"We set out from Earth for a single star in the direction of the center
of our Galaxy."
"From Earth? How could we?"
"Let's move slowly, sir," he said. "We're moving fast. I don't know if
you can picture it, but we're going about one hundred thousand miles an
hour."
"Through space?"
"Yes."
"What direction?"
Paul cut in. "It's a G type star, like our own sun in mass and
luminosity. We hope to find a planetary system capable of supporting
life."
"I can't grasp it. How can we go very far in a lifetime?"
"It can be done in two lifetimes," John said quietly.
"You said I had flown this ship. You meant before this suspension."
"Yes. That's why we can cross space to a near star."
"How long ago was it?"
"It was set at about a hundred years, sir. Doesn't that fit at all?"
"I can't believe it's possible."
Carl caught my eye. "Captain, we save this time without aging at all.
It puts us near a calculated destination."
"We've lost our lifetime." It was Karen. She had been crying silently
while we talked.
"Don't think about it," Paul said. "We can still pull this out all
right if you don't lose your nerve."
"What are we to do?" she asked.
John answered for me. "First we've got to find out where we are. I know
this ship but I can't fly it."
"Can I?" I asked.
* * * * *
We set up a temporary plan of action. Paul took Karen to the laboratory
in an effort to help her remember her job. Carl went back to divide the
rations.
I was to study the charts and manuals. It was better than doing
nothing, and I went into the navigation room and sat down. Earth was
an infinitesimal point somewhere behind us on the galactic plane, and
no one else was trained to navigate. The ship thundered to life as I
sat there. The blast roared once ... twice, then settled into a muted
crescendo of sound that hummed through the walls. I went into the
control room and watched John at the panel.
"I wish I knew what you were doing," I said savagely.
"Give it time."
"We can't spare any, can we?" I asked.
"I wish we knew. What about her--Dr. Thiesen?"
"She's in the lab. I don't think that will do much good. She's got to
be shocked out of a mental state like that."
"I guess you're right," he said slowly. "She's trained to administer
the suspension on the return trip."