Anchorite [Paperback]

Novelette: "Anchorite"
Penname: Johnathan Blake MacKenzie
First published: November 1962
Publication: Analog
Original length: 45 pages
Illustrations: Schelling
Word count: ≈ 18,300 words
Available for FREE on Project Gutenberg

"There's an old saying that neither money, education, liquor, nor women ever made a fool of a man, they just give a born fool a chance to display his foolishness. Space ought to be added to that list." (39)

An assembly from Earth is concerned about the published number of deaths resulting from anchoring asteroids in the Belt. The Belt's business/government arm has a touchy relationship with Earth, who hold tax regulations against the Belters in order to keep them where they are. For the benefit of the assessors, once man from Earth with space experience is chosen to undergo anchor training to prove that their methods and equipment are in perfect form. Earth's man concern is the number of deaths and the resulting insurance payments paid to the Belt versus the minimal amount of actual injuries on the job. With a seemingly flawless system for anchoring asteroids, the assembly returns to Earth and the Belt is eager to hear of their findings, one which has financial ramifications to the Belt.

The main plot above doesn't have much steam behind it; rather the plot is carried onward by the dynamic anchorites, Captain St. Simon and his eccentric pilot Jules Christian. The oddball duo set the story up with a technical, too technical, explanation of how they anchor the orbiting rocks. Their odd conversation breaths a fair bit of life into the rather drab technicalities, but the sudden shift to the Earth and Belt relationship is jarring. From there on, most of the plot dabbles in politics, details of the relationship, and some closed conversations on both sides. Only when Captain St. Simon is back on the Belter's home of Pallas does he once again command the plot by training the Earthman in the finesse of anchoring.

In the belt to get any decent job you must have space experience and two years of it at that! Now the only job available to gain experience is that of anchor setter. It's very dangerous with a death rate that's growing. Earth doesn't like it and wants to know the reason. There's an old saying that neither money, education, liquor nor woman ever made a fool of a man, they just give a born fool chance to display his foolishness. Space should be added to that list. Space where being a fool can kill.
Anchorite a 1962 short is well written and has a clearly pointed plot, so enjoy the story you won't miss a thing!