Endless Voyage by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Author:Marion Zimmer Bradley [Bradley, Marion Zimmer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust
Published: 2018-07-28T21:00:00+00:00

VI

“If the Test Transmitter works tomorrow, we can set the Gypsy Moth down and get started on the main Transmitter,” Gilmarti said, and laid a group of printouts on Gildoran’s improvised desk in the small dome. He handed them back to her without more than a glance.

“I’m not qualified on Transmitter, Marti,” he said, “I’m leaving it to you and Raban.” The old woman’s face took on a quizzical look, and he stiffened against it. Far too many of the crew, he knew, resented his youth. For the hundredth time he felt like reminding them that he didn’t ask to be Captain. But they all knew that. Unexpectedly, Gilmarti smiled.

“Well, there’s two kinds of knowledge,” she said, “knowing what to do yourself, and knowing how to find someone else to do it for you. We’re doing our part, Gildoran. We’ll have the Test Transmitter ready in a few hours.”

He followed her to the door of the dome and stood in the cloudy sunlight, looking across at the lake. He asked, “Where are you going to set up?”

“Back against the cliffs. I’ve got a crew in there burning off underbrush to make walkways, and the Transmit receiver booth will be down by the lake. If the Test works out all right, we’ve got hardpan, with granite under it, and no fracture lines or faults as far as we can see. So we can set up the big one. Test Transmitters are intended for only a few ounces Transmission, of course —mouse-sized animals and small weights—so we can make the preliminary gravity and drift allowances. But once we have them calibrated properly, we can use the same calculations for the first big one to tie us in to Head Centre.”

He saw that the old woman was still excited about it, said so, and she smiled at him. “It’s always an exciting thing,” she confessed. “Even after all these centuries. A new world tied into the Galaxy. And a chance to see what’s been going on while we were tied in shiptime.”

“How many years has it been?” Gildoran asked.

His friend on Lasselli’s World—could he still be alive?

Marti frowned slightly. “I couldn’t tell you without a computer tie-in and a slide-rule,” she said, “but probably about ninety-seven years, downworld time. Does it matter?”

He shook his head. “Just thinking that the children in the hatchery where we got Marina and Taro and the others would be old people by now, and they’re just out of diapers,” he said. He saw that she was fidgeting, and remembered suddenly that, though she was four or five times his age it was up to him to dismiss her. “I’m sorry, Marti, I’m keeping you from your work. Let me know right away when you’re set up and I’ll come and see the Test Transmission.”

He stood for a moment in front of the dome, trying to organize his thoughts. He had initiated a practice of making the rounds of the camp every morning. One or two of the older

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