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a moment, she nodded. "Sure the big brain. Oversized head on a small body,
almost deformed. He's been gone ten years, in command ofBear Trap . Due back
in another year or so, with luck. And the scuttle is that if his expedition
has any good fortune and returns fairly near to sked, he's closely in line for
command of the port."
Raelle gripped Jay's arm. "You see? Even here, where they don'thave Skip
Drive yet, Forgues is on his way to Admiral. And that could indicate& "
He patted her hand. "Yes I know what you're trying to say and I hope you're
right. But our hostess can't possibly know all the people we want to check on.
So let's drink our coffee and go quiz the local computer terminals."
Hargan looked surprised, but she said, "I'm ready when you are."
In the booth, the keyboard closely resembled an outmoded model Jay had
learned in school a decade ago. The anachronism bothered him he made errors
and irritably canceled them.
First he stayed with data in large impersonal matters. And except for lack of
Skip Drive he found that this Earth paralleled his own, remarkably.
What colonies had this timeline seeded, and how advanced were they?
Waterfall, Mossback, and of course Second Chance all the nearer ones he could
remember were active and in good order. He paused to realize that these
reports came from sublight travel. Expeditions might now be returning from
worlds he knew about, that this Earth as yet did not. He nodded the pattern
boded well.
Raelle interrupted him; he deactivated the terminal. Arms around his neck,
she said, "I'mhere. Jay! Off Earth at the moment, training to leave on the
longest expedition to date. But not lifting for another month or so I'll have
time to meet me again!"
He kissed her, then said, "If they have any sense, it won't leave until
they've added Skip units."
And Raelle said, "Probably not. But it's the meeting that counts, not the
length of it."
She left, then, to follow her own curiosities, and Jay carefully pursued his
own. Setra Tuang was gone to Waterfall her sister Sualna was also scheduled to
go, but not soon. He recorded Sualna's location and access code; there was no
reason to disturb this alternate of the woman not yet, not while Areyn's fate
was still in doubt. Thoughthis Sualna had no such child&
And now he faced what he had been avoiding. He punched for data on Harwood
and Glenna Pearsall did his parents exist, here?
Yes. They had gone to space on a planet-hunting expedition. He scanned
ahead they had returned, and safely! The current data be read it carefully
and shook his head in wonder. As a result of time dilation in sublight travel
the two were fifteen years short of their natural, chronological ages and they
had left the Space arm for ground duty. He read no more.
For a time Jay sat. Then he switched to the communication net and punched for
the address code of Junior Commander Harwood Pearsall. Waiting, he wondered
what he could possibly say to this man. For a moment his finger rested on the
"Cancel" key but he did not push it.
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The screen lit. Jay saw the father he had known when he was perhaps six or
seven years old and thought,he doesn't age much .
"Yes?" The older man spoke without warmth, granting an unknown caller no
prerogatives. Jay tried to think how to breach that coldness?
Finally, "I please be patient but may I speak with your wife, also?"
On the screen, the face, puzzlement. "I don't recognize you."
"I know you don't you can't but it's important. Please& "
Woody Pearsall squinted. "There's a familiar look to you, somehow. I'll grant
you five minutes. Wait, now."
"Of course." The man left the screen's view. Jay waited, and after a time
Harwood Pearsall returned. With him came a woman from Jay's dreams.
Glenna his mother as shehad been walked with assurance and pride. Her long
bright hair bounced in the wild, leaping curls Jay remembered only from early
childhood. Her smooth complexion bore a faint flush, as from recent exercise.
She said, "The king of the mountain will be along as soon as he's washed his
face and hands. Now, Woody and you at the other end, who maybe I know and
maybe I don't what's this all about?"
Her husband said, "He's the one who called. You're not sure whether you know
him?"
Her remembered gesture one fingertip to the tiny mole beside her eye melted
Jay's feelings. All planning failed him; he said, "I know you you don't know
me. But at the port theycan tell you. Telia Hargan? And the black man one of
their top people I don't remember his name."
"I know it," said Harwood Pearsall, "and I know Hargan, also. If you " He
turned to meet the rush of the small boy who came laughing and leaped into his
arms. Pearsall grunted and caught his balance. "Well whoever you are, meet the
rest of the family. Our son Jay, age six. And isn't it about time you
introduced yourself?" Unable to speak, Jay stared at the three.Now I
understand what Raelle felt . And then,here I stay !
He cleared his throat. "You're going to find this a little hard to believe& "
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