RCE scientist who spent six months flirting with Elvi Okoye and died in the shuttle crash minutes after annoying her.
Eric Vanderwert was a member of the Royal Charter Energy science teams aboard the Edward Israel, who over eighteen months out from Ceres flickered a persistent half-leering, half-hopeful smile at Elvi Okoye, who politely kept her distance. He took the crash couch beside her for the descent to Ilus, offering only a hopeful 'Exciting.' He was killed when Basia Merton's sabotage brought the shuttle down — a death that, to Elvi's own unease, skips across the surface of her grief where Governor Trying's strikes deep.
A man given to a half-leering, half-hopeful smile aimed at Elvi; otherwise undescribed.
Minor RCE scientist; an early crash fatality that underscores the disaster's toll.