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Book 3: Chapter 46: City
Book 3: Chapter 46: City
Book 3: Chapter 46: City
Howard
June 2221
Odin
Bridget found me lounging in my office, feet up on my desk, gazing abstractedly at a hologram floating in the air.
“What’s that?” She pointed at the image.
“You know how Marcus created those flying cities on Poseidon?”
“Mmm, hmm,” Bridget replied, “and a thorough shit-storm along with them. I read blogs, too.”
I grinned at her. “Well, it got me thinking. Odin is this huge freakin’ planet, and if you’re going to go all floating-city, why not here?”
“Okay. Is that his design?”
“No.” I gestured at the hologram. “I don’t need SURGE coils to stay afloat. Turns out normal Earth-pressure air in an enclosed bubble will float in Odin’s atmosphere, at the 1.5 bars level. I’ve designed the city within a prolate spheroid, which will be very stable, and more than strong enough with carbon-fiber reinforced materials.”“Sure, but who’s going to live there?”
“Well, I was thinking maybe us.”
Bridget raised an eyebrow at me. “Uh, Howard, are you forgetting what VR stands for?”
“No, dear.” I grinned at her as she stuck her tongue out. “I’m thinking android bodies. Our very own city in the clouds. Don’t say I never give you anything.”
“You, sir, have far too much time on your hands.”
I nodded, then lost my smile. “Seriously, though, Bridget, this whole thing with the Others—it’s not out of the question that we might end up having to hide human colonies in gas giants, to avoid getting wiped out.”
“The Bobs are really concerned about this species, aren’t they?” Bridget’s eyes showed her concern.
“Yeah, Bridge, Delta Pavonis really kicked the stuffing out of us. I feel kind of bad that I’m not more involved in the war effort. I guess this is my contribution.”
“So we’d be the beta testers.” Bridget sat down at my desk and examined the model more closely.
“Yep. And of course we can’t really be hurt if things go bad.”
Bridget poked a finger at the model and turned it this way and that. She examined it in silence for several milliseconds. Then she turned to me. “And a front-row seat to watch Odin life in action. Okay, Howard. You’ve been wanting to get me involved in a printing project. Let’s see what we can do.” ???o??Ê?