Part 107 (1/2)

LeCocq replied. ”Rather less than we antic.i.p.ated. And only a handful of Howlers and Tanu.” He allowed himself a superior smile. ”Most of the returning humans were bareneck, of course.”

”Which leaves the two of us,” said Burke. He looked up at the gazebo, which was now sheltered beneath a striped tent fly.

Over at the control console, Phronsie Gillis yawned. ”Anyone got a ticket to ride better hop it. It's been a long, long trick and I'm ready for some rest and recuperation. Especially the latter.”

Basil studied the Guderian device, frowning thoughtfully. ”I could write a most amazing book if I went back.”

Burke said, ”I suppose young Mermelstein would take me into the old law firm in Salt Lake City.”

Basil said, ”But Commander LeCocq says there are some really remarkable peaks in the inner Pyrenees. One or two may exceed eight thousand metres.”

Burke said, ”But who needs the last of the Wallawallas shmoozing around the office, boring the pants off of everybody with fantastic stories that couldn't possibly have happened? And the kid doesn't even speak Yiddish.”

”Shut it down, Phronsie,” said Basil. ”It looks as though we'll stay after all.”

”Shall we see if Mr. Betsy's willing to fly the lot of us down to Roniah to my place for high tea?” Commander LeCocq suggested.

Phronsie flicked off the power on the Guderian device, extracted the electromagnetically encoded gla.s.s key, and handed it to the officer. ”h.e.l.l, I think ol' Bets will be tickled pink at the suggestion!” She thought for a minute. ”Pink-or maybe puce.”

He said: We approach the superfices for the last time.

She said: Thank G.o.d. Seven of these giant steps and each one worse than the last even with the mitigator ... how Brede's s.h.i.+p ever managed the entire journey in a single leap is beyond my comprehension.

He said: Not mine. Brede's s.h.i.+p was attempting to avoid capture. Under the circ.u.mstances one is inspired.

She said: The s.h.i.+p ... it knew all along. About Earth and its people. It may have been instinctive for it to seek a world with compatible germ plasm and a similar metapsychic pattern but perhaps it really knew.

He said: Anatoly would say it was led. But his philosophy is rather simplistic. Appealing though and definitely anxietycalming.

She said: Anxiety? You?

He said: Even me. As your friend Creyn noted the challenge rather exceeds that of my Mental Man vision: reorientation of an entire Galactic Mind condemned to a dead end of mental evolution because of the golden torcs. It should occupy our attention for some time.

She said: Will we have it? Time?

He said: I trust so. Both of us.

She said: You're leaning toward the simplistic.

He said: Jack often remarked on it. But the mind-set of one's youth is not rejected with impunity. We were both taught to trust. Shall we Elizabeth?

She said: Yes. Yes Marc ...

He said: Come then. I'll support you as we make the penetration. Have courage. It's the last step.

She said: The first I think.

They emerged, and the Duat Galaxy swirled around them-smaller than the Milky Way, but still enfolding more than eleven thousand Duat daughterworlds in its far-flung starry arms. The two suits of black armour hung in s.p.a.ce and the enclosed brains saw a nearby expanse of nebulosity that glowed red and royal blue from the double star forming within its heart.