Turning to Walzer, he said, "Look, you're too weak to consider another
long trip immediately. Why don't you just follow this island in your
ship until we get to a safe distance from here, say about a thousand
miles due north? We'll live on the island until you get your strength
back and get over your claustrophobia. I imagine it wasn't helped any
by being cooped up in that dungeon. When you're ready we'll take off.
In the meantime I can be showing Amra and Grizquetr just what can be
done with the island. She can be living on it while I'm gone. We'll
trap wild life to replace the animals that were strangled when I went
up too high for them to breathe. She can shuttle back and forth over
the Xurdimur, or over the whole planet if she wishes. And she will, I
hope, stay out of mischief until I get back."
"That's fine," said Walzer. "I'll get in the ship and follow you."
Three weeks later, the two Earthmen boarded the scout and closed the
port behind them, the port that would not open again until they were
on Earth, some four months subjective time away. They sat down in the
control cabin, and Walzer began pushing buttons and throwing switches.
Green wiped the sweat from his brow, the tears from his eyes, and said,
"Whew!"
"A fine woman," said Walzer, sympathetically. "A rare beauty. She has a
tremendous impact upon one."
"Something like crashing into a planet head-on," said Green. "She
has the faculty of wringing out every last bit of energy left in the
particular emotion she happens to be feeling at the moment. A great
actress who believes in her roles."
"Her children are fine children, too," Walzer added, slowly and as if
he were about to say something that might hurt Green's feelings but was
anxious not to do so. "You will be glad to see them again, of course."
"Of course. After all, Paxi's my daughter, I love the others as if they
were also mine."
"Ah," breathed Walzer. "Then you _are_ going back to her?"
Green didn't express surprise or anger, because he had guessed from
Walzer's actions just what he was thinking.
"You can't imagine my wanting to live on that barbaric planet with that
woman, can you?" he said, evenly. "That after all, there are serious
gaps in our ways of thinking, in our behavior, in our education. Isn't
that what you meant by your statement?"
Walzer glanced out of the corners of his eyes at Green, then replied
warily, "Well, yes. But you know what you want far better than I do."
He paused, then added, "I must say I admire your courage."
Green shrugged.
"After all I've been through I'm not afraid to take one more chance."
* * * * *
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