Iris

and then refill with air. Going through the airlock, they passed through the p-curtain leading into the transparent CM dome.

Brendan's depressurized suit fell from him like an old skin. Ridged, beltlike pressure marks embossed his flesh, distorting the muscle lines. Krzakwa followed his example, but Prynne kept his suit tight, a heroic costume. They went around to the other side of the CM, where the rest of the colonists were standing around a table, as though impatiently waiting.

Beth had noticed an immediate change in John, the moment he knew that the others were back, manifested by a tightening in his manner, a closing down. Perhaps they'd been on the verge of a breakthrough, perhaps not, but he'd been about to verbalize his fears, at least. Now she could see that it was Sealock who was bedeviling him. Sealock alone. She'd had some inkling that this might be the case, but now it was plain.

Demogorgon spoke first: 'How was the trip?'

Sealock grimaced. 'Good ride. Bad scenery. The edge of the mare is no big deal.' Hu looked up sharply. 'The edge? I thought it was agreed that you would stay clear of the volatile regions until a complete survey could be taken. The ocellus-highland interface is . . .' Tem held up a hand. 'Don't worry, Jana. We didn't do any, ah—what did you call it?— wheelies in the fucking neon.'

Prynne, smiling, was saying, 'We all slept through the last hundred kilometers yesterday. We would've been back sooner if Tem's foot hadn't fallen off the gas pedal.'

'Come on, you three,' said Ariane, 'grab a plate and join us. The buntings are perfect!'

'What's a bunting?' asked Prynne.

'It's a bite-sized bird,' said the Selenite. 'You mean you made the ortolans thing? I always wondered how that would taste.' A smile broke through the tangled undergrowth of his beard. 'I was getting pretty tired of that low-eel stuff.'

'Wait for me,' said Prynne. 'I have to go put on some real clothes.' He hopped rather clumsily up the ladder, back into the CM, and reappeared a minute later in shorts and a T-shirt. Sealock and Krzakwa were already seated, nude.

'Here's a toast,' said Vana, brushing a curl of springy hair back where it belonged and raising her goblet. 'To us.'

Everyone drank. Beth noticed that John was keeping his eyes on his plate. Sealock had finished his ortolans but showed no inclination to get seconds. His face was dark, and there was an angular lumpiness to it, as if the light were unflattering. Finally he looked up and spoke.

'OK. I've been stewing about how to say this. I can't think of any gentler way, so, if this upsets any of you . . . tough shit.' He grinned, momentarily, then shook his head slowly. 'Um . . . Tem and I will be leaving you shortly. Going on another little trip.' Demogorgonstirred, a look of dismay on his face, but the man went on: 'We've decided that we're going to put the moonship together a little ahead of schedule and go have a quick look at the rest of this frozen merry-go-round. . . .' Jana pounded a hand on the table in front of her, smashing her food paquette with a loud crack.

'What?' She rose to her feet, leaned her small weight forward onto her hands, and looked at him intently. 'I am going with you! There's no way you're going to leave me out of this! I promised the IAAU

I'd get samples from I and II as soon as it was possible, and I'm going to get them.' Her face was reddening, turning a sallow brick color. 'If you land on either of those moons I will not be responsible for the consequences.'

Tem said, 'We'll get them for you, Jana. You can guide us just as well from here as from the ship. Any instrumentation you want, we'll take.'

Hu's voice was steady and flat now, emotionless, but her eyes were wild. 'I will stop you if I can. Those moons are under my jurisdiction. You will regret this.'

Sealock laughed. 'I'll try to keep all that in mind.'

Cornwell stood up. 'I don't like this. By just what processdid you arrive at this 'decision'? It seems to me that Jana is certainly the most qualified to go. If you two are going to force something like this down all of our throats, an injustice is being done.'

Sealock smiled gently. 'Well ... try and stop us, then.' He turned and stalked toward the CM, a rather delicate, balletlike maneuver in the low gravity.

Demogorgon said, 'But, Brendan!' and hurried after him.

Jana rose to her feet, swept the lot of them with a contemptuous glare, stared at John for a long moment, then walked away, also toward the CM. Ariane stood and began walking slowly toward the CM, seeming downcast. Vana stared after her for a second, then got up to follow.