“Hey! You guys, I need your help.”
The two moved forward, their friends watching wide-eyed.
“In the control room we had a device—a remote unit for our flier. You may have seen us using it.”
One of them nodded.
“It may still be in there or nearby. We have to find it! Do you understand?”
They nodded and followed him through the door.
“I am Jim Able, by the way.”
“Yes, sir, we know. We saw you on TV. I am Frett Amtir,” said the boy.
“My name is Rowa Culan,” said the girl, her eyes sparkling under her brows.
By the time Jim and the students found a vehicle and had driven it back to the remains of the TV tower, the fire-fighting crew was in place and busy.
The open remains of the control room were awash in fire-retardant foam. Jim stood, shaking his head in despair.
“Are you sure it was in there, sir?”
Jim sighed. “I think so.” He looked around. “Let’s try and search the ground this way. I think that’s where I ran when this went up. We may be lucky.”
Jim had not anticipated the effect of TV stardom. Within a few minutes, his number of helpers had grown to twenty.
A whoop went up from a couple of young girls. Clutching the control unit, they rushed over to Jim. The whole group gathered around him, peppering him with questions as he checked for damage. He considered bringing the flier back immediately but looked around at the expectant faces, the scene of devastation around the destroyed tower, and the groups of officials crisscrossing the games field.
“I’ll bring my flier back down a bit later,” he announced to his young fans.
There was a mumble of disappointment.
“We’d better check up on my partner.”
Some climbed into the vehicle; the rest jogged along on either side.
While they traveled, one asked, “Is your friend really a gallassid?”
“I don’t think so, not as you know it. I suppose your legends might be based on some encounter with a Neraffan, but I doubt we can ever truly know.”
“What’s a Neraffan?”
“That’s what Tella is. Its world is called Neraff.”
“Is it far away?”
“Yes, it is. Much farther than my world.”
“Will more of you come from your world?”
“Oh, I don’t know. If your government invites us, yes, but not otherwise.”
“Who was in the ship that crashed?”
“I can’t tell you that. That’s a matter for the authorities.”
“I think it was another alien,” said a voice from one side.
“Well...No, I can’t say. I’m sorry.”
By the time they reached the medical room again, Jim’s temper was getting short from having to repeat the same line over and over.
***
Jim was waiting with Tella and hoping it would recover consciousness long enough to describe its injuries. Madhar, flanked by two bodyguards, rushed into the room.
“Jim, we have a small problem.”
“What’s up?”
“The word is out about your presence here. Also spreading abroad is the notion that there is an alien craft lying in a field, ripe for stripping down and reverse engineering. I know of three companies dispatching teams to clear it away for us. If they arrive together, they’ll fight over it.”
“Uh-oh.”
“Any ideas?”
“Get everyone away from the flier. Is there anything we need from it?”
“Like what?”
“Like evidence against Sopha Luca?”
The scientist shook her head. “Don’t worry about that. He’s their responsibility. You might want to check in with them, but...”
“Where is he, by the way?”
“Who?”
“Sopha Luca!”
“I...I told Burat to go and get him! Where is the idiot?” She turned to one of her guards. “Find your boss and report back to me. He was supposed to be collecting the pilot of that flier.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“So,” said Jim, “I’d better bring back the flier.”
With a glance at Tella’s white face, he went outside to use the remote. He called the flier and worried that it might not be easy to clear everyone away from the field.
The sight of the sleek black craft coming in slowly over the Institute had an energizing effect. There was sufficient doubt abroad as to the intentions of the aliens that the field cleared quickly. He walked halfway toward the craft as it settled on the grass. He turned to see Madhar driving after him.
“Jim!”
“Hi, what’s up?”
“I just wanted to make sure I had a look inside this one!”
“Come on board.”
He led the Turcanian up the ramp and closed the door.
Madhar looked around in amazement.
“Take a seat,” Jim said, pointing at the copilot’s seat. “Don’t touch anything.”
“No problem. What does this do?” She pointed at a control panel in front of her.
“I’ll explain it all later. We have a job to do.”
The flier lifted gently into the air. Jim turned it slowly and took up position near Sopha’s downed craft. He opened the baffles on the weapons units, targeted the wreck, and checked once more for signs of life.
“There’s a column of vehicles approaching the wreck,” he said to Madhar.
“Can I see them?”
“There.” Jim pointed to a small monitor screen.
“I can’t tell who it is. Shoot now. Don’t let them get any closer.”
Jim fired. He carved the flier into small pieces. The paths of his beams left deep troughs in the bodywork that were edged with glowing orange worms of metal and ceramic. He made three passes over the wreckage to ensure nothing large was left intact. Finally, he fired two high-explosive charges into the heap of burning chunks.
“Okay,” said Jim. “Good enough. I think it’s safe.”
He felt a grim satisfaction that he had completed Tella’s mission—by destroying the laser with the rest of the craft.
“Thank you,” said Madhar. “I wouldn’t like to see our world become a technological serfdom. You’ve never seen our businessmen in operation, have you? You just did us all a big favor.”
“I’d like to get back to Tella now.”
“I’m sorry. Of course, you must.”
“But, you know, while we’re here...”
Jim pointed the flier to the sky and took the scientist for her first real view of her own home.
***
Madhar Nect was silent as she walked down the ramp from the flier. She had dried the tears from her eyes.
“If that column of trucks is anything to
