On "Salvage Sputnik" by Sam S. Kepfield (7623 words) ***

Kepfield's story is one of the most interesting pieces of science fiction I've read in a while. I find it interesting because it doesn't seem far from possibility. Decades down the line, what happens here could well be happening in real life. The story revolves around a company that decides to go into the space salvage business. By this time, corporations have taken over much of the space race, bringing meteors into Earth's orbit to serve as hotels and mining stations. In the end, the story is about law--and about lawsuits--which proves to be rather fascinating when space is at stake. Who owns all the junk out there? And who gets to reap the rewards? I can't help but feel a bit ambivalent about the narrator here, who seems perfectly willing to do whatever it takes to make a buck, even if American taxpayers end up footing the bill (well, sort of--after all, junk is junk, worthless until someone decides it isn't anymore). Read the story here at Electric Spec.