For the next four years Sherry and I worked hard. We both worked hard at getting and deserving our spots on The Chaser. We had the blessing of Yanci and the Krazney family. We also had the blessing of Yanci's new wife, Yolinda, and her family, and that turned out to be more helpful than Sherry and I expected, but I think Mr. Krazney was not as surprised. What we didn't have yet that we really wanted was two things: a Chaser ready to depart and the blessings of my family for our marriage.
My father was still in the front ranks, leading the fight on Earth to have The Chaser shelved. And, that still might happen. Not only was The Chaser expensive, the Earth sanctions were expensive, too. No one on either Titan or Earth was willing to admit that they were being influenced by the trade restrictions, but people on both sides were more than willing to point out how much the other side was paying for their stubbornness. And those who were willing to call themselves "neutral" on this issue just shook their heads and mumbled things about, "both sides sounding like old fish ladies screeching over day-old fish heads."
Earth showed it's pain in lost economic growth. From what I read, Food-for-Kansora and the other slowdowns were shaving a point off economic growth every year. The Titan Colony media were gleefully pointing how much that point was costing Earth's poor -- the whole reason used by the Earth Parliament to justify the restrictions to start with.
Titan showed it's pain in a Chaser that was slower to come together and over budget -- there was a lot of specialty material needed, and a lot of specialty designing that Earth firms could churn out in just weeks to months... if they could get the contracts.
And there were a lot of people on both sides who felt the argument was much more expensive than the problem. These were the people keeping the controversy "civil" -- keeping it from becoming even more expensive and more angry than it was -- because they would turn against either side if it became too extreme.
But it was a growing problem for me and Dad. Technophobe enemies of my father were constantly making snide comments about the First Earther who couldn't even convince his own son to come home from Titan, and every time I interviewed about The Chaser I always got a, "please explain your relation with your father"-question.
It was difficult, but civil. But in 2562 the civility was shattered: someone got some kind of rogue nuclear engine on The Chaser construction site and detonated it. Forty people were killed outright, and another 150 died over the next month of radiation poisoning.
The news raced around the Solar System. As early as the 1970's any death caused by something nuclear was considered a terrible way to die. It was considered so terrible that for fifty years the nuclear industry on Earth was a stunted, dwarf child compared to what it would have been if nuclear death had been considered an "average" death, such as a car accident of that day was considered. Even today on Earth, nuclear death is still considered a lot worse way to die than dying in a car crash. In the Outer System is wasn't the dying of nuclear radiation that was horrible, it was the dying from sabotage that made people cringe -- an insane villain in a Titan Colony soap opera would usually threaten sabotage. Because the Chaser Nuke Incident was both nuclear and sabotage, it was an electrifying event Solar System-wide.
And, it was an event that demanded a change in policy: In the eyes of Earth people, The Chaser Controversy had forced the anti-Chaser extremists to get so desperate that they were willing to use forbidden weapons; in the eyes of the Outer System people, the controversy had spread "Earth's Plague" of sabotage among them. Both sides felt that enough was enough... there had to be a change in Chaser policy... and that they were on the right side of the issue. It was an explosive mix.
On Earth there were calls to implement hugely expensive security policies. One that was being taken seriously would have all nuclear engines warehoused in special security warehouses when they were not actually in operation. On Titan there were calls to sweep the Outer System for unstable people and have them sent back to Earth. Those calling for this estimated that one-to-two percent of the Outer System population would be found eligible.
As a history student, I could see two important things: first that this Chaser Nuking Incident had brought us into a time of chaos. This was a time when small changes in events and policies today could lead to huge changes in the future direction of mankind. It was a "butterfly's wings flapping"-time that would affect some "hurricane of tomorrow."
The second thing I could see was that I might be a change agent in this moment of chaos. It was incredible. It was inconceivable... but it was just possible.... I got on the video and started a conversation with my Dad. Since he was on Earth and I was on Titan, it took four hours to round trip high priority messages. Since this was a message between two high profile players in this Chaser Controversy, there was no telling how many people would want to see a wiretapped copy and look for hidden agendas before it was put through, so I just sat down in front of the camera and told him this...
"Hi Dad,
"I'm sure you've been following the news.
I've got an idea that may help us... you and me... defuse this situation. But I need your help
"My 'day job' here in Titan Colony is to help people find long-lost 'movers and shakers' in their organizations. It occurs to me that there's a reasonable chance that the bombers had some connection with First Earth. Oh... I know... First Earth claims no responsibility. And I'm fully confident that's true of you and the people you know at First Earth. However, it is likely that whoever pulled the trigger, or helped the trigger-puller build the bomb, or helped them move the bomb, was part of First Earth at some point. With my software and skill, we may be able to uncover such a person, and then help the authorities do their part.
"If you would like to work with me on this, let me know. I need pointers to the First Earth archives shipped up to me here.
"... Bye for now,"
I was done... but for some reason, I didn't hit the STOP key.
"... Oh, and Dad. Sherry and Yanci send their best, and so does Yanci's wife, Yolinda. And you should see their new baby! And did I tell you that Sherry and I want to be the first people married on The Chaser?.... sorry, I'm wasting transmit time. But it's good to talk with you."
I hit the STOP button, then the SEND button. And then I got up and walked out to do something while I waited. As world-shaking as this transmission was, and the reply would be, it was all I could do. A real time conversation, where you sit in your seat and wait for an immediate answer, is an Earth-to-Earth communication luxury.