"Mars isn't bad, Anti. People live on it. Besides, it isn't Mars. It's
hotter, warmer than Earth in fact. Dry, but there are two small oceans
and several mountain chains and on the shady side of the hills there
seem to be trees. We can live comfortably there."
"I thought of something else," said Jeriann. "They'll head straight for
the planet that will support the biggest population. Let them have the
prize--we don't need it."
"I had that in mind," said Docchi. "It will give us more time to get
safely established. Once we're on, there's nothing much they can do."
The deceleration began soon and went off smoothly. In less than a
subjective year since they left Earth they entered the Alpha system.
But they were not the first humans to arrive. The official expedition
in the Star Victory preceded them by several days. The difference was
that the accidentals knew exactly where they were going and actually
arrived at the planet while the other ship was still cautiously
investigating the outer orbits.
"It doesn't matter," said Anti as they gathered by the scanner,
discussing it. "In principle we're responsible for what they've done.
They can have the glory. What we came for was a place to live in peace."
"And we'll get it," said Docchi. In the last few weeks his uneasiness,
never very deep, had come to the surface. The knowledge of how narrow a
margin they had was frightening.
Outside the planet filled the dome. It was actually quite small but it
was close and covered most of the sky. Now that they were near they
could see that only superficially did it resemble Mars. There were
mountains and several large streams and it wasn't as barren as at first
they had thought.
"I wish I could land, or we could go closer," said Anti.
There was no answer for that. Anti's personal null gravity field would
function only so long as it was in contact with the gravity computer,
which in effect it was an extension of. She wasn't yet strong enough to
stand on the surface of their new home. As for the other, the asteroid
was quite large and it wasn't advisable to risk a nearer approach.
Webber came in, grinning hugely and rattling his arm and leg more than
necessary. "The first load's on. When do we peel off?"
"Whenever you're ready. The rocket dome is on automatic. Take off and
it'll open for you."
"It's safe to leave?"
"If you're the rocket pilot you say you are. It's an ordinary landing.
The scouts the general left us are in fair condition."
"Don't worry about me. I meant, will the expedition interfere?"
"Last time we checked the ship was nosing around the outer planets."
"Good stupid old Judd. It's nice that we can depend on him to proceed
with the utmost of military caution--and arrive at his goal too late."
It was not quite fair to the general, who was shrewd enough when it
came to things he had been trained to deal with. From the military
standpoint he had to check every possibility before going on to the
next. He was the official representative of the entire solar system
and he did not dare act as hastily as the accidentals could. His
responsibilities held him back. But there were other times in which
unimaginative obedience to higher authority would carry the day.
"Be careful," warned Docchi. "Don't let anyone go out until the air and
soil and water have been tested and retested and approved."
"The doctor thinks we can handle any virus, bacteria, parasite, or
anything else you can name that shows up. It's not the first strange
world man has landed on."
"This is not the solar system," said Docchi. "You may have to restrain
Cameron if he's overly anxious to show Nona what the new world is like."
"For that reason you----" Webber stopped, glancing away from Docchi's
face. "It's too bad you can't go. You ought to have some first to your
name."
"Don't concern yourself. I'll get there one of these days. Somebody's
got to be up here at this end."
"And I'll make certain nothing goes wrong down there." Webber shifted
uncomfortably but the mood didn't last. "I'll be back in a week for the
next load. Once we get settled things will speed up."
"We'll be waiting," called Jordan as Webber left.
There was tension before the rocket lifted and sluiced through the
dome locks. It didn't abate as the swatch of light flared across the
darkness and faded against the bright illumination of the planetary
disc. It was only when they were able to observe the successful landing
on the selected site and the radio response came in. "All clear. A bit
shaken up on the way down but no damage except to my ego. I think I got
all the rusty rocketry out of my system. We're waiting while tests come
in. We'll let you know before we go out."
"Now I can breathe," said Anti. "A place of our own. Just let the
general come and try to take us off."
"Why not? He has weapons, which we don't. There's nothing to stop him
from landing down there and capturing them. I won't feel safe until we
have a real settlement going and can defend it. And then I'm not sure."
"Now, Jeriann," admonished Anti.
"They'll obey their own laws," said Docchi. "Planets outside the solar
system that aren't claimed by others belong to those who first settle
them. They passed that long ago as an incentive to interstellar travel.
The moment we landed we became independent. To molest us now would be a
clear violation of everything they believe in."
"I hope you're right," said Jeriann. "I hope you are."
Anti was gazing out the window at the arch of the dome, through which
she could see the edge of the planet, ruddy, with a small sparkling
green and gold ocean turned toward them. She got to her feet. "I'm
going outside and see the world before it slips away. I was wrong. It's
not like Mars. Much prettier."
Docchi was busy for a moment as Anti and Jordan left and when the work
was finished and he turned around he saw that Jeriann had remained with
him. Without realizing what she was doing she was fingering the empty
spaces on her belt. It wasn't conspicuous but like him she wore her
infirmity on the outside where everyone could see.
"I'm sorry you couldn't go first," she said, touching the one remaining
capsule.
"First or later isn't important. But why not be sorry you weren't
first?"
"Well, there are things to be done and oh, I don't know."
She was disturbed for some reason he could not guess. The sight of
their world seemed to upset her as much as it did him, but with
different effects. "It's the same with me. But now the worst is over."
Docchi sat motionless. "Jeriann."
"Yes?"
"Once I said I'd come to see you when I could."
"You promised, but you never came."
"The promise was to myself. I can come to see you now. Am I still
invited?"
"Why do you ask a question like that?" said Jeriann. "You know, don't
you? You know what I'll say."
First they registered and then they left the Hall of Records, walking
slowly, watching the planet roll over the dome, disappearing by
degrees. It was out of sight, the last patch vanishing as they reached
her dwelling. And inside, where time was waiting everywhere, the
remainder of it on the floor, peering down from the ceiling and ticking
with soft persistence in the walls, they quite forgot time for a while.
They slept dreamlessly. It was nearly morning before he became restless
and awakened. It was not the rhythmical noises that were intended to
keep her informed of the schedule that bothered him.
He lay there and tried to determine where the sound came from. He could
feel her body next to his, warm and wonderful. He couldn't get back to
sleep and he couldn't ignore what was happening.
He moved and touched her. She was quivering. "Are you laughing or
crying?" he whispered.
"I can't cry so I've got to be laughing," she answered. "It's funny. I
was lying here thinking about it. I suppose I can cook. I don't know.
It's been a long time."
"Is that all?" He chuckled. "Don't give it another thought. I
understand how you feel about it."
"Do you? I don't think so." She squirmed closer and put her arms
around him "That's what's so funny. There's no food here and nothing to
cook it on. Not only that, there never will be. You've got yourself a
prize woman."
"I think so too. I'm satisfied," he said. "Can't you feel my arms
around you?"
She would never be able to convince him that she could.
15
Now that Cameron was gone there was much more to be done in the
hospital. Jeriann rushed to get through but small errors plagued her,
nullifying a good part of her work. Finally she forced herself to be
more careful, checking the biologicals with extreme caution.
"I hear," said Maureen, sauntering in, "the nuptials were informal,
catch as catch can."
"No ceremony," said Jeriann. "We stopped in and registered and went on
to my place."
"What's the difference as long as you're sure of him," said Maureen.
"I'm not. I'm sure of me."
Maureen looked at her critically. "In your case it's good enough," she
said with a trace of envy as she leaned against the machine.
"Don't," said Jeriann sharply. "This thing is an art, not a science.
The heat of your hand will alter the product."
"Well, all right," said Maureen crossly. "If I had something worthwhile
to do I wouldn't be so nervous."
"I think it can be arranged," said Jeriann, smiling. "How would you
like to be a colonist?"
"On the next ship? Maybe."
"It would be exciting. Also you'd be near Webber." Jeriann made a
delicate adjustment.
"I haven't made up my mind about him," said Maureen airily. "He's
virile though."
"He clanks a lot, if that's what you mean."
"At least he doesn't pretend he's carrying the world on his shoulders
without any----" Maureen stopped. "I guess I shouldn't say that in
front of you."
"You shouldn't," agreed Jeriann. "Nowhere I'll be apt to hear it. Now
why don't you see Jordan about getting on the next ship?"
After that the work went smoothly and she soon found she'd completed
the day's quota and part of the next. She continued longer until she
had tomorrow free. They had the whole day off to do what they liked, if
she could persuade him to rest. She was humming when she went out and
it was clear evening and there was a beautiful silver fleck in the sky.
Only it was not beautiful because it was a ship--and it was not their
ship.
And neither was it the Star Victory. She'd watched it so often on the
scanner that every line of it was etched in her mind.
She hurried to gravity center, every step an effort. Why couldn't they
have been discovered later? She would have preferred an alien ship,
anything to this. Where had it come from?
Jordan was waiting at the entrance. "I knew you'd be here. You saw the
scout?"
It was simple if she had thought about it. The Star Victory was large
and carried auxiliary landing craft. "When did it come?"
"Less than an hour ago. Go on in. I'll wait for Anti."
Docchi was leaning against the command unit. The telescreen on the
opposite wall was glowing but there was nothing on it except harsh
white glare. "I tried to get you at the hospital as soon as they
stopped talking. You'd just left."
"They didn't call until they got close?"
A smile had died on his face and the corpse of it was still there.
"They nailed us dead. We should have had someone checking on the
scanner. It works turned away from the planet. I guess it wouldn't have
done any good though--there was just too much space to cover. First
thing we knew they were on the telescreen. Jordan went outside, and
there they were."
She was thinking of the people on the planet. The asteroid couldn't
abandon them. She hoped the scout didn't know how vulnerable they
were. "What did they say?"
"The general sent an urgent message. He asked us not to land on this or
any other planet."
"He _asked_ us?" The general was accustomed to commanding.
His face was illuminated with the weak radiance of his veins. "I didn't
tell them we _had_ landed and I don't think they observed it." He
stopped to recall what she said and the effort was painful. "Oh yes,
the general asked us. Below the cloud banks he discovered an alien
civilization on the Saturn type planet and is negotiating with them.
Naturally they'd regard it as a hostile act on the part of mankind if
we occupied a planet in their system without first asking."