CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

The Shapieron was back on its pad at Geerbaine. The edges of the hole that it had torn through the city roof had been trimmed back to remove the immediate hazard from the looser debris, but no real work had commenced on repairing the damage yet. No doubt the Jevlenese would get around to it eventually.

There were no crowds or any public ceremony. Garuth and a small party from PAC drove out from the city-the tubes weren’t running that day-to see off the group who were returning to Earth and to make their farewells, most of which were personal rather than functions of any office. Not many of the Jevlenese at large were aware that the scientists who were leaving had had much connection with recent events, anyway. All they knew was that the ballyhoo about JEVEX returning two weeks previously had fizzled out, and after all the hype about Eubeleus’s migration to Uttan, not a lot seemed to be happening there. (Actually, a lot of Thurien vessels had been arriving at Uttan, but that wasn’t general knowledge yet.) Besides that, the hotheads who had seized PAC with the collusion of some elements of the Shiban police had changed their tune suddenly and surrendered; the Ganymeans were back again-but this time they were more committed to setting up a native Jevlenese administration instead of trying to run things directly themselves; and nobody could get a headworld trip for any price anymore.

Leyel Torres and a deputation of crew officers from the Shapieron were waiting at the spaceport to add their own farewells. The groups met in the main departure lounge, watched curiously by onlookers going about regular business and others assembling to travel back on the same ship-which again would be the Vishnu. The Thuriens were still being as casual as ever about taking anyone who wanted to go, and-especially after the latest complications-steering clear of any involvement in human politics. If any Terran or Jevlenese faction, sect, authority, government, party, union, church-or whatever other form of organization humans insisted on banding themselves together into to interfere with each others’ lives-had a problem with it, they could settle it among themselves by their own incomprehensible methods.

“It should work out a lot better this time round,” Hunt said to Garuth. “Although after the way you spent twenty years getting your ship back before you showed up at Jupiter, I don’t have to tell you anything about perseverance.”

“Now that we know where the problem was coming from, I think it will change a lot of things,” Garuth replied. “The new system will give the whole population a common goal and a symbol to unite them.” His face twisted into the peculiar Ganymean form of a grin, and he looked at Danchekker. “But no pyramids or temples, crescents or spirals, eh, Professor?”

“I think the human race has had more than its fill of that kind of thing,” Danchekker agreed.

Garuth was referring to the new planetary computer system that would be built from scratch, on Jevlen, where JEVEX was supposed to have been, by the Jevlenese themselves. In the meantime, they would have to learn to meet their own needs through their own initiative, as the more enterprising among them had already shown an amazing propensity for doing. As they grew, the system would grow with them. It wouldn’t come as a ready-made gift this time. The Thuriens themselves had insisted on its being that way.

“It should keep you two busy enough for a while,” Hunt said, turning to Shilohin and Keshen, both of whom would be involved with the project. “But don’t try and plan everything too far ahead. That’s how things end up inflexible-the one thing that’s sure to happen is the one you never thought of.”

“Nobody planned the Entoverse, or this one,” Shilohin said.

“We’ll let it plan itself as it goes,” Keshen agreed. He grinned. “And I know not to take on any sidelines this time.”

“Watch where you’re flying that ship, the next time you take it up,” Hunt told Torres and Jassilane. “Tell that computer of yours to try not to bump into any cities. It does tend to upset the inhabitants, and the police take a dim view of it.”

“I don’t exactly remember that they were about to give you the citizen-of-the-year award at the time,” ZORAC chipped in, reverting momentarily from translation mode to its own voice.

Del Cullen shook hands with Hunt warmly and gave him a hearty thump on the shoulder A contingent of Terran police and security advisers had arrived from Earth with the Vishnu to help Garuth s Jevlenese administration establish some machinery for protecting the basic rights that governments were supposed to be for. Cullen would be working with them initially to adjust their thinking to the needs of the local society, instead of the other way around.

“Three months, they tell us,” he said. “So say hi to the States for us until then. And when we get there, it’ll be the wildest time of R and R since they came home from World War Two. Right, guys?”

“Right,” Koberg and Lebansky agreed heartily from behind him.

Sandy Holmes and Duncan Watt were standing with the group from PAC, not the ones who were due to leave. They would be staying on for at least three months, getting the UNSA labs at PAC organized as a permanent facility and initiating some of the kind of work for which the group had come to Jevlen officially to begin with. Hunt also suspected that they had plenty of R and R plans of their own, involving a lot of Shiban nightlife. Erwin Reutheneger would have been proud.

“Regards to Gregg and everyone back at the firm,” Duncan told Hunt. “Tell him he’s been warming that chair at Goddard for too long. It’s time we saw more of him out here in the field.”

“Maybe I can get him on the flight back with the Vishnu,” Hunt said. “It would save us a lot of frenzy and all-night meetings when we get back after this, if I know anything about Gregg.”

Danchekker, who had been saying something to Sandy, turned with an intrigued look on his face as he caught the conversation. “Yes, what a possibility… And, er, might there be a chance, perhaps, of persuading Ms. Mulling to go with him, do you think?”

Sandy moved over to Hunt. “Well, Vic, Gregg did warn me that none of the expeditions he sends you off on ever work out the way anyone thinks. He said that this time he told you the only thing left for you to bring back was a universe. And you did!”

“He should have known better by now,” Hunt said.

“Do you think I could get a chance to go down into the Entoverse later?”

“Maybe. It depends what the Thuriens come up with and how they decide to handle it. I’d say there’s a pretty good chance.”

“I didn’t exactly think Gregg was exaggerating, but I never dreamed of anything like that.”

“Watch what you dream about,” Gina said, standing beside Hunt. “These days it’s getting difficult to tell the difference.”

“And you be careful with VISAR on the way back,” Sandy told her. “Remember what happened last time.”

“Not just me, as I recall,” Gina replied.

“Just as well you did,” Hunt said to both of them. “I’ll drink to curiosity every time. Remember, objectivity is what you make it.”

The others who were boarding the Thurien surface lander had by now disappeared along the ramp, with the exception of Murray and Nixie. Murray had decided it was time to take his chances and straighten things out back home, and Nixie would get her chance to see Earth. But although they would no doubt stay in touch, their former association was over. With her unique psychology and abilities, Nixie would spend time working with Danchekker and others at Goddard, and after that would go to Thurien to assist Eesyan and his scientists with their further researches on the Entoverse.

Murray and Nixie disappeared into the ramp, and after a final round of waves and farewells, Hunt, Danchekker, and Gina turned and followed them. Soon afterward, the smooth, golden ovoid ascended from the surface of Jevlen and docked with the twenty-mile long Thurien starship, hanging in orbit. Less than an hour later, the Vishnu was accelerating out of the star Athena’s planetary system.