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it, since they had nothing to offer that the majority of Kronians desired, or even comprehended. In any
case, he'd seen it all before, wasted enough of his life fighting it, and he was glad to be away. Like
Charlie, he was restless to get down to the surface and begin the work they had come here to do.
He was still staring out at the view below, searching for a hint of a coastal outline among the veils
blanketing the surface, when a female voice spoke from behind him. "It must be a terrible thing to come
home to, Lan." He turned to find Shayle holding on to a handbar in the access hatchway. She was
dressed in orange flight coveralls, her red hair cut short now.
Keene grunted. "There isn't much down there that I think I'd call home anymore."
"It must be strange, all the same."
"I've had time enough to get used to it."
"What were you so wrapped up in thought over?" Shayle asked. "I was here, watching you, for a while."
Keene looked down again at the patterns of jet streams and vortexes painted in off-white streaks on the
curtain of grays, lusterless yellows, and browns. It brought to mind the storm front that had moved in on
the West Coast from the Pacific in the early days of the encounter, when Athena's approach was first
being felt. That had been before there was any wide grasp of what would follow, and the world had been
hectically mobilizing evacuation plans and emergency services, believing it could pull through.
"I was thinking about a time in the last days before Athena closed in," he answered distantly. "It was in
California. We were at one of the airports, trying to get to the Air Force's launch place at Vandenberg.
Some people were trying to take it over and grab a shuttle to get out."
"Vandenberg . . . Wasn't that where Gallian and his group shuttled up from to rejoin theOsiris ?"
"Yes. Most people didn't know how bad it was going to get. They thought that if they got everyone
away from the coasts and up to the highlands, the world could make it. . . . Earth was moving into
Athena's tail . . . ash and dust falling everywhere. Huge storms were heading in from the west, piling the
sea up into black, heaving hills of water. I'd never seen anything like it. Everyone was going frantic, trying
to get the last planes out while anything could still fly. I remember the buses and ambulances coming in
from the hospitals, and nurses bringing in lines of little kids holding dolls and toys, some of them in
wheelchairs. . . . All for what?" He broke off abruptly and turned his head back. "Anyway, you didn't
come here to be cheered up like this."
Shayle laid a hand on his shoulder and let it rest for a moment. "I just came to check how you were
doing. Anyway, there's eggs and pancakes going with coffee in the crew mess." Pre-made pancakes,
heated up. You couldn't make them in zero-g. "I didn't think you'd want to be left out."
Keene managed a grin. "Sure. Okay, come on, then. Let's have at 'em." He set himself gyrating and
pushed off with a foot to follow after her.
"Heard anymore about the Colombian station?" Shayle asked over her shoulder as she moved across
the compartment opening inboard from the observation bubble. A descent party had gone down to
check over a possible base site in South America.
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"Not yet. We can stop by Comms for an update on the way to Mess Deck," Keene answered.
They took a shaft that passed by the Communications Room, which formed an extension on the nearside
of the ship's Control Center. The Executive Officer was inside when they looked in, conferring with
several of the operators. He looked up as Keene and Shayle hovered in the doorway. "We wondered if
there's any news from Colombia yet," Keene said. "Maybe some idea of when we might be going
down?"
"It doesn't look good. Earthquake activity across the whole region." The EO was a Terran, reporting
directly to Gallian. He nodded toward a screen showing figures in heavy-duty surface fatigues and hard
helmets, standing amid cases, scientific instruments, and other equipment in front of a couple of inflatable
tents. Part of a lander was visible against dark mists behind. "The officer in charge down there doesn't
see much point in staying further. So I'm afraid you'll have to remain patient for a while longer."
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