all I could offer.
“Mobile IGOR Tracking Telescope System,” Ida said, without even looking up from the book she had open. She tapped the pencil against the edge of the page as she read.