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and everything."
"How about the scientific passengers?"
"A mixed bag.I think Bragdon and Mrs. Lawrie must be the only ones who've ever been out of the Solar
System. There's another xenologist, a semanticist, a glossanalyst, a biologist, and half a dozen graduate
students to help. I gather none have visited Staura before."
"Odd."
"Charlie Wong and I hadn't either, boss, when you sent us off. They did the same as us, boned up on
what information was available and learned the main language with RNA-electro cramming, en route.
Anyhow, I can tell you there's nothing to fear from these academic types. I don't think any but Bragdon
can handle a gun. They don't much care for us and what we stand for, so relationships were a tad
strained even if nothing rude got said. But they're no threat."
"They all feel this way?" Heim asked, with a curious little sinking in his spirit.
"No, funny thing, Bragdon and Mrs. Lawrie were both friendly. He remarked once he disagrees with
your ideas but has a lot of respect for your guts. And she said she hopes you can come back soon."
"I can," Heim said softly. "Oh, I can."
An hour later,Connie accelerated planetward.
Seated on the bridge, Heim listened to the thrum of the yacht and his own pulse, underlying the flamenco
that leaped from Vadász's guitar beside him. For a while neither man spoke, nor did their eyes leave the
spectacle in the viewports.
Two and a fifth times the diameter of Earth, nine and a half times the mass, Staurn rolled immense against
darkness. The seas shone royal blue, the continents, blurred by snow-colored cloud bands, were ocher
and cinnabar. Along the horizon, atmosphere made a violet rim; over the whole, under the irradiation of a
hot FS sun, ran a fluorescence which near the poles became great banners of aurora, shaken aloft into
space. Two moons were visible beyond, glacially luminous, and further yet there glittered strange
constellations.
"When I see something like that," Heim murmured at length, half to himself, "I wonder."
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Vadász stopped playing and cocked a birdlike glance at him. "What do you wonder?"
"Why the hell we waste time hating and killing, which we might use to-Argh, never mind."Heim got out
his pipe. "It only takes one to make a quarrel."
Vadász studied him, "I've come to know you somewhat well, Gunnar," he said. "You are not given to the
role of Hamlet. What is the real trouble?"
"Nothing!"
"Ah. Excuse me if I pry, but this whole enterprise depends on you. Is it the lady's unexpected arrival that
is so disturbing?"
"A surprise, no more.We used to be friends." Heim became busy loading his pipe. The Magyar's steady
look forced him to explain further. "My wife and I had quite a bit to do with the Lawries, years ago. They
went off to Ourania in the Epsilon Indi System shortly before Connie died, to establish a machine-tool
factory in the colony there. Things can't have worked out too well, because she came back last year,
.divorced. The conflict with Alerion was already serious, even if they hadn't yet attacked New Europe,
and she became active in the peace movement. It had her shuttling around the world, so we only met
again a few times, briefly, at large loud parties. I, uh, half doubted she'd speak to me now, after what I've
done."
"And are pleasantly amazed, eh? She is indeed attractive. You must find her especially so."
"What do you mean?" Heim bridled.
"Oh... " Vadász's grin was disarming. "One does not wish to get too personal. However, Gunnar, busy
though you were, I felt you were mistaken not to, um, prepare yourself for a long cruise in strictly male
society."
Heim grinned back. "I'd trouble enough concocting stories to explain your absences. How could I tell
Lisa her hero was out tomcatting?"
"Touché"Vadász went tomato red and attacked his guitar with great vigor.
But he has a point, maybe,Heim thought.I could have-well, Connie would've understood. The way
she understood about Jocelyn. Lord knows there've been other women since-Maybe 1 was
thinking too hard about Madelon on New Europe.Damned foolishness. Or-I don't know, I'm all
confused.
That was what he remembered, afterward.
-His finger was not quite steady when he pressed the button on her door. She opened it while the chime
was still sounding. "Gunnar," she said, and took both his hands. "I'm so glad you could come."
"You were nice, to invite me," he said.
"Nonsense.When two old friends meet again, halfway between home and the Southern Cross, what else
do they do but have a private gabfest? Come in, man."
The door closed behind them. He looked around. Her cabin was large and comfortable, and she had
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made it her own. He recognized some things from her lost San Francisco home-a Matisse and a
Hiroshige reproduction, some worn volumes of Catullus, Yeats, Tagore, Pasternak, Mosunic-Lopez, the
flute he had once loved to heat her play-and there were a few souvenirs of her years in the Epsilon Indi
System, less from Ourania than from stark New Mars. His attention returned to her and stayed. She had
on an electric blue dress and a Gean necklace of massive silver. The outfit was at once quiet and
stunning. Or was that simply the contents?
Whoa, boy!hechecked himself. Aloud: "You haven't changed."
"Liar.But thanks." Her eyes dwelt on him. "You have, anyway.Tired and bitter."
"Why, no, I feel happier now than-" His protest was cut off. She let his hands go and went to a table
where bottles and ice stood.
"Let's do something about it," she said. "As I recall, you're a Scotch drinker. And here's some sho-nuff
Glenlivet."
"Eh? You always preferred light wine."
"Well, Vie-Dr. Bragdon, you know-he shares your taste, and very kindly gave us this from his locker."
She poured. For a moment the clear gurgle was the only sound in the universe.
What the devil right have I to feel jealous?"I'm not sure what, uh, you're doing out here with him."
"Officially I'm secretary to the expedition. I have such skills from my job before I married, and got the
rust off them working for the peace movement. Then too, I've had experience on other planets, including
planets where you need special equipment to live. I used to go to New Mars quite often, ostensibly with
Edgar's mineral prospectors, actually to get away-No matter. That's past. When I heard about this
expedition, I applied for a berth and, rather to my surprise, got it. I suppose that was partly because most
qualified people were scared to come so near the big bad Aleriona, partly because Vie knew me and felt
I could handle it." She handed him a glass and raised her own. "Welcome aboard, Gunnar. Here's to the
old days." Theyclinked rims, wordless.
"When life was simple and splendid," she added. Tossing off a sip of her Chablis, she toasted again,
defiantly. "And here's to the future. We'll make it the same."
"Well, let's hope so." His mouth creased upward. She'd always been overly, dramatic, buthis own
stolidity had found it a trait more endearing than otherwise.
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