“Thank you for being with us today, Miss Maxxim,” said Brock Tucker, a smirk, which he probably thought was a smile, pasted across his face.
Sharing the television screen with him, though in a separate virtual window, was teen inventor Astrid Maxxim, a startlingly cute girl of sixteen, with shoulder-length strawberry blond hair, which set off her very large blue eyes. She could see neither Tucker’s smirk nor his carefully gelled brown hair. She couldn’t even see his expensive blue suit. She was in a room hundreds of miles away, staring at a video camera aimed at her face.
“You’re welcome, Mr. Tucker.”
“Call me Brock. We can be on a first name basis.”
“That’s fine,” said Astrid.
“So, Astrid. First, let me ask you this. What’s the deal with billionaires and rockets? I mean, there’s Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Richard Branson, and then there’s you and your father. What’s the appeal?”
“I can’t speak for anyone else,” said the teen, “but I’ve always been fascinated with spaceflight. I remember reading all about the Apollo missions to the moon and the space shuttle when I was little. I think the space program is one of the greatest achievements in American history.”
“Those flights to the moon were very expensive,” said Tucker. “Now you’re spending a lot of your own money, but also the money of your investors. Do you think they appreciate that?”
“I think Maxxim Industries will see a positive return on our investments in space.”
“Are you thinking maybe of the asteroid that’s worth quadrillions of dollars in iron and nickel?”
“I think 16 Psyche is only one of many, many valuable things we’re going to be learning more about in the future,” said Astrid.
“I see though, that you are aware of it.”
Astrid shrugged.
“So far,” Tucker continued, “your spaceflight efforts have been pushing pretty far into red ink territory.”
“Our spaceplanes are expensive, but we think that over time, they will prove cost effective.”
“You have four of them.”
“Our fifth spaceplane, Intrepid, will be making its maiden flight next week,” said Astrid. “She’ll be accompanied by Beagle. We’ve had two in orbit before, but this time, they will be flying in formation and working together.”
“And your plans call for a fleet of ten spaceplanes.”
“We hadn’t made an official announcement,” said Astrid slowly, “but we do have five more under construction.”
“That’s great,” said the commentator. “I, for one, am always happy to see American free enterprise pushing the limits of technology. There’s just one more thing I wanted to ask you about. I wanted to get your opinion on the recent comments by your district’s Representative in Congress. Do you know the ones I’m talking about?”
“No, I don’t think I do.”
“Let me play a clip for you then.”
He stopped speaking, and Astrid heard a recording of Representative Aamiina Abdullahi speaking at what must have been a recent press conference.
“We must root out and tear down systemic racism and inequality in this country at all levels and keep fighting for a society that benefits all of our people regardless of race, creed, color, or gender.”
“So, Astrid,” said Tucker. “What do you think about this woman… a woman who was welcomed into our country as a refugee, who should be down on her knees thanking this country for the blessings it’s given her… What do you think about this woman threatening to tear down the traditions and institutions of the United States?”
“I don’t think that’s what she was saying,” said Astrid.
“Oh, it is! She said root out and tear down systemic racism and inequality in this country, in our traditions and institutions, which are the hallmarks of western civilization!”
“Um, I think you may be inferring that our institutions and traditions are racist, when that’s not what she said.”
“That’s what she meant! You can take that from me. Let me ask you this, Astrid. Are you a socialist?”
“I don’t think so,” said Astrid. “I’m only sixteen. I won’t even be able to vote for two more years.”
“I understand completely,” said Tucker. “That’s all the time we have, but I want to thank Astrid Maxxim, a brilliant young woman when it comes to rocket science, who still has something to learn about politics.”
The light on the camera in front of Astrid went off and the overhead light came on. Astrid pulled the earpiece from her ear and handed it to a young woman who appeared at her side.
“You did great, Astrid. I’m sure you’ll be back soon.”
“Not likely,” grumbled Astrid, as she unpinned her microphone.
City of Amathar 