He passed between the cargo hoists and clambered onto the escalator
rampway that led to the main body of the ship. It rose, conveying him
seventy feet upward and through the open passenger hatch to the inner
section of the towering starship.
He was weary from having carried Steve so long. He put the sleeping form
down against a window-seat facing one of the viewscreens, and said to
Rat, "You stay here and keep watch. If anyone wants to know who he is,
tell them the truth."
"Right enough."
Alan found Art Kandin where he expected to find him--in the Central
Control Room, posting work assignments for the blastoff tomorrow. The
lanky, pudgy-faced First Officer hardly noticed as Alan stepped up
beside him.
"Art?"
Kandin turned--and went pale. "Oh--Alan. Where in blazes have you been
the last two days?"
"Out in the Earther city. Did my father make much of a fuss?"
The First Officer shook his head. "He kept saying you just went out to
see the sights, that you hadn't really jumped ship. But he kept saying
it over and over again, as if he didn't really believe it, as if he
wanted to convince himself you were coming back."
"Where is he now?"
"In his cabin. He's off-watch for the next hour or two. I'll ring him up
and have him come down here, I guess."
Alan shook his head. "No--don't do that. Tell him to meet me on B Deck."
He gave the location of the picture-viewscreen where he had parked
Steve, and Kandin shrugged and agreed.
Alan made his way back to the viewscreen. Rat looked up at him; he was
sitting perched on Steve's shoulder.
"Anyone bother you?" Alan asked.
"No one's come by this way since you left," Rat said.
"Alan?" a quiet voice said.