The tiny ship sped along, a thousand feet above the great ocean that
separated Siykul from its neighboring continent. Only a slight mental
effort was needed to imagine themselves back on Earth. Long swells
swept across the deep, green surface. No sea-craft were in sight, but
occasionally a huge fish would break through the surface and quiver in
the air as sunlight glinted on the drops of water it shook from its
back.
Miles ahead, land appeared, like low-lying clouds on the horizon.
Ten minutes of flying brought them over the shore--a wide beach that
stretched back half a mile and ended abruptly in a forest.
The forest seemed endless.
"We must have gone a hundred miles inland," said Myra. "When are we
supposed to push that fateful button?"
"Point Q is described as a large prairie. We should reach it any minute
now."
"What's that up ahead?"
"That appears to be it," said Steve.
He pushed the button with crossed fingers. The ship immediately went
into a long glide. The ground came up rapidly. Just when they thought
they would surely crash, the nose came up automatically and the ship
skidded to a bumpy halt.
Steve shut off the motor. "Last stop," he said.
Myra looked at him closely.
"Steve," she said. "How do you feel?"
"Fine," he replied. "Why? Scared?"
"No. I mean--aren't we supposed to be ... well, affected, somehow?"
"Oh." Steve looked at her and scratched his head in thought. "Well-l, I
do feel a trifle crazy."
"How?" Myra looked concerned.