danbrown.deceptionpoint-第29部分

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　she　walked　over　to　a　wall　safe；　removed　a　thick　manila　envelope；　returned　to　the　desk；　and　sat　back　down。
　Gabrielle　eyed　the　burgeoning　envelope。
　Tench　smiled；　cradling　the　envelope　in　her　lap　like　a　poker　player　holding　a　royal　flush。　Her　yellowed　fingertips　flicked　at　the　corner；　making　an　annoying　repetitive　scratch；　as　if　savoring　the　anticipation。
　Gabrielle　knew　it　was　just　her　own　guilty　conscience；　but　her　first　fears　were　that　the　envelope　contained　some　kind　of　proof　of　her　sexual　indiscretion　with　the　senator。　Ridiculous；　she　thought。　The　encounter　had　occurred　after　hours　in　Sexton's　locked　senatorial　office。　Not　to　mention；　if　the　White　House　actually　had　any　evidence；　they　would　have　gone　public　with　it　already。
　They　may　be　suspicious；　Gabrielle　thought；　but　they　don't　have　proof。
　Tench　crushed　out　her　cigarette。　〃Ms。　Ashe；　whether　or　not　you　are　aware；　you　are　caught　in　the　middle　of　a　battle　that　has　been　raging　behind　the　scenes　in　Washington　since　1996。〃
　This　opening　gambit　was　not　at　all　what　Gabrielle　expected。　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　Tench　lit　another　cigarette。　Her　spindly　lips　curled　around　it；　and　the　tip　glowed　red。　〃What　do　you　know　about　a　bill　called　the　Space　mercialization　Promotions　Act？〃
　Gabrielle　had　never　heard　of　it。　She　shrugged；　lost。
　〃Really？〃　Tench　said。　〃That　surprises　me。　Considering　your　candidate's　platform。　The　Space　mercialization　Promotions　Act　was　proposed　back　in　1996　by　Senator　Walker。　The　bill；　in　essence；　cites　the　failure　of　NASA　to　do　anything　worthwhile　since　putting　a　man　on　the　moon。　It　calls　for　the　privatization　of　NASA　by　immediately　selling　off　NASA　assets　to　private　aerospace　panies　and　allowing　the　free…market　system　to　explore　space　more　efficiently；　thus　relieving　the　burden　NASA　now　places　on　taxpayers。〃
　Gabrielle　had　heard　NASA　critics　suggest　privatization　as　a　solution　to　NASA's　woes；　but　she　was　not　aware　the　idea　had　actually　taken　the　form　of　an　official　bill。
　〃This　mercialization　bill；〃　Tench　said；　〃has　been　presented　to　Congress　four　times　now。　It　is　similar　to　bills　that　have　successfully　privatized　government　industries　like　uranium　production。　Congress　has　passed　the　space　mercialization　bill　all　four　times　it　has　seen　it。　Thankfully；　the　White　House　vetoed　it　on　all　occasions。　Zachary　Herney　has　had　to　veto　it　twice。〃
　〃Your　point？〃
　〃My　point　is　that　this　bill　is　one　Senator　Sexton　will　certainly　support　if　he　bees　President。　I　have　reason　to　believe　Sexton　will　have　no　qualms　about　selling　off　NASA　assets　to　mercial　bidders　the　first　chance　he　gets。　In　short；　your　candidate　would　support　privatization　over　having　American　tax　dollars　fund　space　exploration。〃
　〃To　my　knowledge；　the　senator　has　never　mented　publicly　about　his　stance　on　any　Space　mercialization　Promotions　Act。〃
　〃True。　And　yet　knowing　his　politics；　I　assume　you　would　not　be　surprised　if　he　supported　it。〃
　〃Free…market　systems　tend　to　breed　efficiency。〃
　〃I'll　take　that　as　a　'yes。'〃　Tench　stared。　〃Sadly；　privatizing　NASA　is　an　abominable　idea；　and　there　are　countless　reasons　why　every　White　House　administration　since　the　bill's　inception　has　shot　it　down。〃
　〃I've　heard　the　arguments　against　privatizing　space；〃　Gabrielle　said；　〃and　I　understand　your　concerns。〃
　〃Do　you？〃　Tench　leaned　toward　her。　〃Which　arguments　have　you　heard？〃
　Gabrielle　shifted　uneasily。　〃Well；　the　standard　academic　fears　mostly…the　most　mon　being　that　if　we　privatize　NASA；　our　current　pursuit　of　scientific　space　knowledge　would　be　quickly　abandoned　in　favor　of　profitable　ventures。〃
　〃True。　Space　science　would　die　in　a　heartbeat。　Instead　of　spending　money　to　study　our　universe；　private　space　panies　would　strip…mine　asteroids；　build　tourist　hotels　in　space；　offer　mercial　satellite　launch　services。　Why　would　private　panies　bother　studying　the　origins　of　our　universe　when　it　would　cost　them　billions　and　show　no　financial　return？〃
　〃They　wouldn't；〃　Gabrielle　countered。　〃But　certainly　a　National　Endowment　for　Space　Science　could　be　founded　to　fund　academic　missions。〃
　〃We　already　have　that　system　in　place。　It's　called　NASA。〃
　Gabrielle　fell　silent。
　〃The　abandonment　of　science　in　favor　of　profits　is　a　side　issue；〃　Tench　said。　〃Hardly　relevant　pared　to　the　utter　chaos　that　would　result　by　permitting　the　private　sector　to　run　free　in　space。　We　would　have　the　wild　west　all　over　again。　We　would　see　pioneers　staking　claims　on　the　moon　and　on　asteroids　and　protecting　those　claims　with　force。　I've　heard　petitions　from　panies　who　want　to　build　neon　billboards　that　blink　advertisements　in　the　nighttime　sky。　I've　seen　petitions　from　space　hotels　and　tourist　attractions　whose　proposed　operations　include　ejecting　their　trash　into　the　void　of　space　and　creating　orbiting　trash　heaps。　In　fact；　I　just　read　a　proposal　yesterday　from　a　pany　that　wants　to　turn　space　into　a　mausoleum　by　launching　the　deceased　into　orbit。　Can　you　imagine　our　telemunications　satellites　colliding　with　dead　bodies？　Last　week；　I　had　a　billionaire　CEO　in　my　office　who　was　petitioning　to　launch　a　mission　to　a　near…field　asteroid；　drag　it　closer　to　earth；　and　mine　it　for　precious　minerals。　I　actually　had　to　remind　this　guy　that　dragging　asteroids　into　near　earth　orbit　posed　potential　risks　of　global　catastrophe！　Ms。　Ashe；　I　can　assure　you；　if　this　bill　passes；　the　throngs　of　entrepreneurs　rushing　into　space　will　not　be　rocket　scientists。　They　will　be　entrepreneurs　with　deep　pockets　and　shallow　minds。〃
　〃Persuasive　arguments；〃　Gabrielle　said；　〃and　I'm　sure　the　senator　would　weigh　those　issues　carefully　if　he　ever　found　himself　in　a　position　to　vote　on　the　bill。　Might　I　ask　what　any　of　this　has　to　do　with　me？〃
　Tench's　gaze　narrowed　over　her　cigarette。　〃A　lot　of　people　stand　to　make　a　lot　of　money　in　space；　and　the　political　lobby　is　mounting　to　remove　all　restrictions　and　open　the　floodgates。　The　veto　power　of　the　office　of　the　President　is　the　only　remaining　barrier　against　privatization。。。　against　plete　anarchy　in　space。〃
　〃Then　I　mend　Zach　Herney　for　vetoing　the　bill。〃
　〃My　fear　is　that　your　candidate　would　not　be　so　prudent　if　elected。〃
　〃Again；　I　assume　the　senator　would　carefully　weigh　all　the　issues　if　he　were　ever　in　a　position　to　pass　judgment　on　the　bill。〃
　Tench　did　not　look　entirely　convinced。　〃Do　you　know　how　much　Senator　Sexton　spends　on　media　advertising？〃
　The　question　came　out　of　left　field。　〃Those　figures　are　public　domain。〃
　〃More　than　three　million　a　month。〃
　Gabrielle　shrugged。　〃If　you　say　so。〃　The　figure　was　close。
　〃That's　a　lot　of　money　to　spend。〃
　〃He's　got　a　lot　of　money　to　spend。〃
　〃Yes；　he　planned　well。　Or　rather；　married　well。〃　Tench　paused　to　blow　smoke。　〃It's　sad　about　his　wife；　Katherine。　Her　death　hit　him　hard。〃　A　tragic　sigh　followed；　clearly　feigned。　〃Her　death　was　not　all　that　long　ago；　was　it？〃
　〃e　to　your　point；　or　I'm　leaving。〃
　Tench　let　out　a　lung…shaking　cough　and　reached　for　the　burgeoning　manila　folder。　She　pulled　out　a　small　stack　of　stapled　papers　and　handed　them　to　Gabrielle。　〃Sexton's　financial　records。〃
　Gabrielle　studied　the　documents　in　astonishment。　The　records　went　back　several　years。　Although　Gabrielle　was　not　privy　to　the　internal　workings　of　Sexton's　finances；　she　sensed　this　data　was　authentic…banking　accounts；　credit　card　accounts；　loans；　stock　assets；　real　estate　assets；　debts；　capital　gains　and　losses。　〃This　is　private　data。　Where　did　you　get　this？〃
　〃My　source　is　not　your　concern。　But　if　you　spend　some　time　studying　these　figures；　you　will　clearly　see　that　Senator　Sexton　does　not　have　the　kind　of　money　he　is　currently　spending。　After　Katherine　died；　he　squandered　the　vast　majority　of　her　legacy　on　bad　investments；　personal　forts；　and　buying　himself　what　appears　to　be　certain　victory　in　the　primaries。　As　of　six　months　ago；　your　candidate　was　broke。〃
　Gabrielle　sensed　this　had　to　be　a　bluff。　If　Sexton　were　broke；　he　sure　wasn't　acting　it。　He　was　buying　advertising　time　in　bigger　and　bigger　blocks　every　week。
　〃Your　candidate；〃　Tench　continued；　〃is　currently　outspending　the　President　four　to　one。　And　he　has　no　personal　money。〃
　〃We　get　a　lot　of　donations。〃
　〃Yes；　some　of　them　legal。〃
　Gabrielle's　head　shot　up。　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　Tench　leaned　across　the　desk；　and　Gabrielle　could　smell　her　nicotine　breath。　〃Gabrielle　Ashe；　I　am　going　to　ask　you　a　question；　and　I　suggest　you　think　very　carefully　before　you　answer。　It　could　affect　whether　you　spend　the　next　few　years　in　jail　or　not。　Are　you　aware　that　Senator　Sexton　is　accepting　enormous　illegal　campaign　bribes　from　aerospace　panies　who　have　billions　to　gain　from　the　privatization　of　NASA？〃
　Gabrielle　stared。　〃That's　an　absurd　allegation！〃
　〃Are　you　saying　you　are　unaware　of　this　activity？〃
　〃I　think　I　would　know　if　the　senator　were　accepting　bribes　of　the　magnitude　you　are　suggesting。〃
　Tench　smiled　coldly。　〃Gabrielle；　I　understand　that　Senator　Sexton　has　shared　a　lot　of　himself　with　you；　but　I　assure　you　there　is　plenty　you　do　not　know　about　the　man。〃
　Gabrielle　stood　up。　〃This　meeting　is　over。〃
　〃On　the　contrary；〃　Tench　said；　removing　the　remaining　contents　of　the　folder　and　spreading　it　on　the　desk。　〃This　meeting　is　just　beginning。〃
　
　　
　44
　Inside　the　habisphere's　〃staging　room；〃　Rachel　Sexton　felt　like　an　astronaut　as　she　slid　into　one　of　NASA's　Mark　IX　microclimate　survival　suits。　The　black；　one…piece；　hooded　jumpsuit　resembled　an　inflatable　scuba　suit。　Its　two…ply；　memory…foam　fabric　was　fitted　with　hollow　channels　through　which　a　dense　gel　was　pumped　to　help　the　wearer　regulate　body　temperature　in　both　hot　and　cold　environments。
　Now；　as　Rachel　pulled　the　tight…fitting　hood　over　her　head；　her　eyes　fell　on　the　NASA　administrator。　He　appeared　as　a　silent　sentinel　at　the　door；　clearly　displeased　with　the　necessity　for　this　little　mission。
　Norah　Mangor　was　muttering　obscenities　as　she　got　everyone　outfitted。　〃Here's　an　extra　pudgy；〃　she　said；　tossing　Corky　his　suit。
　Tolland　was　already　half　into　his。
　Once　Rachel　was　fully　zipped　up；　Norah　found　the　stopcock　on　Rachel's　side　and　connected　her　to　an　infusion　tube　that　coiled　out　of　a　silver　canister　resembling　a　large　scuba　tank。
　〃Inhale；〃　Norah　said；　opening　the　valve。
　Rachel　heard　a　hi