Part 47 (2/2)
”-which may be true and we concede that we'll never be the great artist Tammy is, nevertheless-”
”-New Rome is going to be amazed amazed at how at how intense intense our vocation is-” our vocation is-”
”-when our brother's safety is at stake!”
Lazarus took a deep breath. ”Thank you, darlings. While you'll probably take a fling at it someday, I hope that you won't need to do it to rescue me. I'm counting more on your mathematical ability and your skill as s.h.i.+phandlers than I am on your undeniable physical and spiritual beauty.”
”Did you hear that, Lor? That time he added 'spiritual.' ”
”I think he meant it.”
”I hope so. It's even nicer than being told we have t.i.ts as pretty as Minerva's. Which we don't, quite.”
”Yes, you do,” their brother said absently. ”Let's get back to landmarks and such.”
”I think you ought to kiss them,” said Dora.
”Later. Now look, kids, prime rendezvous, exactly ten T-years after you drop me-although you drop Andy's body first. How? Laz or Lor-not Dora. Of course you know all this, Dora; this review is for flesh-and-bloods. Fallible. Laz?”
”Have Dora unfreeze him and bring his body up almost to cremation temperature and put him into atmosphere on a long slant just under orbital speed so that it will burn up, or almost, before it hits . . and figure the ballistic to hit the mountains in case he's not quite burned up-because we don't want to hurt anybody.”
”What mountains and how do you find them? Lor?”
”These right here. Prime landmark, this big river that drains the central valley. Where this other big river comes in from the west is our north landmark, the gulf they wind up in is the south landmark-no landmark on the west. Arkansas is about the middle of that bracket. The Ozark Mountains are the only mountains in the bracket-but shoot for the south side of the mountains, this escarpment; the north side is not Arkansas. Brother, why does that matter?”
”Sentiment, Lorelei. As far as Andy traveled and as little time as he spent on Earth, he was always homesick for his boning place. The only song he knew was one with a refrain of 'Arkansaw, Arkansaw, I adore thee!' I used to get sick of it. But I promised him I would take his body back to Arkansas and it seemed to comfort him when he died-so we'll do it. Who knows? Maybe the sweet little guy will know it . . and it's worth the trouble to carry out his last wishes. Prime rendezvous landmarks?”
”This big canyon,” answered Lapis Lazuli. ”Follow it to the east and drop south-this round black dot. A meteor impact crater. No dependable landmarks visible from orbit and good any century but this canyon-biggest on Earth. So we memorize the spatial relations.h.i.+p between canyon and crater so that we can spot it from any angle. If the light is right.”
Dora said, ”I'm sure I can see it in pitch-darkness.”
”Dora honey, this drill is based on the pessimistic a.s.sumption that Ellandell might have to find it without without your help. I want them to know the geography of Terra so well that they won't have to ground and look for a road sign. No close approaches to the ground your help. I want them to know the geography of Terra so well that they won't have to ground and look for a road sign. No close approaches to the ground at a//- at a//-except to put me down and pick me up. I don't want to start a flying-saucer scare; I don't want to attract any any attention-some yokel might take a shot at me. It's unfortunate that this s.h.i.+p is shaped such that 'flying saucer' isn't too bad a description.” attention-some yokel might take a shot at me. It's unfortunate that this s.h.i.+p is shaped such that 'flying saucer' isn't too bad a description.”
”What's the matter with the way I look?” demanded Dora. ”I look pretty d.a.m.n good!”
”Dear, you're built like a brick outhouse-for a stars.h.i.+p. You're beautiful. It's simply that unidentified flying objects-oofohs-were also called 'flying saucers.' I don't believe in paradoxes . . but I don't want any attention.”
”Brother, maybe we are are one of those oofohs you told us about.” one of those oofohs you told us about.”
”Huh? Could be, I suppose. If so, let's not get shot at. I want a quiet trip. If everything goes well, we can talk about letting one of you get on the ground with me next trip . . though durned if I don't think a stacked redhead is more conspicuous than an unidentified flying object. Okay, the crater. I intend to be there, before sundown and after sunrise, from minus ten days to plus ten days at plus ten years. If I'm not there, what do you do?”
Lapis Lazuli answered, ”Look for you half a T-year later on top of the biggest pyramid at Gizeh-that's here here-at midnight . . only this time we scan for you minus thirty days through plus thirty because you aren't certain when you can get there and may be able to manage it only once-bribes and things. Brother, do we go out half a light-year and reenter the time axis? Or stay in orbit and wait?”
”That's up to you. I won't use the Egyptian rendezvous unless I've pulled some goof that makes it unhealthy for me to meet you in Arizona. If I miss both dates, what do you do? Lori?”
”Look for you again both places at eleven years and eleven and a half years.”
”Then what?”
Lorelei glanced at her sister. ”Brother, this part we don't go along with-”
”-and that goes for Dora, too-”
”It sure does!”
”-because we won't won't a.s.sume that you're dead-” a.s.sume that you're dead-”
”-no matter how many times you miss rendezvous-”
”-so we start checking both both spots day after day-” spots day after day-”
”-and night after night-”
”-and over nine hours' local time difference means some weird partial orbits to check sunrise and sundown in Arizona and still check midnights in Egypt-”
”-but Dora can do it-”
”You bet I can!”
”-and we'll keep looking for you day after day-”
”-and year after year-”
”-until you do do show up. Sir.” show up. Sir.”
”Captain Lorelei, if I miss four rendezvous dates, I'm dead. You must a.s.sume that. Shall I put it in writing?”
”Commodore Long, if you're dead, you can't give orders. That's logical.”
”If you a.s.sume that I am not not dead, then my orders still apply. . and you must give up the search. By the same logic.” dead, then my orders still apply. . and you must give up the search. By the same logic.”
”Sir, if you are out of the s.h.i.+p and out of touch, then you are hardly in a position to give any any orders. But if you want to be picked up, there will be daily service from drop time plus eleven-and-one-half T-years on-” orders. But if you want to be picked up, there will be daily service from drop time plus eleven-and-one-half T-years on-”
”-and on and on and on, because that's what we promised the family-”
”-even though we'll have to run home occasionally for rejuvenation-”
”-and to have babies, but neither of those will take any any time in that time framework . . as you pointed out in another connection.” time in that time framework . . as you pointed out in another connection.”
”Mutiny.”
The twins glanced at each other. ”I'll take it, Laz; I have to-odd-numbered day. Commodore, as you taught us before you ever let either of us take command in s.p.a.ce, a commodore is actually a pa.s.senger because a s.h.i.+p's master cannot give up even a little bit of her total responsibility. So 'mutiny' is not a word that can apply.”
Lazarus sighed. ”I've raised a couple of blinkin' s.p.a.ce lawyers.”
”Brother, that's what you taught us. You did.” did.”
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