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Mark Minier was only too happy to explain; it gave him something to do
to pass the time, too -- and kept his mind away from the thought of the
life-or-death jump looming ahead like a high cliff they would fall from -- and
maybe or maybe not land safely in a pool at the bottom.
"See that blip? It's the ship in front of us, getting ready to jump."
Tremaine remembered the pardon he had given at Mandy's request, and her
decision to try one more jump, hoping to arrive at Sporeworld rather than
somewhere back in trackless space. "Do you know who's on that ship?"
"I can find out easy enough," Mark answered. He spoke to the computer,
then tilted his head slightly sideways to read the display. He relayed the
data to Tremaine even though he could have read it himself by leaning forward
and to the side a bit. "Steve Joplin, Mandy Worthington, Derik Anders, Bertha
Winslow, Wendy Waltz and Clinton Williams."
"Ah. Young Joplin's chance is coming up. I do hope he makes it."
"Do you keep up with all the crews of the Crazy Ships, sir?"
"No, just the ones that interest me. The young Joplins have had a hard
time, what with their parents' company going bankrupt and then their parents
being sentenced to the Crazy Ships, then the kids having to chance a jump on a
Crazy Ship, too."
"I think I remember that case, now," the pilot said. "Weren't the
Plemmons involved in it somehow?"
"They were the ones who threw Geneplan into bankruptcy, yes."
"Geneplan! Now I remember. Hell, I thought that company was really
going places. One of my nieces worked for them and she said it was a great
place to be. The employees were bonded like the law stipulates but she said it
didn't amount to anything except on paper; they were pretty much free to do as
they pleased."
"Yes, and that's the reason they went under -- The Plemmons group won't
stand for a company that doesn't control its bondees as close as a banker
counts pennies. Earth is a corporate world and nothing short of outright
revolution is going to change it -- that or an economic collapse, which I
expect will come one day."
Mark Menier, a bonded pilot, looked askance at the head of the giant
Tremaine Corporation. He wondered again, as he had before, why such a man
would be taking a chance on a Crazy Ship, other than if he expected his
corporation to be taken over by the Plemmons, its only real competitor. Or
maybe it was the rioting? He decided to chance a question, and asked.
Tremaine smiled. "The riots and looting will be allowed to go on for a
bit but the Corpolice will put a stop to them before any major damage is done
-- I think. It's just a way of letting bondees blow off stream during a
changeover. However, this might be the last change -- and it's even possible
that the whole shebang will collapse before the Plemmons get it all organized.
Earth became a static society under globalization once the big corporations
divided up the pie. And actually, we're on the decline now. Innovation is
scarce when there's no reward for inventive bondees, and the executives are
more interested in playing with their wealth than creating more of it. No,
this system is on its last legs. It may go down now or stagger along for
another couple of decades but basically it's finished. You're doing yourself a
favor by trying for Sporeworld."
The pilot forbore to mention that he hadn't had a choice, and Tremaine
certainly didn't mention that Sporeworld itself left much to be desired.
Tremaine meditated a moment, then added to his discourse. "As I said,
there's always the chance that the rioting and violence may get out of hand.
If that happens, you'll see Plemmons executives lined up like sausage links
out here on Crazy Ships, taking a chance on jumping instead of facing firing
squads -- or worse."
"Why Plemmons and not Tremaines? Or some of the other corporation
execs?" Mark was getting an education, now that the knowledge couldn't hurt
anyone.
"The Plemmons control the spaceports and therefore the shuttles. They
are also pretty strong in Moon city so they'll make sure they get the majority
of ships available."
"You mean if that should happen, a collapse I mean, then the Plemmons
would take over Sporeworld?"
"Could be," Tremaine said, closing the subject.
Presently, the pilot tapped Tremaine on the shoulder to get his
attention. He pointed to the radar display. "The Joplin ship is getting close
to their jump point. Another few minutes and they'll be gone."
"Oh. Thanks." Tremaine watched as the time ticked away and suddenly the
blip was gone.
"Well, they jumped instead of blowing up," Mark said.
"That may be small consolation, but I do hope they made it."
"What do you mean?"
Tremaine didn't answer and presently his pilot turned back to the
displays. He watched as the mass that would balance their ship approached
cautiously. It was much larger than normal, having to compensate for the
weight of the huge fusion reactor stored in the special shuttle already
attached to their ship. The little bug-like tugs had already used their lasers
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