"Like the Moon."
Durban nodded. "That's why we're opening this training 153 center here. People will have to live underground on the Moon, so we'll train them here at Coober Pedy."
"It was your idea, wasn't it?"
Another nod. "Not mine exclusively. Several other peo- ple thought of it, too. Years ago. But when you live long enough to be an old fart like me in this game, they give you credit for enormous wisdom," He laughed and reached for his beer again.
Kinsman sat quietly, wondering how he could break away, while Durban alternately sipped his beer and packed his pipe. The old man still had a tinge of red in his silvery hair. His face was thin, with a light, almost delicate bone structure showing through skin like ancient parchment. But the cobalt- blue eyes were alive, alert, inquisitive, framed by bushy reddish brows. Durban had seen it all, from the struggling beginnings of rocketry when people scoffed at the idea of exploring space to the multinational industry that was now on the verge of colonizing the Moon.
"You look damned uncomfortable, son. What's wrong?"
Kinsman felt himself wince. "Nothing," he lied.
Those bushy eyebrows went up. "Am I bothering you? Did I say something I shouldn't? Am I keeping you from a date or something?"
"Nosir. None of the above. I'm just . . . well, I guess I feel out of place here."
Durban studied him. "You were on the plane with me, the L.A. to Sydney flight last night, weren't you?"
"Yessir."
"I thought I recognized you. Saw your picture in the papers or something a few years back. But you were in uniform then."
He can't know, Kinsman told himself. There's no way he could possibly know.
"I'm still in the Air Force," he said to Durban. "I'm on ... inactive duty."
"Astronaut?"
"I was."
Durban said, "Do I have to buy you another drink to get you to tell me your name?"
"Kinsman," he blurted. "Chet Kinsman." He grabbed the whisky in front of him and took a long pull from it. 154
"Chester A. Kinsman," Durban murmured. "Now where did I ... of, of course!" He grinned broadly. "The Zero Gee Club! Now I remember. Old Cy Calder told me about you."
Kinsman put his drink down with a trembling hand. "The Zero Gee Club. I had forgotten about that."
