“Sure.”
This was working out better than he’d hoped. “Did you work on that new rocket?”
“No. Why?”
He hadn’t thought it all the way through after all.
“We’ve got time. In a couple of years a dozen kids will be ready to find mates. That’s when we’ll start visiting other trees—”
“I see it. I’d have to know the rocket inside out, how to steer it, how to fix anything that goes wrong, because I’m the oldest.”
“You and the rest of the crew too. Can you fly?”
“Sure. Oh, all right, I don’t do much flying. Rather?”
“Here.”
“You seem to have a very good idea of where I fit and what I’m supposed to do.”
It was a smile. “Sorry.”
“Maybe this is what being married is like. Anyway… I’ll go on the next trip. That’ll tell us everything we need to know. Whether I can stand it. Whether citizens can stand my company aboard a rocket. Whether I’m any good. Whether I want a mate from somewhere else. Whether you do.”
“Next trip will be the Admiralty.”
“Stet,” said Jill. She stood up. “Let’s go flying.”
“There’s nobody to run the lift for us.”
“Off the branch,” said Jill. “Fly to the midpoint. Surprise Lawri.”
It would do that! Rather began to understand that Jill would go where he would, and try to beat him there too.
“We’ll have to fly more than thirty klomters out. Can you handle it?”
“Sure. We’ll go off the branch and put wings on afterward. Otherwise someone’ll stop us. Come on.”
Kendy had assembled the HISTORY file with some care.
It was unaltered records, but it gave the distinct impression that Discipline’s crew had themselves decided to settle the Smoke Ring.
The population of the Smoke Ring was between two and three thousand (Kendy included children). By his original orders, Kendy must consider that they might now be the entire human race. The temptation to meddle was very strong.
He would not shape them. They were shaping themselves, and they were doing it well. For agonizing moments he had even considered severing communications entirely.
But he had things to teach them!
The Library was off when he passed the Admiralty. It wouldn’t stay that way, though. Day 2791 was the midpoint of the crossyear, three hundred and fifty-odd days away. If Kendy knew his citizens, they would celebrate, and the Library would be involved. Perhaps he can reach Wayne Mickl. Kendy had a handle of sorts on Captain-Guardian.
Meanwhile a Navy ship was moving on Citizens Tree.
He’d see what terms he could arrange.
Plenty of time. Kendy waited.