Resurgence

“We also spoke with Professor Lang and Captain Rebka, and they told us about your discussion. They thought that a delay in entering the Bose node would not be an issue.”

“It never was. No one likes living in a ship in the derelict condition of this one, but everyone would endure it gladly for a few extra days if it meant we could save Ben Blesh.”

Sinara said promptly, “Then we ask for a two-day delay in entering the Bose node. We also seek your permission to attempt a rescue mission for Ben.”

“Didn’t you hear me? Any danger to this ship—”

“There will no danger to the ship. At worst, you will lose three space suits and three members of the survival team group. We feel that it is our right to try to save our colleague and friend, provided that it endangers no one but ourselves.”

“I am sorry, but you have ceased to make sense.” Julian Graves’s furrowed brow betrayed his bewilderment. “Three suits, and the three of you?”

“It is simple enough. This ship is sitting high above the plane of debris, far from the danger zone.”

“It must remain beyond that zone.”

“We know. We also know, from the suit signals, exactly where Ben is located. He is deep within the zone of danger, surrounded by all kinds of fragments big enough to destroy this ship. We asked Louis Nenda if it would be possible to fly the Have-It-All on a vector that would exactly intersect Ben Blesh’s projected suit position.”

“Absolutely not!”

“We didn’t ask him to do it, Councilor—we only asked if it would be possible

. He said it would be easy. He also said he could establish that velocity vector when the ship was far away from danger. We ask you to agree to that, and only that.”

“With what useful result?”

“Once the Have-It-All is moving at the right speed and in the right direction, the three of us, in our suits, leave the ship. We fly on, to rendezvous with Ben Blesh. However, as soon as we leave the ship, the Have-It-All uses its engines to change direction. It stays well out of the plane of danger, and heads toward M-2, a million kilometers away. When this ship gets there, it loops around behind M-2. That planet is huge, it will serve as a shield to protect you from free-flying debris. This ship then returns on the other side of what was once Marglot’s equatorial plane. You will again be far enough out of that plane to be at no risk. And there you wait for us. We will fly through the danger zone in our suits, collect Ben Blesh, and bring him with us to safety.”

“That sounds completely impossible.”

“Some of it may be. It’s possible that we will die trying to reach Ben, or die trying to get back to the Have-It-All. But the trajectories are quite feasible if you believe E.C. Tally and Kallik and Atvar H’sial. All three performed the calculations separately at our request, and all assured us that everything we are suggesting is well within the Have-It-All’s capabilities. The engines are now operating at full efficiency, and given the ship’s reduced mass the maneuvers that we have described are easier than ever. Louis Nenda confirms this.”

Julian Graves examined one by one the faces of the three people in front of him. He saw something that had not been there on the voyage out: absolute determination.

He leaned his head back on the cold metal wall. “You know, sometimes I think that all young people are mad. And sometimes I am persuaded that the only real progress in the world comes from those who are mad.”

He was slowly nodding. Sinara said, “I’m sorry, Councilor, but is that a yes or a no?”

“It is neither.” Graves stepped toward the waiting trio. “You know, in my distant youth I believe that I was quite mad myself. I would like to think so. But before we discuss your suggestions further, let me ask one question. You mentioned Darya Lang, Hans Rebka, Louis Nenda, E.C. Tally, Atvar H’sial, and Kallik. Is there anyone on this ship, other than myself, whom you have not already consulted regarding your proposed rescue mission?”

* * *

The final five minutes seemed to stretch for ever. Sinara stood in the Have-It-All’s one remaining useable airlock, next to Teri Dahl and Torran Veck. They were suited, waiting, ready to go—and, inevitably, there was one more briefing.

“Ideally, you would dive in perpendicular to the plane of debris.” Hans Rebka was the speaker. “That would minimize your time there, and also your risk of collision with lumps of rock and solidifying magma. Unfortunately, Ben Blesh is heading out on a radial path, directly away from where Marglot used to be. That would make your trajectory at right angles to his, and if you were lucky—or unlucky—enough to run into each other, the impact would kill all of you. So Louis Nenda will fly—”

“Not me,” Nenda interrupted. “J’merlia will pilot this one. He can slice things finer.”