Sister of Earth
by
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Val flew north a while, then angled east. The small craft seemed much faster than the bulky cargo carrier they had flown the day before. It also lacked its radar imaging capabilities, so they saw the scenery in its raw colors. For a long while Andries watched entranced as the mottled reds, oranges and browns of ridges and ravines flew past, interrupted occasionally by some solitary rail line snaking its way to a distant outpost. The rails became less and less frequent, then vanished entirely, and still Val flew east. "Where are we heading?" he finally asked. "I thought we'd visit one of the surface mining operations," she replied nonchalantly. "How much further?" "Another hour." Andries stared thoughtfully at the short, tawny hair on the back of Val's head. An hour seemed like a long time at this speed. A suspicion began to take shape in the back of his mind. "What's the name of the place?" he asked. "Where we're going?" she replied matter-of-factly. "It hasn't really got a name." "What's the closest terrain feature?" "It's at the edge of the Varz Chasm." The name rang a bell. "That's the illegal operation, isn't it?" "It's outside Latimer's original territory, if that's what you mean." "Why do you want to go there?" "It's a magnificent sight," she answered. "Trust me, you don't want to miss it." "It wouldn't bother me." "We've come this far. There's no point in turning back now." "We'd get back to Latimer that much earlier." "It seems to me," she chided him, measuring her words carefully, "that a man in your position wouldn't mind getting off the beaten path for a while." "What the hell's that supposed to mean?" "It means you're wanted by the U.N." "Kuo told you that?" "He didn't have to. I watched the Cytheran news last night. There was a prominent piece about you, complete with name and picture. Something about a hotel burglary." Andries was speechless at first, stunned that the governor would allow such a story to air. Then he realized it must be part of his cover. Kuo would be less inclined to suspect him if he thought the U.N. was actively looking for him. "You mean to say," he finally said when he had recovered his composure, "that you took me on a tour of the city this morning knowing anyone could have spotted me and turned me in?" "Unlikely," she responded. "There aren't many Latimerites enthusiastic about helping the planetary government. Even if someone turned you in, they'd have to go through the local authorities. I'm sure Kuo has told them to ignore any such reports."
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About the Book
Eighty years after establishment of the first permanent colony on the surface of the planet Venus the settlers are thriving. They have grown to a million strong, located for the most part in four major cities. The very success of the cities, however, has led to friction with the United Nations Planetary Government over restrictions in their original charters, friction which leads to open revolt. Sister of Earth is the story of that revolt as seen through the eyes of a recent immigrant from Earth, an ex-convict by the name of Andries Enthoven. Drawn by circumstances into the vortex of the conflict, he crosses paths with major figures on both sides before meeting his own personal fate. Along the way he is witness to the marvelous new technologies, which allow man to survive in the lethal Venusian environment, as well as the age-old human capacities for ambition and violence which threaten that survival.
About the Author
The author is a lifelong resident of the Midwest. Born in Ohio, he studied chemistry and history at the University of Illinois and received a master’s degree in history at the University of Wisconsin--Madison, where he currently works as a librarian. An avid reader of history and science, he has a special interest in science fiction. Stories about the settlement of Venus have always been a favorite. Sister of Earth is his first novel.