The Big Empty — Richard Quarry

Beck Egan, a veteran Rigger in the colony at Lagrange 5, narrowly escapes death in an accident that looks suspiciously like sabotage. But sabotage by who?On one side an Earth government increasingly under the control of right-wing fanatics claims the Riggers are using animal implants to create a Godless super-race. Now Earth threatens to come up and remove the implants by force.Opposing them a younger generation of Riggers makes secret plans to venture into The Big Empty in the new super-cylinder Stephen Hawking. Even though the habitat remains incomplete and the needed technology consists of wishful thinking.Caught in the middle, Beck struggles to keep  himself and his dreams alive amid violence, intrigue, and catastrophe.