sense of humor, he knew how to listen, and he encouraged her to talk about things she was interested in. She decided that if her duties required her to be holed up inside a tin can for a year with a single companion, Drafts would be easy to take.
He asked her about the book of Japanese poetry she'd been reading, and challenged her to produce a haiku. After a few minutes, and a lot of rewriting, she had one:
// they ask for me,
Say, she rides where comets go,
And outpaces light.
'Lovely,' Drafts said.
'Your turn.'
'I can't match that.'
'Not if you don't try.'
He sighed and picked up a pad. She watched him intently during the process. He smiled tentatively at her, struggled a lot, and finally presented her with one:
/ have walked on stars,
And sailed the channels of night.
To sip tea with you.
'I like it,' she said.
His dark eyes found her. 'I know it's not on a level with yours,' he said. 'But it's true.'
Delta. Tuesday, May 17; 1535 hours.
The comer was almost a perfect 90 degrees. The problem was that the ice was brittle, and tended to crumble. But it was good enough. Carson called it a victory, cut power to the 1600, and accepted a handshake from his partner. 'That's it, Angela,' he said. 'We're done for now. Let's go.'
She acknowledged, and laid power to the engines.
They wheeled overhead and admired their work. Not bad for amateurs.
Angela spent the evening looking at the data coming in from Ashley. She kept moving files around, switching images, talking to herself.
'What's wrong?' asked Hutch.
'These things' she said. 'There's no way to explain them. And I'm thinking where we're going to be if we let them get away and another one does not show up.'
'Looking dumb?' suggested Hutch.
'To say the least. We've got a major discovery here. Whatever it is. They violate physical law. The one that's approaching us will pass the sun and apparently keep going. I mean, this thing is really traveling.' She was quiet for a moment. 'I don't know what holds them together.'
'What are you suggesting, Angela?'
'I think we should arrange to take a close look as it goes by.'
'Is there time?'
'We can arrange an intercept. We won't have much time alongside, because the ship can't begin to match the object's velocity in the time available. But we can get a quick glimpse, and maybe the sensors will be more effective up close.' She looked at Carson. 'What do you think?'
'Can't we catch it later if we have to?' He directed the question to Hutch.
She considered it. 'Hazeltines are notoriously poor for pinpoint work. We did pretty well at Beta Pac, but that's the exception. Usually, you pick a star system, and land somewhere in the general neighborhood. With something that's moving trie way this thing is, if we let it get away, we might never see it again.'
'I don't think running after it right now would be prudent,' Carson said.
Angela frowned. 'I can't see any problem. Terry's a good pilot. And he will keep a respectful distance.'
'No,' he said.
'Frank,' said Angela, 'the real risk is in not going.'
He rolled his eyes and opened a channel to the ship. 'Let's talk about it,' he told her.
Janet appeared on the main display. 'How's the Neighborhood Improvement Group doing?'
'Not bad,' said Carson. 'Where's Terry?'
'Right here.' The screen split.
'What would you think about intercepting the object? Go out and take a close look?'
He consulted his display and blew unhappily through his fingers. 'We'd need to move pretty fast. I make it about two and a half days at max to lay in alongside it.'
'Can you wait for us?'
'Frank, this ride is already going to hurt.'
'How do you feel about doing it?'
He looked over at Janet. 'You game?'
'Sure.'
They could see his reluctance. 'I don't know,' he said.
'Terry,' pleaded Angela, 'we might not get another chance.'
Hutch looked at her. She wanted this badly, and it was clouding her judgment. 'It would leave us without a ship,' she pointed out. 'I don't know whether that's a good idea either.'
'Don't need one,' said Angela.
Janet shrugged. 'Don't hesitate because of me.'
'I can't see,' said Angela, 'that there's anything to lose.'
Carson wanted to go. That was obvious. But the assorted shocks on this expedition had taken their toll. Hutch could see his natural instincts struggling with his newfound caution. And she saw them win. 'Anybody else with an objection?'
Drafts looked sidewise at his partner. 'If Angela wants it, and Janet has no problem, I'd like to do it.'
'Okay.' Colonel Carson returned. 'Let's go.'
There were a few last-minute technical conversations. Drafts entered flight requirements into the navigation systems. They would use Flickinger fields to help negate some of the effects of acceleration.
Within thirty minutes of making the decision, the Ashley Tee lifted out of orbit into an acceleration that mashed its crew into their seats.
'You okay?' asked Drafts.
'Fine,' she said breathlessly.
'It'll be a sixty-two hour run.'
In the screens, Delta, the orange ice world, diminished rapidly to a small globe, and then to a point of light. After a while, only the gas giant remained. Soon it too was only a bright star.
LIBRARY ENTRY
Dragon in the dark,
Your eyes move across the stars,
Your breath warms the moon.
— April 24, 2203 (Found in unassigned file on Ashley Tee)
29
Delta. Wednesday, May 18; 0930 hours
The operation on the small mesa had gone so well that they hoped to finish by the end of the day.
They sliced and buffed until they had three smooth rock walls set at (almost) right angles to each other. Then they turned to the task of straightening the fourth side, with its massive notch. Carson regretted not having the capability to fill the indentation rather than have to pare off the walls on either side. But never mind: he would manage.
They had developed reasonable facility with the 1600, and were now enjoying themselves. Whenever
