Deception Point Page 19

Rachel set herself uncharacteristically tongue-tied. Sensory overload was setting in the habisphere, the meteorite, the secrets, finding herself by luck face-to-face with a television star. Im surprised to see you here, she give tongue to, attempting to recover. When the President told me hed recruited civilian scientists for authentication of a NASA find, I guess I expected She hesitated. truly scientists? Tolland grinned.Rachel flushed, mortified. Thats not what I stand fort.Dont worry about it, Tolland said. Thats all Ive heard since I got here.The administrator excused himself, promising to catch up with them later. Tolland dour promptly to Rachel with a curious look. The administrator tells me your father is Senator sacristan?Rachel nodded. Unfortunately.A Sexton spy behind enemy lines?Battle lines are not forever and a day drawn where you might think.An awkward silence.So tell me, Rachel said quickly, whats a world-famous oceanographer doing on a glacier with a bunch of NASA gemstoneet scientists?Tolland chuckled. Actually, some abuse who looked a lot like the President asked me to do him a favor. I opened my mouth to say Go to hell, but somehow I blurted, Yes, sir.Rachel laughed for the first time all morning. Join the club.Although most celebrities seemed smaller in person, Rachel thought Michael Tolland appeared taller. His br witness eyes were just as vigilant and impassi integrityd as they were on television, and his voice carried the same modest warmth and enthusiasm. flavor to be a weathered and athletic forty-five, Michael Tolland had coarse black pilus that fell in a permanent windswept tuft crossways his forehead. He had a strong chin and a carefree foible that exuded confidence. When hed shaken Rachels hand, the callused roughness of his palms reminded her he was not a typical fruity television personality but rather an accomplished seaman and hands-on researcher.To be honest, Tolland admitted, sounding sheepish, I think I wa s recruited more for my PR value than for my scientific knowledge. The president asked me to come up and make a documentary for him.A documentary? About a meteorite? But youre an oceanographer.Thats only what I told him But he said he didnt know of whatever meteorite documentarians. He told me my involvement would help bring mainstream credibility to this find. Apparently he plans to broadcast my documentary as part of tonights big press multitude when he announces the discovery.A celebrity spokesman. Rachel sensed the savvy political maneuverings of Zach Herney at work. NASA was often accused of talking over the publics head. Not this time. Theyd pulled in the professional scientific communicator, a face Americans already knew and trusted when it came to science.Tolland pointed kitty-corner across the dome to a far wall where a press neighborhood was being set up. There was a blue carpet on the ice, television cameras, media lights, a long table with several microphones. Someon e was suspension system a backdrop of a huge American flag.Thats for tonight, he explained. The NASA administrator and some of his top scientists will be connected live via sitellite to the White House so they can participate in the Presidents octonary oclock broadcast.Appropriate, Rachel thought, pleased to know Zach Herney didnt plan to cut NASA out of the announcement entirely.So, Rachel said with a sigh, is someone finally going to tell me whats so specific about this meteorite?Tolland arched his eyebrows and gave her a mysterious grin. Actually, whats so special about this meteorite is best seen, not explained. He motioned for Rachel to follow him toward the neighboring work area. The ridicule stationed over here has plenty of samples he can show you.Samples? You in truth have samples of the meteorite?Absolutely. Weve drilled quite a few. In fact, it was the initial hollow samples that alerted NASA to the importance of the find.Unsure of what to expect, Rachel followed To lland into the work area. It appeared deserted. A cup of deep brown sat on a desk scattered with rock samples, calipers, and other diagnostic gear. The coffee was steaming.Marlinson Tolland yelled, looking around. No answer. He gave a frustrated sigh and turned to Rachel. He probably got lost trying to find cream for his coffee. Im rotund you, I went to Princeton postgrad with this guy, and he used to bewitch lost in his own dorm. Now hes a National Medal of Science recipient in astrophysics. Go figure.Rachel did a double take. Marlinson? You dont by each chance mean the famous corked Marlinson, do you?Tolland laughed. One and the same.Rachel was stunned. corky Marlinson is here? Marlinsons ideas on gravitational fields were legendary among NRO satellite engineers. Marlinson is one of the Presidents civilian recruits?Yeah, one of the real scientists.Real is right, Rachel thought. Corky Marlinson was as brilliant and respected as they came.The incredible paradox about Corky, Tol land said, is that he can quote you the withdrawnness to Alpha Centauri in millimeters, but he cant tie his own necktie.I wear clip-ons a nasal, good-natured voice barked nearby. Efficiency over style, Mike. You Hollywood types dont understand thatRachel and Tolland turned to the man now emerging from behind a large stack of electronic gear. He was squat and rotund, resembling a pug-dog dog with bubble eyes and a thinning, comb-over haircut. When the man saw Tolland stand up with Rachel, he stopped in his tracks.Jesus Christ, Mike Were at the friggin compass north Pole and you still manage to meet gorgeous women. I knew I should have gone into televisionMichael Tolland was visibly embarrassed. Ms. Sexton, please excuse Dr. Marlinson. What he lacks in tact, he more than makes up for in random bits of only useless knowledge about our universe.Corky approached. A true pleasure, maam. I didnt catch your name.Rachel, she said. Rachel Sexton.Sexton? Corky let out a prankish gasp. No relation to that shortsighted, depraved senator, I hopeTolland winced. Actually, Corky, Senator Sexton is Rachels father.Corky stopped laughing and slumped. You know, Mike, its really no wonder Ive never had any luck with the ladies.22Prize-winning astrophysicist Corky Marlinson ushered Rachel and Tolland into his work area and began sifting by his tools and rock samples. The man moved like a tightly exasperate spring about to explode. all told right, he said, quivering excitedly, Ms. Sexton, youre about to get the Corky Marlinson xxx-second meteorite primer.Tolland gave Rachel a be-patient wink. Bear with him. The man really cherished to be an actor.Yeah, and Mike wanted to be a respected scientist. Corky rooted around in a shoebox and produced three small rock samples and aligned them on his desk. These are the three main classes of meteorites in the world.Rachel looked at the three samples. All appeared as awkward spheroids about the size of play balls. Each had been sliced in half to reveal its cross section.All meteorites, Corky said, consist of varying amounts of nickel-iron alloys, silicates, and sulfides. We classify them on the basis of their metal-to-silicate ratios.Rachel already had the feeling Corky Marlinsons meteorite primer was going to be more than thirty seconds.