picture of our late brother Growing Tree the Far Seer is something from the young days of our world when the soil was less toxic and could support vegetable life of amazing complexity. His picture is of a large, growing thing, green and fragile. In our records one finds many such names, one of the more notable being the picture of Rose the Healer. His name picture suggests something of beauty, a bright, fragile, short-lived thing that also grew out of the soil. Some of our other names suggest that there was, in addition to vegetable life, life of other sorts in the youthful days of the planet, such as flying things. Indeed, our own Juicers show vestigial wings, and the young Juicers are winged before their change. It is reasonable, then, to think that life adjusts to planetary conditions, resulting in a variety of life forms that serve some practical purpose that is unknown to us. As conditions alter in the natural order of a world, changes occur. Nature does not, I believe, destroy life, but alters its form. Life is concentrated into necessary forms, and some believe that there is a constant quantity of life allotted to each world. Should this be true, then the life force we embody could have, in the past, furnished animation to some strange life forms beyond our imagination. At this stage of our world's development life is evident in a small picture of forms—the four forms of us, the two forms of insects, the combination of vegetation and animal that is the Breather, and a few forms of vegetation. Think of the wisdom of this arrangement: only necessary things exist with no life force wasted in useless forms. You may point to the poisonous plants of the sink holes and question this statement, but who is to say that these things do not have a place in the future of life? We do not know the exact form of the Old Ones, but we do know that we are drastically different than they were. The New Ones, the logical advancement of nature, assuming that Rack the Healer's change is incomplete and will be perfected in some future birth, could be so radically different as to be able to utilize the poisonous plants of the sink holes for their own good.» «It would, indeed, seem that nothing is random in nature,» agreed Gray Body, the old Far Seer. «But in restating this concept, Red Earth, my brother, are you not seeking to ease doubts in your mind regarding our present course of action?» «I shall not deny certain misgivings,» Red Earth said. «Some of them are not worth considering, for the pain I feel when I think of losing the presence of two of my fellow beings is purely emotional and not at all in keeping with the logical mind of a Far Seer.» «You will not lose, but gain,» Rack said. «For the success of our journey will bring changes. We, having replenished our stores on the new, sweet world, will return, bringing to you the wisdom of our brothers there.» «I would like to think so,» Red Earth said. «The thought of such a journey is, of course, pleasing to a Healer, who is notoriously footloose,» Gray Body sent. «And I fear that the result of this venture may be measured only in the pleasures received by those involved—a Healer who will see more of the universe than any Healer before him, a Power Giver who will make a soar that will diminish all past flights. Should you find the satellite to be empty, there would be a temptation to return, for it is horrible to think of a world empty of life force. You would be lonely. The temptation to return would be great.» «Yes,» Red Earth agreed. «Should nature decree that you discover a world empty of intelligent life, then you must suffer the loneliness. You must not return to our planet. You will breed, perhaps many times, for nature will preserve life, and you will people the new world.» «But if we can accept this blasphemous idea that nature limits life to one world at a time, then can we also entertain other blasphemies—such as random factors in nature?» asked a young Healer. «The consideration of that subject pains me,» Red Earth said, «but I have thought on it. We come, once again, to faith. Compare the pictures of
the early stages of this world, fruitful, with varied forms of life, rich, sweet air, and a variety of foods with our world today. Compare the pictures in the Book of Rose the Healer of the Old Ones dying in vast numbers with the small picture of our population. Assuming that there is a constant amount of life force is it not logical to think that each of us is allotted a larger picture of life force than was allotted to one of the Old Ones? This would explain the superiority of our life forms. Is it not possible that there is a life force on a new, empty world, waiting to inhabit the body of life? One of the possibilities is that Rack and Beautiful Wings will find an empty planet, true. But it is just as believable to think that nature awaits them with a reserve of life force which, once absorbed, will make them more than they are.» «Your faith humbles me,» said Gray Body. «What else is there?» Rack asked. «I share Red Earth's faith. Nature has never deserted us. She has given us good life in the past, with pockets of sweet air and quantities of broth. She has made us thinking beings who can see beauty. A mother will not abandon her children.» «It is time,» Red Earth said, «to cease speculating and apply ourselves to the task at hand. Shadow on the Moon, the youngest Far Seer who studies the satellite, will outline some of the difficulties.» Shadow on the Moon, agitated by the attention, began his presentation. «Our senses tell us of large mountains and valleys. This fact may indicate a supply of good air, for uneroded mountains indicate a youthful world. On our world the rains and the winds have eaten our mountains. Thus, we anticipate no difficulty once the satellite is reached. The dangers lie in the journey through space. In space the air particles are so scattered that not even the lungs of a powerful Healer such as Rack could find a breath. Enough air must be stored for Rack and his Power Giver to sustain life for—» The picture of days he sent startled Rack. «It is not within the power of Rack the Healer,» he protested. «So,» Shadow on the Moon went on, «it is necessary to provide a store of air and food. I have considered the possibilities. The amount needed would entail a pack of unwieldy proportions. This being undesirable, I have suggested, an alternate course.» He sent a picture of a small establishment, constructed of the Material, complete with Breather tanks and broth vessels. «The bulk will be far too great,» Rack said, thinking of the drain on Beautiful Wings. «Ordinarily, yes,» Shadow on the Moon said. «But there are certain differences between a soar such as we contemplate and a simple soar within the range of the pull of the earth.» He turned to Beautiful Wings. «Your senses tell you of the nature of the force that surrounds the earth. Can you picture the extent of the force?» She concentrated. «I have never considered it. I have soared high, but I have never felt any diminishing of the force that, when unopposed, tugs me back to earth.» «The senses of a Far Seer are more perceptive,» Red Earth prompted, and Shadow on the Moon continued his discourse. «We, too, can see the force of the earth,» he said, «although we cannot utilize it, and our sight extends into the airlessness of space. There, at certain distances, we note a decrease in the power. Surrounding the satellite we sense a similar force, although its power is less because it is a smaller world. Thus, in a soar beyond the earth, less power would be required, and once past a certain point, a Power Giver could cease her work, allowing the pull of the sister world to furnish the motive power.» «But,» said Beautiful Wings, «in my idle play I have sometimes allowed myself to fall. When I cease working, the earth tugs and I fall ever faster. If I allow myself to fall for too long, the power needed to stop is far greater than the power needed for a simple soar.» «True. That is in our thoughts,» Shadow on the Moon said. «I suggest that practice soars be made, using the helping Power Giver. We must measure the force of the earth's pull and compare it with the pull of the sister world. Then we shall know the amount of power needed to stop the soar. It will be great—perhaps too great— for in airless space, the soar must be faster than any flight has ever been.» He pictured the distance and, once again, Rack was awed. As the planning continued the number of difficulties seemed to grow until they burdened Rack's mind. The vast picture of distance intimidated him and he feared not for himself, but for Beautiful Wings. Never before had such a great demand been made on a Power Giver. And as the workers constructed the small establishment that would, according to the plan of Shadow on the Moon, protect them from the cold airlessness of space, Rack watched and weighed with his mind and despaired. However, he prepared for the trip dutifully. He stored by eating far more than his usual amount, breathing the rich, Breather-made air until all his cells were fat with air and he added new cells in the form of surplus. He felt bulky, but he knew that each small picture of air that was added, each bit of reserve, gave him that much more to share with Beautiful Wings. To cover all eventualities it was decided that an attempt should be made to teach Rack and Beautiful Wings the techniques of food and Material making. Eggs of Webbers and Juicers and small containers of the slime source plants would be stored in the flying establishment so that should they find an empty but clean-aired world they would have means for survival. Tending the Webbers and Juicers was a responsibility of the Far Seers, and the insects, accustomed only to their mind patterns, were at first restless in the presence of others. Rack studied the soothing patterns sent by the Far Seers, duplicated them, and finally became at ease with the hairy Webbers. Carefully avoiding the vicious stingers of the Juicers, he managed to master the technique of milking the creatures. It was up to Beautiful Wings to use her power to combine the two extracts, and after much experimentation she was partly successful. Red Earth assured her that before departure date she would be as adept at Material-making and broth-brewing as a Far Seer. At last the flying establishment had been completed and was ready for a test. The group gathered. Rack and Beautiful Wings entered, closed the lock, and lay down on the comfortable rack. He merged with her and she lifted, her area of power enclosing the establishment. They rose to the ceiling of the dome of Eastern Establishment and held there effortlessly, with Rack's substance and power funneling through their blended flesh to heal and help. Rack was encouraged, for the flying establishment added only a tiny picture to the drain on their joint resources. Then the test to measure the drain in actual soaring was arranged. Yellow Sky, a young and beautiful Power Giver, was to be united with Rack. «I fail to understand why, if I am to be the one to make the soar, I cannot go with you,» Beautiful Wings protested. «We must conserve your resources,» Red Earth said impatiently. Beautiful Wings, sending half-
