Jubilee Year: A Novel (Erelong Trilogy Book I) - An Extended Sample

Chapter 9: SHOWING OFF

Storm brought his empty plate into the kitchen and stood at the sink watching Penny through the window as she performed on the patio. She was good at pretending interest. She kept right on nodding her head politely as her mother and the two plump astronomers from ANU prattled on and on. Judging from her smiley mask, he could tell she was bored. He caught her eye as he walked past the open doors of the patio and gave her a wave.

She pulled a face and rolled her eyes.

He knew what she was saying to him. She could not be rude and just walk away from the conversation. She would though, the first chance she saw.

If there was a problem with the party, it was all the polite conversation. It countered the relaxing effect of the alcohol. It made him feel he must be careful with what he said and how he said it.

"It's Storm, right?" A voice said behind him.

Storm turned to see Karl holding out a bottle of imported beer.

"Try one of these," Karl said. "Michael and Franchette put on a good feed, don't they?"

"Do you work with Michael and Arnold?" Storm asked, accepting the beer.

"I'm gathering data for my Ph.D.," Karl said.

"What are you looking at?" Storm asked, feeling awkward. "I mean—what are you researching?"

"I'm researching extra-solar planets," Karl said. "The ones that go around brown dwarf stars."

"Wow!" Storm said. "That's cool!"

"What about you?" Karl asked.

"I would like to be studying," Storm said, his face reddening. "Are you looking for some kind of life as well?"

"Sure. There's a far greater chance of finding life on planets orbiting the habitable zone around a brown dwarf star then around stars like our sun."

"No way," Storm said in surprise.

"Actually, our very own sun is a dwarf star," Karl said.

"It's one of the large yellow types—if that makes you feel any better."

"I don't care, so long as it keeps doing what it does," Storm quipped with a grin.

"It's a funny thing, but yellow dwarfs don't last half as long as brown dwarfs," Karl said. "That's one reason why intelligent life is less likely to develop on planets orbiting stars like our sun."

"You mean we are an exceptional case?"

"I think so," Karl replied. "Earth's moderate zones exist between extremes of freezing cold and scorching hot. But a planet in the habitable zone of a brown dwarf might support life exceptionally well, and that's because the radiated energy disperses equally across the globe. The downside is it's also much closer to its star than we are to ours. A solar flare could fry the planet."

Storm was beginning to wonder how technical the discussion was going to get.

"You're going out with Penny, aren't you?" Karl asked, suddenly looking self-conscious. "Ah—Michael told me you would both be coming over together. She's nice. You're lucky."

"Yeah," Storm said with a nod of confirmation. He reflected that he no longer viewed Karl as a possible competitor for Penny's attention. In fact, he decided then and there that he liked the feller.

"I guess I'll just see how it goes," Storm said. "We're really different."

"Is she working in science like her mom and dad?" Karl asked tentatively.

"She's into dance."

Storm was watching the group outside on the patio. He saw they were waving goodbye.

"Is Arnold leaving already?" Storm asked as he watched the scientist walk down the path.

"Looks like it," Karl muttered. At least they could now Michael was joining them. He watched his supervisor pick up a bowl of potato chips from the table.

Michael winked at Karl as he strolled toward him. It was a warm gesture. As much a confirmation of closeness as it was good humor. Michael had come to respect Karl's inquiring mind and most of all his honesty and openness.

He offered them the bowl of snacks. "I took the chance to excuse myself when Arnold said he was off to his office," Michael told them with a rueful grin. "Did you both enjoy the barbecue?"

"You cook a mean steak!" Storm said with enthusiasm.

"I'll be back for the next one," Karl said. "You've left poor old Stephen alone with all the women."

"Ah, he'll love it," Michael told Karl through a mouthful of potato chips. "Oh, but his freaking wife drives me insane! Adrienna is always talking about herself and everything is always wonderful. But what can I do? She's Franchette's friend—"

Michael paused to cough and immediately brushed the chip fragments off Storm's T-shirt.

"Storm was asking me about brown dwarfs," Karl said to Michael.

"You know, I was meaning to talk to you about the very same subject. I've decided I could use your help with—ah—something I've been working on."

Karl gulped down the last of his beer and set the can on the table. "Sure! But how?"

"Well, you have this outsider's perspective."

"Outside of what exactly?" Karl returned with a laugh.

"Let's call it a different approach to the subject," Michael said, waving his hand in the air. He put down the bowl of chips and folded his arms. "Let me put it this way. You express an alternative perspective."

"Sure," Karl nodded enthusiastically.

Storm watched Penny on the patio and turned back to Michael and Karl. "I'm off to the beer fridge. Would either of you like to try one of mine?"

Karl gave him a nod.

"I'll give it a go," Michael replied.

Storm rubbed his hands together. "Right, be back in a minute."

On his way past the group on the patio, he saw Penny glance back his way with a wistful look.

"Do you want one of my beers?" He asked her quietly, hoping she would not invite him to join the conversation.

She stepped over to him and whispered in his ear. "Give me a few more minutes here, then I'll tell them I have to join your terribly interesting chatter about telescopes."

She gazed at Stephen Druitt's mouth as it moved. The man was droning on and on, interminably. She took a quick glance over her shoulder at the lounge and saw, that indeed, Storm seemed to be genuinely interested in whatever Karl and Michael were talking about.