"I don't think so. They'd have been upset if they had any idea."
"Seems likely," agreed the doctor. "We left as they were approaching.
But we took off from the face nearest the planet and they came in from
the opposite side. The asteroid acted as a screen."
"Probably," agreed Docchi with indifference. "How soon can you be
ready?"
"Do we have to come up immediately?"
Docchi shrugged. "I can shove the scout out of the way. I don't know
what will happen if and when the Star Victory gets here."
"It's too big to maneuver close to the surface of the planet."
"Perhaps. But it carries other scouts it can launch."
Cameron grimaced. "Two or three fast little ships would be difficult to
brush away. But do we have to let them get close?"
"How can we stop them? Better come up while you can."
Cameron was fighting it, not recognizing the odds. "The scanner will
work, won't it?" questioned the doctor.
"Turned away from the planet, yes."
"That's what I meant. Keep it trained on the alien world. If the Star
Victory comes out of the clouds and heads this way you'll know it in
plenty of time to scoop us up."
It could be done but why jeopardize themselves further? He wanted to
refuse but Jeriann was pressing close to him, whispering. "Do you have
any reason for wanting to stay?" he asked reluctantly.
"You see right through me, don't you?" said Cameron. "No, there's no
real reason except this, Nona's interested in this world and wants to
stay."
It was as valid as anything else he could have said. That they had come
so far, if only to fail at the final step, was due almost entirely
to her efforts. She deserved some reward, though it was only the
satisfaction of mild curiosity. "Wait," he said suspiciously. "Are you
sure you know _what_ she wants? We're sometimes able to tell her what
we want, but never the other way around."
"But I know----" The doctor stopped and looked at him wildly, his face
flooded with sudden exaltation which gradually faded. "I do know," he
said at last. "For a moment I thought it was telepathy. But I guess
not. I'm not a computer." He glanced out of the viewport at a world
they couldn't see.
"Thank you for bringing it to my attention, Docchi," he said when he
faced them again. "It's just interest. For the first time she has
someone she wants to understand--me--and a world outside she longs to
visit. The combination is strong enough to stimulate her mind--and
she's bright enough to learn anything she decides she has to."
Cameron rubbed his hand across his face and he was tired too. "Let us
stay here as long as you can without endangering yourselves. I want
to work with her under these surroundings. I think now, looking back
at the way she's behaved these last few days, I can make a start at
teaching her to read."
"It must be a lovely place if she likes it so well," said Jeriann.
"Maybe you can turn the screen of your ship so we can see what it's
like outside."
"No," said Docchi hoarsely. "Don't waste time taking apart the ship.
Get busy with her, teach her what you can. Take her outside if it's
safe, but don't go far. We may call suddenly." He lowered his voice as
he went on talking and at the end was no louder than usual.
"I understand," said Cameron. "Don't worry about us. Something may come
out of it."
"It's worse for them," said Jeriann when the screen darkened. "They've
seen it and then they'll have to come back. It won't be anything we'll
have to shove deep in our memories."
He didn't know. He didn't know at all. "I need your help," he said,
going into the scanner room. Under his direction Jeriann made
adjustments and brought the alien world in view. Cloud swathed and
mysterious, a strange civilization hidden under the impenetrable
atmosphere, it rolled on through space.
"We'll take turns," he said. "The minute anything bright comes up we'll
get busy."
"I hate them," said Jeriann.
"Who?"
"The aliens. If it weren't for them we'd have a clear claim on the
planet."
"But they didn't do anything," he said. "They're merely protecting
their own interests. We'd do the same." Nevertheless he hated the
aliens too.
* * * * *
Jeriann was shaking him. She had to shout before he started and woke
up. "They've left," she said. "We've got to hurry."
He was tired and didn't want to move. It was very unimportant. "Are you
sure it was the Star Victory you saw? It may have been a satellite."
"It was the ship--at least it was using rockets."
He got out of bed and let her help him dress. Usually he refused her
aid. "Rockets? But the Star Victory doesn't have any." Of course it
did; it was part of the obsolete equipment that hadn't been removed
because there wasn't time. Besides, it was an excellent reverse source
of propulsion.
"I don't care. That's what I saw," said Jeriann.
"Where are Jordan and Anti?"
"I've called them. They'll be there."
He finished dressing and they hurried to the scanner. There was no
mistake; it was the ship, but there was no bright tail behind. They
were using the gravity drive. He watched it grimly.
"But they were," said Jeriann. "There's nothing wrong with my eyesight.
They were using rockets."
He withheld comment. Rockets weren't nearly as efficient as the gravity
drive, particularly near a large planet. Yet Jeriann said she saw it.
He hoped she hadn't.
Anti and Jordan came in almost simultaneously and joined the vigil.
Minutes passed in silence and then the brief orange flower blossomed
again.
"See," said Jeriann.
"Now why are they doing that?" growled Jordan. "They were doing fine
without it."
"Maybe they need more speed," suggested Anti.