danbrown.deceptionpoint-第39部分

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　in　the　cowboy　hat。
　〃Space　Industries　of　Houston；〃　Sexton　said。　〃I'm　glad　you　came。〃
　The　Texan　grunted。　〃I　hate　this　town。〃
　〃I　don't　blame　you。　Washington　has　been　unfair　to　you。〃
　The　Texan　stared　out　from　beneath　the　rim　of　his　hat　but　said　nothing。
　〃Twelve　years　back；〃　Sexton　began；　〃you　made　an　offer　to　the　U。S。　government。　You　proposed　to　build　them　a　U。S。　space　station　for　a　mere　five　billion　dollars。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　did。　I　still　have　the　blueprints。〃
　〃And　yet　NASA　convinced　the　government　that　a　U。S。　space　station　should　be　a　NASA　project。〃
　〃Right。　NASA　started　building　almost　a　decade　ago。〃
　〃A　decade。　And　not　only　is　the　NASA　space　station　not　yet　fully　operational；　but　the　project　so　far　has　cost　twenty　times　your　bid。　As　an　American　taxpayer；　I　am　sickened。〃
　A　grumble　of　agreement　circled　the　room。　Sexton　let　his　eyes　move；　reconnecting　with　the　group。
　〃I　am　well　aware；〃　the　senator　said；　addressing　everyone　now；　〃that　several　of　your　panies　have　offered　to　launch　private　space　shuttles　for　as　little　as　fifty　million　dollars　per　flight。〃
　More　nods。
　〃And　yet　NASA　undercuts　you　by　charging　only　thirty…eight　million　dollars　per　flight。。。　even　though　their　actual　per　flight　cost　is　over　one　hundred　and　fifty　million　dollars！〃
　〃It's　how　they　keep　us　out　of　space；〃　one　of　the　men　said。　〃The　private　sector　cannot　possibly　pete　with　a　pany　that　can　afford　to　run　shuttle　flights　at　a　four　hundred　percent　loss　and　still　stay　in　business。〃
　〃Nor　should　you　have　to；〃　Sexton　said。
　Nods　all　around。
　Sexton　turned　now　to　the　austere　entrepreneur　beside　him；　a　man　whose　file　Sexton　had　read　with　interest。　Like　many　of　the　entrepreneurs　funding　Sexton's　campaign；　this　man　was　a　former　military　engineer　who　had　bee　disillusioned　with　low　wages　and　government　bureaucracy　and　had　abandoned　his　military　post　to　seek　his　fortune　in　aerospace。
　〃Kistler　Aerospace；〃　Sexton　said；　shaking　his　head　in　despair。　〃Your　pany　has　designed　and　manufactured　a　rocket　that　can　launch　payloads　for　as　little　as　two　thousand　dollars　per　pound　pared　to　NASA's　costs　of　ten　thousand　dollars　per　pound。〃　Sexton　paused　for　effect。　〃And　yet　you　have　no　clients。〃
　〃Why　would　I　have　any　clients？〃　the　man　replied。　〃Last　week　NASA　undercut　us　by　charging　Motorola　only　eight　hundred　and　twelve　dollars　per　pound　to　launch　a　telem　satellite。　The　government　launched　that　satellite　at　a　nine　hundred　percent　loss！〃
　Sexton　nodded。　Taxpayers　were　unwittingly　subsidizing　an　agency　that　was　ten　times　less　efficient　than　its　petition。　〃It　has　bee　painfully　clear；〃　he　said；　his　voice　darkening；　〃that　NASA　is　working　very　hard　to　stifle　petition　in　space。　They　crowd　out　private　aerospace　businesses　by　pricing　services　below　market　value。〃
　〃It's　the　Wal…Marting　of　space；〃　the　Texan　said。
　Damn　good　analogy；　Sexton　thought。　I'll　have　to　remember　that。　Wal…Mart　was　notorious　for　moving　into　a　new　territory；　selling　products　below　market　value；　and　driving　all　local　petition　out　of　business。
　〃I'm　goddamned　sick　and　tired；〃　the　Texan　said；　〃of　having　to　pay　millions　in　business　taxes　so　Uncle　Sam　can　use　that　money　to　steal　my　clients！〃
　〃I　hear　you；〃　Sexton　said。　〃I　understand。〃
　〃It's　the　lack　of　corporate　sponsorships　that's　killing　Rotary　Rocket；〃　a　sharply　dressed　man　said。　〃The　laws　against　sponsorship　are　criminal！〃
　〃I　couldn't　agree　more。〃　Sexton　had　been　shocked　to　learn　that　another　way　NASA　entrenched　its　monopoly　of　space　was　by　passing　federal　mandates　banning　advertisements　on　space　vehicles。　Instead　of　allowing　private　panies　to　secure　funding　through　corporate　sponsorships　and　advertising　logos…the　way；　for　example；　professional　race　car　drivers　did…space　vehicles　could　only　display　the　words　USA　and　the　pany　name。　In　a　country　that　spent　185　billion　a　year　on　advertising；　not　one　advertising　dollar　ever　found　its　way　into　the　coffers　of　private　space　panies。
　〃It's　robbery；〃　one　of　the　men　snapped。　〃My　pany　hopes　to　stay　in　business　long　enough　to　launch　the　country's　first　tourist…shuttle　prototype　next　May。　We　expect　enormous　press　coverage。　The　Nike　Corporation　just　offered　us　seven　million　in　sponsorship　dollars　to　paint　the　Nike　swoosh　and　'Just　do　it！'　on　the　side　of　the　shuttle。　Pepsi　offered　us　twice　that　for　'Pepsi：　The　choice　of　a　new　generation。'　But　according　to　federal　law；　if　our　shuttle　displays　advertising；　we　are　prohibited　from　launching　it！〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Senator　Sexton　said。　〃And　if　elected；　I　will　work　to　abolish　that　antisponsorship　legislation。　That　is　a　promise。　Space　should　be　open　for　advertising　the　way　every　square　inch　of　earth　is　open　to　advertising。〃
　Sexton　gazed　out　now　at　his　audience；　his　eyes　locking　in；　his　voice　growing　solemn。　〃We　all　need　to　be　aware；　however；　that　the　biggest　obstacle　to　privatization　of　NASA　is　not　laws；　but　rather；　it　is　public　perception。　Most　Americans　still　hold　a　romanticized　view　of　the　American　space　program。　They　still　believe　NASA　is　a　necessary　government　agency。〃
　〃It's　those　goddamned　Hollywood　movies！〃　one　man　said。　〃How　many　NASA…saves…the…world…from…a…killer…asteroid　movies　can　Hollywood　make；　for　Christ's　sake？　It's　propaganda！〃
　The　plethora　of　NASA　movies　ing　out　of　Hollywood；　Sexton　knew；　was　simply　a　matter　of　economics。　Following　the　wildly　popular　movie　Top　Gun…a　Tom　Cruise　jet　pilot　blockbuster　that　played　like　a　two…hour　advertisement　for　the　U。S。　Navy…NASA　realized　the　true　potential　of　Hollywood　as　a　public　relations　powerhouse。　NASA　quietly　began　offering　film　panies　free　filming　access　to　all　of　NASA's　dramatic　facilities…launchpads；　mission　control；　training　facilities。　Producers；　who　were　accustomed　to　paying　enormous　on…site　licensing　fees　when　they　filmed　anywhere　else；　jumped　at　the　opportunity　to　save　millions　in　budget　costs　by　making　NASA　thrillers　on　〃free〃　sets。　Of　course；　Hollywood　only　got　access　if　NASA　approved　the　script。
　〃Public　brainwashing；〃　a　Hispanic　grunted。　〃The　movies　aren't　half　as　bad　as　the　publicity　stunts。　Sending　a　senior　citizen　into　space？　And　now　NASA　is　planning　an　all…female　shuttle　crew？　All　for　publicity！〃
　Sexton　sighed；　his　tone　turning　tragic。　〃True；　and　I　know　I　don't　have　to　remind　you　what　happened　back　in　the　eighties　when　the　Department　of　Education　was　bankrupt　and　cited　NASA　as　wasting　millions　that　could　be　spent　on　education。　NASA　devised　a　PR　stunt　to　prove　NASA　was　education…friendly。　They　sent　a　public　school　teacher　into　space。〃　Sexton　paused。　〃You　all　remember　Christa　McAuliffe。〃
　The　room　fell　silent。
　〃Gentlemen；〃　Sexton　said；　stopping　dramatically　in　front　of　the　fire。　〃I　believe　it　is　time　Americans　understood　the　truth；　for　the　good　of　all　of　our　futures。　It's　time　Americans　understand　that　NASA　is　not　leading　us　skyward；　but　rather　is　stifling　space　exploration。　Space　is　no　different　than　any　other　industry；　and　keeping　the　private　sector　grounded　verges　on　a　criminal　act。　Consider　the　puter　industry；　in　which　we　see　such　an　explosion　of　progress　that　we　can　barely　keep　up　from　week　to　week！　Why？　Because　the　puter　industry　is　a　free…market　system：　It　rewards　efficiency　and　vision　with　profits。　Imagine　if　the　puter　industry　were　government…run？　We　would　still　be　in　the　dark　ages。　We're　stagnating　in　space。　We　should　put　space　exploration　into　the　hands　of　the　private　sector　where　it　belongs。　Americans　would　be　stunned　by　the　growth；　jobs；　and　realized　dreams。　I　believe　we　should　let　the　free…market　system　spur　us　to　new　heights　in　space。　If　elected；　I　will　make　it　my　personal　mission　to　unlock　the　doors　to　the　final　frontier　and　let　them　swing　wide　open。〃
　Sexton　lifted　his　snifter　of　cognac。
　〃My　friends；　you　came　here　tonight　to　decide　if　I　am　someone　worthy　of　your　trust。　I　hope　I　am　on　the　way　to　earning　it。　In　the　same　way　it　takes　investors　to　build　a　pany；　it　takes　investors　to　build　a　presidency。　In　the　same　way　corporate　stockholders　expect　returns；　you　as　political　investors　expect　returns。　My　message　to　you　tonight　is　simple：　Invest　in　me；　and　I　will　never　forget　you。　Ever。　Our　missions　are　one　and　the　same。〃
　Sexton　extended　his　glass　toward　them　in　a　toast。
　〃With　your　help；　my　friends；　soon　I　will　be　in　the　White　House。。。　and　you　will　all　be　launching　your　dreams。〃
　　
　Only　fifteen　feet　away；　Gabrielle　Ashe　stood　in　the　shadows；　rigid。　From　the　den　came　the　harmonious　clink　of　crystal　snifters　and　the　crackle　of　the　fire。
　
　　
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　In　a　panic；　the　young　NASA　technician　dashed　through　the　habisphere。　Something　terrible　has　happened！　He　found　Administrator　Ekstrom　alone　near　the　press　area。
　〃Sir；〃　the　technician　gasped；　running　up。　〃There's　been　an　accident！〃
　Ekstrom　turned；　looking　distant；　as　if　his　thoughts　were　already　deeply　troubled　with　other　matters。　〃What　did　you　say？　An　accident？　Where？〃
　〃In　the　extraction　pit。　A　body　just　floated　up。　Dr。　Wailee　Ming。〃
　Ekstrom's　face　was　blank。　〃Dr。　Ming？　But。。。　〃
　〃We　pulled　him　out；　but　it　was　too　late。　He's　dead。〃
　〃For　Christ's　sake。　How　long　has　he　been　in　there？〃
　〃We　think　about　an　hour。　It　looks　like　he　fell　in；　sank　to　the　bottom；　but　when　his　body　bloated；　he　floated　up　again。〃
　Ekstrom's　reddish　skin　turned　crimson。　〃Goddamn　it！　Who　else　knows　about　this？〃
　〃Nobody；　sir。　Only　two　of　us。　We　fished　him　out；　but　we　thought　we　better　tell　you　before…〃
　〃You　did　the　right　thing。〃　Ekstrom　exhaled　a　weighty　sigh。　〃Stow　Dr。　Ming's　body　immediately。　Say　nothing。〃
　The　technician　felt　perplexed。　〃But；　sir；　I…〃
　Ekstrom　put　a　large　hand　on　the　man's　shoulder。　〃Listen　to　me　carefully。　This　is　a　tragic　accident；　one　I　deeply　regret。　Of　course　I　will　deal　with　it　appropriately　when　the　time　es。　Now；　however；　is　not　the　time。〃
　〃You　want　me　to　hide　his　body？〃
　Ekstrom's　cold　Nordic　eyes　bore　down。　〃Think　about　it。　We　could　tell　everyone；　but　what　would　that　acplish？　We're　about　an　hour　off　from　this　press　conference。　Announcing　that　we've　had　a　fatal　accident　would　overshadow　the　discovery　and　have　a　devastating　effect　on　morale。　Dr。　Ming　made　a　careless　mistake；　I　have　no　intention　of　making　NASA　pay　for　it。　These　civilian　scientists　have　taken　enough　of　the　spotlight　without　my　letting　one　of　their　slipshod　errors　cast　a　shadow　over　our　public　moment