Metafire

If a group established itself as a company, it could retain a manned office stateside and yet have development and information manufacturing facilities in the space colonies. The NSP did not try to impose orders on which stations had to physically join up to which colony. It did provide opportunity lists, and it did require a commitment to join an available colony as a condition for being carried aloft. USSS 26 was violating a condition of their contract. The NSP had the legal right to terminate provisioning. This amounted to the right to let the six souls on USSS 26 starve, suffocate, freeze to death, or burn up in re-entry. Quite simply, a failure to follow the terms of the contract relieved the NSP of any support responsibilities.

Jack was over with his feelings of guilt last evening. The next morning, Erisa was pouring orange juice when Jack said, "You are talking to US 26 this morning?"

"Yes."

"And they want to start their own colony so they can control the others joining up?"

"Yes."

"Where is 26 from? What city? What's the name of the company?"