establish an orbit near Earth around the sun.
“In exactly one hour, yon will see a force of one hundred Thulian ships approaching. Those are an outright gift to the Fleet, and the men and officers aboard are at your disposal. Each hour thereafter, one hundred more will reach you, until the Federation Fleet has exactly one-half of the Fleet of Thule. Since these ships are simple in operation, you will be able to train and install crews from the Federation within a few days, so need have no fear of a trap or treachery.
“And finally, the warning network around Thule has been removed, and the planet is now open to entry of any or all of the Solar Fleet. President Faskin has empowered me to inform you that Thule considers the Federation a civilized culture, incapable of conquering any world which itself is not bent on conquest. Thule is proud to welcome the Fleet and to co-operate in every way with the Federation of which she someday hopes to become a member.”
He signed off, and turned to Faskin. “They don’t believe you, of course, President Faskin. Who would? But they can’t afford to pass up your offer. I think you can handle the rest of it.”
He dropped a hand on the shoulders of Simon and Bob and started out of the little chamber.
Then he turned back. “Juan, what about you? Feel in the mood for a real family dinner to celebrate all this?”
Juan’s eyes searched those of the other two boys, and then he nodded quickly. “Even if you celebrate with the horrible music from Earth,” he said.
For a second Simon stared at him, and then a grin of understanding broke over his face. He began explaining about the music on the tapes to Bob’s father, while they worked their way out of the crowded, cheering chambers.
There was no fear on Thule now. There had never been hatred, Bob knew, because cultures sufficiently advanced do not have to hate other cultures through lack of understanding. But there had been fear. Thule had come into a Solar System where war had been common a mere two hundred years before, and she hadn’t been sure whether men had outgrown it.
Bob and the others had done their share to prove that mankind had outgrown it. As the son of a military man, brought up in the tradition of a fighting Navy, his lack of warlike attitude had been important. But the real credit belonged to the little people who had hated war enough to make the Federation delay until the last possible minute, and then stop their invasion at the first sign that there was no need for it.
Men had proved that Thule had no reason to fear them. And now Thule was proving that it was safe for the Federation to accept her.
It was a week later when the three stood watching the last of the Fleet land for a much needed liberty, while other ships were taking off already to return to Outpost and to the other worlds of the Federation.
It was a busy place, this parklike landing field which had been his first glimpse of Thule. He watched the men of the Fleet coming out, grinning -uncertainly as they caught their first glimpses of the people of Thule; but by now, they knew what to expect. Sailors hadn’t changed much, Bob guessed. And the Thulian women who were now being revived along with the sleeping men were something to look at. Federation men and Thulian girls might never be able to marry, but they could still appreciate each other’s looks and laugh together.
Bob turned back at last, with Jakes and Juan following him. “I guess we’ll be going back to Mars next week,” he said. “We’ll have to get back for the fall opening of the Academy. ‘Leftenant Griffith reporting for studies, sir!’ That’s going to be tough to live down for a while.”
“At least you make it sound good,” Simon Jakes grumbled. “When I say ‘Leftenant Jakes reporting for studies,’ I can’t keep my voice from squeaking. I don’t believe it myself, after all the fool things I’ve gotten mixed up in. Hey, imagine me going back to that old Academy to earn a commission when I’ve already got one.”
Juan smiled at them. His face had been restored to its natural color, but he still looked more like an Earth boy than a young man of Thule. “You’ll be back,” he said. “With your father acting as first ambassador to Thule,
Bob, I’ll be seeing you every summer. Maybe we can all take another trip next year in the Icarius.”
“We’ll take you on a guided tour of the whole Solar System,” Simon promised him. “As soon as I get that inertia-free drive of yours installed.”
Juan glanced up at the sky where the sun was already beginning to look bigger, and nodded. “It’s a pretty good Solar System,” he said.
Bob agreed. It was a tine Solar System, and it looked as if it would be an even better one in the years to come.
