READING RECOMMENDATION: DELILAH AND THE SPACE- RIGGER, A SHORT STORY BY ROBERT A.HEINLEIN

Hello readers and fellow bloggers! Today I'm back with another review. This time I'll be reviewing a short story rather than a whole book. I have a copy of Heinlein's The Green Hills of Earth/ The Menace From Earth short story collection at home and sometimes I like to reread those classical SF stories of his. Moreover, short story collections are great if you're pressed for time  because you can just pick them up and opt for just one story. The last book I recommended from Heinlein didn't have a strong female protagonist, so I'm making up for it today.  The main reason why I've reread this story recently is because I'm considering making it a part of my ninth grade Reading curriculum (my students seem to like science fiction). I haven't decided on the latter. I might choose some other story of his to teach.

Published in 1949, Delilah and the Space- Rigger is a short story that is in many ways typical of Heinlein's future histories. I'm afraid I won't be able to avoid spoilers in this review, as it is a rather short story. It is more about the themes it explores then about the plot. One of the main themes in this story is gender. It's a positive little story with quite likable characters and a very neat conclusion. 

The main characters portrayed are all good, hard-working people. The story is told by a narrator nicknamed 'Dad' and for most part it chronicles the conflict between Tiny, the supervisor of the mission and a strong female character Gloria. 'Dad' sides with Gloria but he also understands Tiny's point of view, so we might say he is mostly an objective narrator. I suppose all three of them are positive characters in this story as Tiny checks his prejudice by the time story ends. As a writer, Heinlein seemed to advocate for women being allowed to work on any kind of jobs they want. He also seemed to had been of the opinion that without women, men wouldn't be able to function.

For today's date and time, a story about a lady who has to prove herself capable to work on a space station might not seem revolutionary, but for its time it was pretty relevant. Remember that it was published in 1959.  Basically, this is a story with a strong female lead. Not terribly ambitious or ground breaking in terms of writing itself, but still very interesting and sweet story to read. It's simply perfect for a lover of vintage science fiction.

"Delilah and the Space- Rigger" 4/5

The story opens with an introduction to the setting: the space. Space Station to be more precise. Heinlein seemed to really make the most of his opening sentences. Something every successful short story writer should get a hang of. In the very first sentence the reader is provided not only with the protagonist (that uses the form WE possibly to indicate the tight bond between the workers) but also with the setting and the problem that is the lack of the work force. Immediately, the reader is drawn in. 

"SURE, we had trouble building Space Station One—but the trouble was people." 

What follows this impressive opening sentence. The writer fills us in on details. Another character is introduces and that is the man who is in charge of things. Our unnamed narrator is right hand to Tiny Larsen. He explains that Tiny used to work for him but now it is the other way around. It seems that both are comfortable with that situation as Tiny calls him 'Dad'. 

Not that building a station twenty-two thousand three hundred miles out in space is a breeze. It was an engineering feat bigger than the Panama Canal or the Pyramids—or even the Susquehanna Power Pile. But ''Tiny'' Larsen built her—and a job Tiny tackles gets built.

I first saw Tiny playing guard on a semi-pro team, working his way through Oppenheimer Tech. He worked summers for me thereafter till he graduated. He stayed in construction and eventually I went to work for him.

Once the two main characters are introduced, Heinlein gets back to the 'problem' presented. Obviously, work in space would present challenges. It is a topic many science fiction writers have explored. Working in a stressful and isolated environment cannot be easy. So, as readers we can see that Tiny has his hands full. Moreover, Heinlein introduces the problem and this problem is what drives the plot forward.

Tiny wouldn't touch a job unless he was satisfied with the engineering. The Station had jobs designed into it that called for six-armed monkeys instead of grown men in space suits. Tiny spotted such boners; not a ton of material went into the sky until the specs and drawings suited him.

But it was people that gave us the headaches. We had a sprinkling of married men, but the rest were wild kids, attracted by high pay and adventure. Some were busted spacemen. Some were specialists, like electricians and instrument men. About half were deep-sea divers, used to working in pressure suits. There were sandhogs and riggers and welders and shipfitters and two circus acrobats.

We fired four of them for being drunk on the job; Tiny had to break one stiff's arm before he would stay fired. What worried us was where did they get it? Turned out a shipfitter had rigged a heatless still, using the vacuum around us. He was making vodka from potatoes swiped from the commissary. I hated to let him go, but he was too smart.

Heinlein allows his character to go on complaining for a couple of sentences and this is not without its reasons. By allowing the character to say what is on his mind, the story suddenly appears more realistic while at the same time the character seems more like  a real man, someone with problems (one of us). So, the writers give us problems we as readers can relate to and makes us feel more connected to the characters. 

Since we were falling free in a 24-hour circular orbit, with everything weightless and floating, you'd think that shooting craps was impossible. But a radioman named Peters figured a dodge to substitute steel dice and a magnetic field. He also eliminated the element of chance, so we fired him.

We planned to ship him back in the next supply ship, the R. S. Half Moon. I was in Tiny's office when she blasted to match our orbit. Tiny swam to the view port. "Send for Peters, Dad," he said, "and give him the old heave ho, Who's his relief?"

"Party named G. Brooks McNye," I told him.

Poor Tiny, stressed as he is, has no idea that the party named G. Brooks McNye is in fact a woman named Gloria. Before she is introduced there is some foreshadowing in the conversation between the captain of the space ship that docks in and Tiny. However, Tiny doesn't really pick up on the captain's meaning and her arrival is a complete surprise to Tiny and Dad. 

....

Don't be sore, Don," Tiny said softly. "By the way, you've got a passenger for me?"

"Oh, yes, so I have!" Shields' face broke out in a grin. "Well, keep him aboard until we unload. Maybe we can beat the shadow yet."

"Fine, fine! After all, why should I add to your troubles?"

The skipper switched off, leaving my boss looking puzzled.

We didn't have time to wonder at his words. Shields whipped his ship around on gyros, blasted a second or two, and put her dead in space with us pronto—and used very little fuel, despite his bellyaching. I grabbed every mail we could spare and managed to get the cargo clear before we swung into Earth's shadow. Weightlessness is an unbelievable advantage in handling freight; we gutted the Half Moon—by hand, mind you—in fifty-four minutes.

.....

This little guy came out the ship's air lock, and hooked on to the ship's line. Handling himself like he was used to space, he set his feet and dived, straight along the stretched line, his snap hook running free. I hurried back and motioned him to follow me. Tiny, the new man, and I reached the air locks together.

...

We went into Tiny's office. Tiny strapped down, and pushed his helmet back. "Well, McNye," he said. "Glad to have you with us."

The new radio tech opened his helmet. I heard a low, pleasant voice answer, "Thank you."

I stared and didn't say anything. From where I was I could see that the radio tech was wearing a hair ribbon.

Gloria's gender is a surprise for both the  reader, the narrator and Tiny. Heinlein was clever in describing Gloria as 'the new man' and simultaneously revealing her as someone who is used to being in space. There is a short span of time these three spend together in their space suits before they eventually notice the 'hair ribbon'. They seem to get quite well too! Gloria is described as someone who knows what she is doing. Even before Gloria gender is revealed, there is impression of confidence about her movement. Her reveal is intentionally a bit comic, I think. The reader can imagine Tiny being red in the face and Dad being (at least a little bit) entertained about it. 

I thought Tiny would explode. He didn't need to see the hair ribbon; with the helmet up it was clear that the new "man" was as female as Venus de Milo. Tiny sputtered, then he was unstrapped and diving for the view port. "Dad!" he yelled. "Get the radio shack. Stop that ship!"

But the Half Moon was already a ball of fire in the distance, Tiny looked dazed. "Dad," he said, "who else knows about this?"

"Nobody, so far as I know."

He thought a bit. "We've got to keep her out of sight. That's it—we keep her locked up and out of sight until the next ship matches in." He didn't look at her.

"What in the world are you talking about?" McNye's voice was higher and no longer pleasant.

Tiny might be furious but Gloria McNye isn't pleasant either. She engages Tiny in a heated conversation that will continue as the story progresses. One might even ague that they learn to enjoy their discussions. The first verbal exchange of opinions, however, is far from pleasant. Tiny wants Gloria out of the station and she won't give him the satisfaction. 

Tiny glared. "You, that's what. What are you—a stowaway?' 

"Don't be silly! I'm G. B. McNye, electronics engineer.

Don't you have my papers?"

Tiny turned to me. "Dad, this is your fault. How in Chr—pardon me, Miss. How did you let them send you a woman? Didn't you even read the advance report on her?"

"Me?" I said. "Now see here, you big squarehead! Those forms don't show sex; the Fair Employment Commission won't allow it except where it's pertinent to the job."

"You're telling me it's not pertinent to the job here?"

Not by job classification it ain't. There's lots of female radio and radar men, back Earthside."

"This isn't Earthside." He had something. He was thinking of those two-legged wolves swarming over the job outside. And G. B. McNye was pretty. Maybe eight months of no women at all affected my judgment, but she would pass.

"I've even heard of female rocket pilots," I added, for spite. "I don't care if you've heard of female archangels; I'll have no women here!"

Dad seems to immediately shift on Gloria's side and Tiny isn't happy about it. Tiny doesn't want to see Gloria there. He's not beating round the bush, in other words he is not being nice or polite about letting his message across. Nevertheless, this doesn't intimate Gloria. If anything, it makes her more determinant. Despite being upset, Gloria continues the conversation without losing her cool and practically wins the argument in no time. However, Tiny is determined to keep fighting. 

"Just a minute!" If I was riled, she was plain sore. "You're the construction superintendent, are you not?"

"Yes," Tiny admitted.

''Very well, then, how do you know what sex I am?"

"Are you trying to deny that you are a woman?"

"Hardly! I'm proud of it. But officially you don't know what sex G. Brooks McNye is. That's why I use 'G' instead of Gloria. I don't ask favors."

Tiny grunted. "You won't get any. I don't know how you sneaked in, but get this, McNye, or Gloria, or whatever—you're fired. You go back on the next ship. Meanwhile we'll try to keep the men from knowing we've got a woman aboard."

I could see her count ten. "May I speak," she said finally, "or does your Captain Bligh act extend to that, too?"

"Say your say."

"I didn't sneak in. I am on the permanent staff of the Station, Chief Communications Engineer. I took this vacancy myself to get to know the equipment while it was being installed. I'll live here eventually; I see no reason not to start now."

Tiny waved it away. "There'll be men and women both here—some day. Even kids. Right now it's stag and it'll stay that way."

"We'll see. Anyhow, you can't fire me; radio personnel don't work for you." She had a point; communicators and some other specialists were lent to the contractors, Five Companies, Incorporated, by Harriman Enterprises.

Tiny snorted. "Maybe I can't fire you; I can send you home. 'Requisitioned personnel must be satisfactory to the contractor.'—meaning me. Paragraph Seven, clause M; I wrote that clause myself."

"Then you know that if requisitioned personnel are refused without cause the contractor bears the replacement cost."

"I'll risk paying your fare home, but I won't have you here."

"You are most unreasonable!"

"Perhaps, but I'll decide what's good for the job. I'd rather have a dope peddler than have a woman sniffing around my boys!"

It would be easily to classify Tiny as a misogynist but it is important to remember that he is the person in charge in a situation that was not (theoretically) common. It is easier for Dad to like Gloria and be on her side, simply because he is not responsibly for all of their lives. Naturally, today women are accepted on space stations but that was not the case when the story was written. In Heinlein's future history, space exploration and space stations are just starting to accept women, so Tiny's concerns are somewhat understandable. He is the one in charge so he has to consider all the possibilities and that means possible dangers. Gloria intentionally withheld her gender and Tiny is probably angry with her putting him in an unpredictable and new situation.  Not that Tiny's reaction couldn't be nicer. He does come off as rough. Perhaps sensing that, Heinlein adds some softness to Tiny's words.

She gasped. Tiny knew he had said too much; he added, "Sorry, Miss. But that's it. You'll stay under cover until I can get rid of you."

Before she could speak I cut in. "Tiny—look behind you!"

Staring in the port was one of the riggers, his eyes bugged out. Three or four more floated up and joined him.

Then Tiny zoomed up to the port and they scattered like minnows. He scared them almost out of their suits; I thought he was going to shove his fists through the quartz.

Moreover, Tiny is soon humbled. He is forced to ask for help from the inspection and even worse learn there is no legal way he can get rid of Gloria. The reader can see Tiny get 'smaller' in a metaphorical sense. Tiny starts to realize that he will be forced to eat his words.

He came back looking whipped.

 "Miss," he said, pointing, "wait in my room." 

When she was gone he added, "Dad, what'll we do?"

I said, "I thought you had made up your mind, Tiny."

"I have," he answered peevishly. "Ask the Chief Inspector to come in, will you?"

That showed how far gone he was. The inspection gang belonged to Harriman Enterprises, not to us, and Tiny rated them mere nuisances. Besides, Tiny was an Oppenheimer graduate; Dalrymple was from M.LT.

He came in, brash and cheerful. "Good morning, Superintendent. Morning, Mr. Witherspoon. What can I do for you?"

Glumly, Tiny told the story. Dalrymple looked smug. "She's right, old man. You can send her back and even specify a male relief. But I can hardly endorse 'for proper cause' now, can I?"

"Damnation. Dalrymple, we can't have a woman around here!"

"A moot point. Not covered by contract, y'know."

"If your office hadn't sent us a crooked gambler as her predecessor I wouldn't be in this jam!"

"There, there! Remember the old blood pressure. Suppose we leave the endorsement open and arbitrate the cost. That's fair, eh?"

"I suppose so. Thanks."

"Not at all. But consider this: when you rushed Peters off before interviewing the newcomer, you cut yourself down to one operator. Hammond can't stand watch twenty-four hours a day."

"He can sleep in the shack. The alarm will wake him."

"I can't accept that. The home office and ships' frequencies must be guarded at all times. Harriman Enterprises has supplied a qualified operator; I am afraid you must use her for the time being."

Tiny will always cooperate with the inevitable; he said quietly, "Dad, she'll take first shift. Better put the married men on that shift."

Tiny is forced to admit his mistake and accept the inevitable. Not only that, but after he advises Gloria to listen to a certain  'good man', she informs him she had trained him herself. What a way to put your boss down. I just like how she keeps her cool in this story. Indeed, Gloria is certainly not afraid to show Tiny just who she is: 

Then he called her in. "Go to the radio shack and start makee-learnee, so that Hammond can go off watch soon. Mind what he tells you. He's a good man."

"I know," she said briskly. "I trained him."

Tiny bit his lip. 

After Tiny's humiliation, there is a sweet moment between the 'Dad' and Gloria, as they finally get properly introduced. After that, the narrator informs us that he is to see much of Gloria.

The C.I. said, ''The Superintendent doesn't bother with trivia—I'm Robert Dalrymple, Chief Inspector. He probably didn't introduce his assistant either—Mr. Witherspoon."

"Call me Dad," I said.

She smiled and said, "Howdy, Dad." I felt warm clear through. She went on to Dalrymple, "Odd that we haven't met before."

Tiny butted in. "McNye, you'll sleep in my room—"

She raised her eyebrows; he went on angrily, "Oh, I'll get my stuff out—at once. And get this: keep the door locked, off shift."

"You're darn tootin' I will!" Tiny blushed.

I was too busy to see much of Miss Gloria. There was cargo to stow, the new tanks to install and shield. That left the most worrisome task of all: putting spin on the living quarters. Even the optimists didn't expect much interplanetary traffic for some years; nevertheless Harriman Enterprises wanted to get some activities moved in and paying rent against their enormous investment.

However, being busy doesn't prevent 'Dad' from keeping up with what is happening on the spaceship so we learn about the effect Gloria had on the workers:

Tiny’s efforts to keep Gloria fenced up were sort of pitiful. In the first place, the radio tech’s biggest job was repairing suit walkie-talkies, done on watch. A rash of such troubles broke out—on her shift. I made some shift transfers and docked a few for costs, too; it’s not properly maintenance when a man deliberately busts his aerial.

There were other symptoms. It became stylish to shave. Men started wearing shirts around quarters and bathing increased to where I thought I would have to rig another water still.

Besides informing us about life in space, the narrator gives us more info on Gloria's and Tiny's relationship. Moreover, we see that Gloria and Tiny's war isn't finished just quite yet. Although, it is pretty clear who is coming out victorious: Gloria!

Came the shift when D-113 was ready and the jatos readjusted. I don’t mind saying I was nervous. All hands were ordered out of the quarters and into suits. They perched around the girders and waited.

Men in spacesuits all look alike; we used numbers and colored armbands. Supervisors had two antennas, one for a gang frequency, one for the supervisors’ circuit. With Tiny and me, the second antenna hooked back through the radio shack and to all the gang frequencies—a broadcast.

The supervisors had reported their men clear of the fireworks and I was about to give Tiny the word, when this figure came climbing through the girders, inside the danger zone. No safety line. No armband. One antenna.

Miss Gloria, of course. Tiny hauled her out of the blast zone, and anchored her with his own safety line. I heard his voice, harsh in my helmet: “Who do you think you are? A sidewalk superintendent?”

And her voice: “What do you expect me to do? Go park on a star?”

“I told you to stay away from the job. If you can’t obey orders, I’ll lock you up.”

I reached him, switched off my radio and touched helmets. “Boss! Boss!” I said. “You’re broadcasting!”

“Oh—” he says, switches off, and touches helmets with her.

We could still hear her; she didn’t switch off. “Why, you big baboon, I came outside because you sent a search party to clear everybody out,” and, “How would I know about a safety line rule? You’ve kept me penned up.” And finally. “We’ll see!”

I dragged him away and he told the boss electrician to go ahead. Then we forgot the row for we were looking at the prettiest fireworks ever seen, a giant St. Catherine’s wheel, rockets blasting all over it. Utterly soundless, out there in space—but beautiful beyond compare. 

What follows is the culmination of the story and it's pretty sweet. Tiny is persistent in getting rid of Gloria but all the men are on her side, his loyal right hand Dad included. In fact, Dad helps Tiny acknowledge his mistakes. 

He said, “Dad, you think I’m pig-headed, but I’m right. You can’t have one woman among several hundred men. It drives ’em nutty.”

I didn’t say it affected him the same way; I said, “Is that bad?”

“Of course. I can’t let the job be ruined to humor one woman.”

“Tiny, have you looked at the progress charts lately?”

“I’ve hardly had time to—what about them?”

I knew why he hadn’t had time. “You’ll have trouble proving Miss Gloria interfered with the job. We’re ahead of schedule.”

“We are?”

While he was studying the charts, I put an arm around his shoulder. “Look, son,” I said, “sex has been around our planet a long time. Earthside, they never get away from it, yet some pretty big jobs get built anyhow. Maybe we’ll just have to learn to live with it here, too. Matter of fact, you had the answer a minute ago.”

“I did? I sure didn’t know it.”

“You said, ‘You can’t have one woman among several hundred men.’ Get me?”

“Huh? No, I don’t. Wait a minute! Maybe I do.”

“Ever tried jiu jitsu? Sometimes you win by relaxing.”

“Yes. Yes!”

“When you can’t beat ’em, you jine ’em.”

He buzzed the radio shack. “Have Hammond relieve you, McNye, and come to my office.”

 The final conclusion is not only that Gloria's presence has had a positive effect on everyone working at that space station, helping to complete the job before schedule but also that more Glorias would make life better for everyone! Tiny apologies to Gloria and not only admits he was wrong but asks for more female crew members. 

He did it handsomely, stood up and made a speech—he’d been wrong, taken him a long time to see it, hoped there were no hard feelings, etc. He was instructing the home office to see how many jobs could be filled at once with female help.

“Don’t forget married couples,” I put in mildly, “and better ask for some older women, too.”

“I’ll do that,” Tiny agreed. “Have I missed anything, Dad?”

“Guess not. We’ll have to rig quarters, but there’s time.”

“Okay. I’m telling them to hold the Pole Star, Gloria, so they can send us a few this trip.”

“That’s fine!” She looked really happy.

He chewed his lip. “I’ve a feeling I’ve missed something. Hmm—I’ve got it. Dad, tell them to send up a chaplain for the Station, as soon as possible. Under the new policy, we may need one anytime.”

I thought so, too. *

*All quotes quoted from this source.

All in all, I quite enjoyed this little story and I'd recommend it. It is a fun, positive and empowering read. I liked how the writer managed to tell an interesting and logical story without having to use  any dramatic tricks, such as deux et machina endings or the bad guy card. There are no bad guys in this story, just a good guy that makes a mistake and admits to it. The characters are developed well enough considering the length of the story. The world building in all of Heinlein's future history stories is simply great. The space station atmosphere is well described and realistic, with all the engineering problems and all that. Quite ahead for its time when it was published, this story might seem a bit dated to a modern reader. Nevertheless, I would say it aged pretty well, all things considering. If you like to read a vintage science fiction story with a strong female character and an empowering message, look no further!

READ MORE OF  MY HEINLEIN REVIEWS:

NOVELLAS: WALDO    MAGIC INC.

NOVELS: PODKANYE OF MARS ,   SPACE CADET  ,  THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST ,   BEYOND THIS HORIZON , STARSHIP TROOPERS, THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS, THE ORPHAN'S OF THE SKY

Thank you for reading and have a lovely weekend!