Chapter 7 – Phosphorus Station
It was a long walk to the Tanaka-Chandra vessel Prospector. Their full backpacks didn't help. Along the way, Dale got the occasional handshake or clap on the shoulder from the residents of the station. Venusian independence included not just Hesperus, but Phosphorus, too, and its personnel were eager to show their appreciation.
Not all the passersby were friendly. A few ignored him or gave him surly looks. One in particular, a tall, thin fellow with close-cropped hair, sneered as he passed. Dale suspected them of being Earth partisans. The station's Free Spacers had tried to evict anyone suspected of treason, but catching them all was a tall order. And some of the disgruntled people simply needed time to adjust. They weren't really malevolent, and kicking t
