We did not catch up with the cloud until past the planet Eyeron, by which time the gas had spread to cover some thousands of cubic kilometers and we spent three days forcing it into a compact enough form to fit into our nets.
In the end we trapped the cloud in a triple net and solidly held it in between two of our ships. In that way we brought it to the Solar system where everyone would be able to admire it in an enclosure built in Archimedes Crater on the Moon, although I, personally, cannot think of anything more boring to look at than a living gas cloud.
Ella had insisted that the gas cloud should be placed in a Zoo on Earth, but the terrestrial climate would have been harmful and, really, who goes to a Zoo to look at a mass of grey gas? You go to a Zoo to look at an empathicator, to get a gift scarf from a Sewing Spider, or to pour lemonade on the roots of a wanderbush, or to figure out which animal in the herd of cows roaming over the pasture is the Skliss.
Our last time together was in the Moonwalker Hotel in Lunar City.
“It’s time to say farewell.” The Second Captain said.
The Captains were sitting in a row on a long divan; they looked nothing at all like their stone monuments on the Three Captain’s Planet. The First Captain was pensive and had difficulty in hiding chagrin; while he had been in the Medusa system they had begin the transfer of Venus to its new orbit, so he had missed the grand moment.
The Third Captain was feeling very poorly; he had a cold which he had contracted in the pirates’ cavern, but when Verkhovtseff brought him medicine the Captain refused.
“This isn’t something that can be cured by terrestrial medicines, let me be hoenst with you. Don’t pay any attention. As soon as I go back into space, everything will be all right. The best hospital is the bridge of a starship.”
Only the Second Captain was in a good mood. He had just handed over the formula for galaxion to a group of physicists from Earth. The physicists had taken up about half the hotel rooms in Luna City and every arriving ship brought their colleagues from different universities and institutes. There were scientists coming from Fyxx and Leonce, and the space docks of Pluto had already begun work on the first ship that would be powered by the new drive.
“You’re laughing all the time.” Ella said to the Second Captain; she hated sitting in one spot and was nervously walking around the room. “I suppose you’re pleased with yourself for creating such a commotion among the physicists?”
“Eminently pleased.” The Second Captain admitted. “I have to admit that I was afraid our people had discovered the formula for galaxion on their own and they no longer needed it. All those years I kept worrying: what if they’ve invented galaxion already on Earth?”
“But you never would have surrendered the formula to the pirates?” I asked.
“No, of course not. You can just imagine the sort of plans they would have had for it in your worst nightmares! I hope, I trust that we will never see such things. In the final analysis, space is no longer as big as it once was. I’m just sorry that you were never able gather as many animals as you wanted, Professor Seleznev. But I’ll try to repay you for your efforts by getting you birds and animals for the zoo from where ever I find myself.”
“Thank you, my friends.” I said, “But I must say don’t be concerned for me. We’ll be going out in the Pegasus next summer. That is, of course, if Poloskov and Zeleny won’t refuse to fly with me.”
“No plans for that.” Poloskov insisted.
“I’m willing.” Zeleny said. “If the circumstances and the stars are right.”
Zeleny was incorrigible, but I knew he’d be coming too. He knew it too, but of course he couldn’t avoid raising his doubts.
“And I’m going too.” Alice noted.
“We’ll see.” I answered. “You have the whole of the next year of school to get through.”
“And where are you planning on going now?” Poloskov asked the Captains.
“I’m off to Pluto/” The Second Captain said. “They’ve building ships with galaxion engines now. I’m hoping to get one of the first.”
“And I am going home first, to Fyxx.” The Third Captain said “I haven’t been home in ages. And then I’m going to build a ship with the new drive as well.”
“And I have to go back to Venus now.” The First Captain said. “Venus is already moving into its new orbit. A few months more and my work will be finished. That’s when I’ll be able to rejoin the others.”
“So you’re all going back to Deep Space?” Alice asked.
“Yes.” The First Captain said.
“Of course.” The Second Captain said.
“Where else?” The Third Captain finished.
“And I had been planning to fly to a living, sentient planet.” Ella declared. “That should have been even more interesting than a living space cloud. But I fear I will have to ask Professor Seleznev to fly there in my place.”
“And why?” I asked. “You after all, are the one who’s the specialist in supernatural animals.”
“I’ll be going with the Captains.”
“But we’re heading for the next Galaxy. That’s a long and difficult flight.”
“Don’t argue with me.” Ella snapped back decisively. “I’ve come to my decision. We’re not going to be separated from each other for so long.”
“But what about the children?” The First Captain asked.
“The children will stay with their grandmother. She doesn’t dance at the Bolshoy Theater every day. She can take them out of Kindergarten on Saturdays and Sundays.”
The First Captain was beginning to look rather embarrassed in front of his friends.
The Second Captain inclined his head as a sign of agreement.
The Third Captain signified the same by raising one of his six arms.
“Don’t forget,” Ella told me, rather clearly having no doubts that she would be able to convince the three men of her plans, “You promised me you’d find the living planet. And I will bring you the most remarkable animal we encounter at Andromeda.”
The Pegasus was the first of the ships to leave the Moon. We were in a hurry because it was best if the animals could be transferred as soon as possible into permanent recreations of their home environments. The Captains and Ella accompanied us to the ship and wished us a pleasant voyage. The Pegasus rose on its thrusters over the airless surface of the Moon and set course for Earth.
I hurried to the cargo bays to see for myself how our animals were feeling. Most of the cages we had brought out from Earth were unused. There really weren’t all that many animals. The cage that had housed the pirate Ratty was empty as well. We had landed him and his two followers on one of the planets where they had caused so much trouble. Presumably they would know how to punish the pirate properly.
I fed the Skliss the last handful of grain. The skliss pressed his side to the bars so I could groom him.
Alice came into the hold. Behind her the wanderbushes seminili verenicei.
“So,” I asked, “what are you going to tell them at school?”
“Do I really have to tell them everything?” Alice shrugged her shoulders. “There’s no way they would believe it all.”
She picked up the mop and started to help me clean the cages.
“Yes,” I agreed. Who would believe it all?.
“You’re not satisfied with the expedition?” Alice asked. “Didn’t we get enough animals?”
“No, word of honor, I’m quite satisfied. We’ve made new friends and what new friends!”
“That’s great!” Alice hugged me. “You know, the Captains promised to take me to the other Galaxy. No, don’t worry, not on their first trip, but later, when I’m grown a little.”
“What can I say,” I said, “except ‘Have a Nice Trip.’“
“Don’t be worried, Papa, we’ll most likely be taking you along too. Biologists are always needed on an expedition.