"He tried to go out the way he came in. There wasn't any tree to break
his fall. And one other thing. I have an urgent message for you from
Walker."
I glanced at the slip of paper. "Jim--for God's sake, stay out of
aircars!"
"Cronus showed us your fall half an hour before it happened. From our
angle, it looked as if you fell out of the aircab that was hovering
over the building. Some time in the next twenty-four hours, Walker
calculated, but we couldn't reach you."
"It wouldn't have made any difference," I said. "You know yourself...."
"Yes," he said. "I know."
His voice rambled on, while my eyes met Stella's. "So Cronus can show
us the future," I heard him say, "but he can't change it, and neither
can we."
"Cronus changed mine," I said, still looking at Stella.
The Captain took the hint, and left.
Five minutes later the phone rang, and I reached around Stella to
answer it. It was Walker, and Stella held her face close to mine and
listened.
"Just called to offer my congratulations," Walker said.
"Congratulations for what?"
"For your wedding. Cronus just spotted it."
I swore, but I kept it under my breath. "I haven't even asked the
girl," I said, "and don't tell me I'm wearing that stupid arm band at
my wedding, because I'm not."
"No, you're on crutches. But the Captain is standing up with you, and
he's wearing his."
"All right," I said. "When is this glad event going to take place?"
"Four to eight days."
I slammed down the receiver, and kissed Stella's blushing face. "Cronus
says we're getting married in four to eight days, and this is one time
that monstrosity's going to be wrong. We'll get married tomorrow."
"All right, Jim, if you want to. But...."
"But what?"
"This is May twenty-eighth, and I want to be a June bride."
We were married five days later, and we went to Arizona on our
honeymoon. I'd done some checking, and I knew Arizona was well outside
of Cronus's range.