the early stages of this world, fruitful, with varied forms of life, rich, sweet air, and a variety of foods with our world today. Compare the pictures in the Book of Rose the Healer of the Old Ones dying in vast numbers with the small picture of our population. Assuming that there is a constant amount of life force is it not logical to think that each of us is allotted a larger picture of life force than was allotted to one of the Old Ones? This would explain the superiority of our life forms. Is it not possible that there is a life force on a new, empty world, waiting to inhabit the body of life? One of the possibilities is that Rack and Beautiful Wings will find an empty planet, true. But it is just as believable to think that nature awaits them with a reserve of life force which, once absorbed, will make them more than they are.» «Your faith humbles me,» said Gray Body. «What else is there?» Rack asked. «I share Red Earth's faith. Nature has never deserted us. She has given us good life in the past, with pockets of sweet air and quantities of broth. She has made us thinking beings who can see beauty. A mother will not abandon her children.» «It is time,» Red Earth said, «to cease speculating and apply ourselves to the task at hand. Shadow on the Moon, the youngest Far Seer who studies the satellite, will outline some of the difficulties.» Shadow on the Moon, agitated by the attention, began his presentation. «Our senses tell us of large mountains and valleys. This fact may indicate a supply of good air, for uneroded mountains indicate a youthful world. On our world the rains and the winds have eaten our mountains. Thus, we anticipate no difficulty once the satellite is reached. The dangers lie in the journey through space. In space the air particles are so scattered that not even the lungs of a powerful Healer such as Rack could find a breath. Enough air must be stored for Rack and his Power Giver to sustain life for—» The picture of days he sent startled Rack. «It is not within the power of Rack the Healer,» he protested. «So,» Shadow on the Moon went on, «it is necessary to provide a store of air and food. I have considered the possibilities. The amount needed would entail a pack of unwieldy proportions. This being undesirable, I have suggested, an alternate course.» He sent a picture of a small establishment, constructed of the Material, complete with Breather tanks and broth vessels. «The bulk will be far too great,» Rack said, thinking of the drain on Beautiful Wings. «Ordinarily, yes,» Shadow on the Moon said. «But there are certain differences between a soar such as we contemplate and a simple soar within the range of the pull of the earth.» He turned to Beautiful Wings. «Your senses tell you of the nature of the force that surrounds the earth. Can you picture the extent of the force?» She concentrated. «I have never considered it. I have soared high, but I have never felt any diminishing of the force that, when unopposed, tugs me back to earth.» «The senses of a Far Seer are more perceptive,» Red Earth prompted, and Shadow on the Moon continued his discourse. «We, too, can see the force of the earth,» he said, «although we cannot utilize it, and our sight extends into the airlessness of space. There, at certain distances, we note a decrease in the power. Surrounding the satellite we sense a similar force, although its power is less because it is a smaller world. Thus, in a soar beyond the earth, less power would be required, and once past a certain point, a Power Giver could cease her work, allowing the pull of the sister world to furnish the motive power.» «But,» said Beautiful Wings, «in my idle play I have sometimes allowed myself to fall. When I cease working, the earth tugs and I fall ever faster. If I allow myself to fall for too long, the power needed to stop is far greater than the power needed for a simple soar.» «True. That is in our thoughts,» Shadow on the Moon said. «I suggest that practice soars be made, using the helping Power Giver. We must measure the force of the earth's pull and compare it with the pull of the sister world. Then we shall know the amount of power needed to stop the soar. It will be great—perhaps too great— for in airless space, the soar must be faster than any flight has ever been.» He pictured the distance and, once again, Rack was awed. As the planning continued the number of difficulties seemed to grow until they burdened Rack's mind. The vast picture of distance intimidated him and he feared not for himself, but for Beautiful Wings. Never before had such a great demand been made on a Power Giver. And as the workers constructed the small establishment that would, according to the plan of Shadow on the Moon, protect them from the cold airlessness of space, Rack watched and weighed with his mind and despaired. However, he prepared for the trip dutifully. He stored by eating far more than his usual amount, breathing the rich, Breather-made air until all his cells were fat with air and he added new cells in the form of surplus. He felt bulky, but he knew that each small picture of air that was added, each bit of reserve, gave him that much more to share with Beautiful Wings. To cover all eventualities it was decided that an attempt should be made to teach Rack and Beautiful Wings the techniques of food and Material making. Eggs of Webbers and Juicers and small containers of the slime source plants would be stored in the flying establishment so that should they find an empty but clean-aired world they would have means for survival. Tending the Webbers and Juicers was a responsibility of the Far Seers, and the insects, accustomed only to their mind patterns, were at first restless in the presence of others. Rack studied the soothing patterns sent by the Far Seers, duplicated them, and finally became at ease with the hairy Webbers. Carefully avoiding the vicious stingers of the Juicers, he managed to master the technique of milking the creatures. It was up to Beautiful Wings to use her power to combine the two extracts, and after much experimentation she was partly successful. Red Earth assured her that before departure date she would be as adept at Material-making and broth-brewing as a Far Seer. At last the flying establishment had been completed and was ready for a test. The group gathered. Rack and Beautiful Wings entered, closed the lock, and lay down on the comfortable rack. He merged with her and she lifted, her area of power enclosing the establishment. They rose to the ceiling of the dome of Eastern Establishment and held there effortlessly, with Rack's substance and power funneling through their blended flesh to heal and help. Rack was encouraged, for the flying establishment added only a tiny picture to the drain on their joint resources. Then the test to measure the drain in actual soaring was arranged. Yellow Sky, a young and beautiful Power Giver, was to be united with Rack. «I fail to understand why, if I am to be the one to make the soar, I cannot go with you,» Beautiful Wings protested. «We must conserve your resources,» Red Earth said impatiently. Beautiful Wings, sending half-concealed pictures of jealousy, watched as Rack touched his tongue to the tongue of Yellow Sky. The flying establishment lifted rapidly into the dark, swirling clouds. Rack sent back pictures of their condition to the Far Seers. Yellow Sky took them up swiftly, as if to prove to all that she, as well as Beautiful Wings, could power the soar. Soon the establishment burst through the clouds into the blackness of the upper air. Rack in contact with Shadow on the Moon, directed her to slow the ascent until finally they hovered motionless high above the planet. The flying enclosure was almost invisible against the black space beyond it. Below, the view was blocked by the most terrible winter storms in history. Yet they were not alone, for the Far Seers held them in their minds, measuring their expenditure of substance. Exultant, not penalized in the slightest by the fast, heavy lift, the Power Giver radiated joy. Rack, however, was slightly uncomfortable. His mouth to hers, he knew the vague unease that he always felt in a merge with anyone other than Beautiful Wings. He was relieved when the Far Seers had enough information to allow the soar to end, and when they returned to earth he immediately sought seclusion within his chamber at the Eastern Establishment. That he was being selfish did not occur to him. However, when Beautiful Wings entered he looked up, arranging his features in an expression of pleasure. «Did you not even want to see me?» she asked. «Of course,» he said. «I was merely tired.» «Yet we have soared the wide sea without feeling fatigue,» she said. She was defenseless against his probing mind. Their long closeness had robbed her of the ability to close her mind to him. What he found hurt him. «You are the most foolish of Power Givers,» he told her fondly. «Do you think I could forget so quickly?» He sent pictures of the repeated joining and she melted, coming to his side. «I will not allow you to merge with her again,» she said. He laughed. «Then you shall be the one who explains it to Red Earth.» But he sent such a wave of love that she purred aloud with pleasure and clung to him. Since it had been proved that the flying establishment could be soared relatively easily, only a few tests remained. As Yellow Sky once more lifted the load, Beautiful Wings tried to appear unconcerned, but was not successful in hiding her pique from Rack. At the height of the soar, in the thin air of near space, they hovered. Under the guidance of Shadow on the Moon, the flying establishment moved in an arc corresponding to the curve of the planet. Faster and faster they moved, Rack sending his energies into the body of the Power Giver. Just as the contact was about to be broken by the curvature of the planet Shadow on the Moon ordered them to slow, make a sweeping turn, and come back. As they complied the establishment began to move up at an increasing rate of speed, the strain felt even in Rack's strong body. When they returned to the surface of the planet they found the Far Seers greatly excited over the relative readings of power expended in the two methods of acceleration. One more test was required to confirm the thinking of the Far Seers. And to the relief of Beautiful Wings, it was decided to use the team that would make the final long soar. Rack was happy to be merged once again with Beautiful Wings. He knew her as he knew no other, knew the vibrant life force of her, the gladness with which she merged, the inner workings of her organs, the miraculous beauty of her cellular structure. His mind sang with hers as she lifted the thin bubble of the Material through the toxic clouds to where the bright sun was visible in the cold, thin air. Up and up they went, moving slowly, to conserve energy. Their trajectory was angled, aligned with the curve of the earth in a direction opposite to its rotation. Just before contact was lost, Shadow on the Moon directed them to level and engage the power of Beautiful Wings' mind to push the flying establishment even faster. There was no sensation of speed. Blocked by the curve of the earth from the mind of the Far Seer, they relied on an instinctive sense of timing to halt the force. As they rested, they felt light and free, their bodies floating gently free of the rack. Disengaged, they examined the situation. The senses of the Power Giver noted the pull of the earth, but they also distinguished another force that counteracted it. The balance of these two powers kept the flying establishment on an even keel, circling the earth at a far height, with no need for Rack and Beautiful Wings to expend any of their own energies. They passed through the dark of a space night and emerged again into the sun. The minds of the Far Seers came into contact, measuring jubilantly. After another circle of the planet at a speed never before attained, they came down, the mind of the Power Giver using its force to break the unseen force that counterbalanced the pull of the planet. Forcing against the pull they lowered slowly and settled outside the Eastern Esta