MARS-SUN L4—UDACHNYIsidor Orlov was ready, ready to implement elements of his own Solar System-wide portal network. His portals were limited in size and distance, however, because he could not supply the required power. Nevertheless, he was ready to place portals between strategic locations, portals that were entirely separate from the Phoenix system—almost.
A Phoenix portal linked Udachny on the Moon with a major portal hub Earthside. The mechanisms of this permanent portal, installed when Orlov first set up his Moon operations, were completely shielded from outside interference. In effect, it was locked, and only Phoenix had the key.
Orlov was a shrewd, ruthless oligarch but was neither a scientist nor an engineer. He had to rely on the people he hired to supply the intelligence on whi
