Earthgap

By Steve DeFrisco

What will life be like on the moon? Steve DeFrisco explores the possibilities in this collection of short stories, from sewers to physical endurance, with insight and humor.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Steve DeFrisco
• Release date: May 7, 2016
• ISBN: 9780463966266

Book preview

Earthgap

By Steve DeFrisco

Science Fiction

Copyright © 2009, 2010 Steve DeFrisco

NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.

Contents

Dedication

Forward

Moon Drop

Luna Rooter

Moon Buggy

Piezo Electric Peltier Junction Climbing Suit

About the Author

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my children, Emmett, Tessa, and Milo. I started making up stories for you to keep you occupied whenever we were driving in the car. Thanks for being such good listeners!

Forward

I was eight years old when Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. I was sitting, with my brothers and sister, in my Grandparents living room, with my pajamas on, waiting for Neil Armstrong to step out of the L.E.M. and step onto the surface of the moon. It seemed to take forever, and I didn’t want to go to sleep. Oh, I was tired all right, and practically falling over, and too young for coffee, but I wanted to be awake when Man first stepped onto the lunar surface. Alas, I was carried to bed, and only heard a repeat of the famous line One small step for Man, one giant leap for Mankind. For many years, outer space filled my fantasies. Making a rocket ship instead of a go-cart with my best friend, drawing pictures of rockets, building and launching model rockets, and learning about the Apollo program. All these years later, space travel still holds a fascination for me. I don’t ever expect to walk on the Moon, but I can dream about it. And write about it. Here are four stories about living on the Moon. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Moon Drop

Tom sat in the common room, the only place in the dorm with enough desk space to open his astronomical charts. He spread the charts out on the table, carefully flattening them, his fingers reveling at the bumps in the grain of the real paper. Tom looked around at the other astrophysics students of Galileo Lunar College using their 3-D holographic displays. While he could understand the draw of the technical marvel of the holo-viewers, Tom preferred the tactile feel of the paper charts. He liked to think of himself like the sea captains of old, plying the unknown waters in search of a new land.

Tom’s roommate Garrett sat across the table from him, reading a digital-ink magazine. Dude, you work too hard. Garrett propped his feet up on the table, leaned his chair back, and let the wall hold him up.

Tom took a deep breath, exhaled, and then looked at his roommate. Garrett, you should be studying. Finals are next week.

Tom, you need a break.

After finals.

Garrett set his chair down, took off his sandals, and climbed onto the table. Tom quickly moved his charts out of the way. Hey, watch it! These are expensive.

Garrett held his hands out to either side. You gotta remember to keep your knees bent, or you’ll lose your balance. His stance evoked the image of the current fad, his Bermuda shorts, Hawaiian shirt, and his toes at the edge of the table completing the picture. Garrett said, Hang ten!

Tom sighed. Do you mind?

Across the room, two co-eds were looking at Garrett and giggling. He smiled and waved, then pulled out a pair of sunglasses, put them on, and gave them a thumbs up. They returned the sign and giggled some more.

Garrett, will you come down, please. I’m trying to study. Tom looked up and saw that Garrett was posing and waving across the room. Tom looked across and saw the brunette and redhead. He quickly turned back. Garrett, get down.

Come on, dude, lighten up.

Garrett. Please. Tom unconsciously hid his face behind his hand, not looking at the women across the room.

Only if you agree to go do … something.

Knowing that Garrett would stay up there until he agreed, Tom asked, What did you have in mind?

Free fall.

Free fall? On the moon? Are you nuts?

Garrett kicked the magazine over to Tom and waved around like he was going to fall. We used to have fun before finals back in California. Free fall is the thing to do here. We gotta go.

Tom pushed the magazine away, but looked at the advertisement in the open magazine. It’s probably expensive.

It’s only ninety credits. Garrett recovered his balance and crouched down, his hand reaching up to touch the wave’s curl.

I can’t. I need to study. I’ve got to keep my grades up.

Dude, you’re the best in the class. You’re screwing up the curve for the rest of us. You need a break or you’re gonna crack, and that will not be pretty. Garrett banked his surfboard into a curve up and over the crest of the wave.

"All right, I admit I need a break. But can’t we do