“And you two know each other,” Cavan said.
“Good to see you again, Dr. Keene,” Vorse greeted.
“The pleasure’s always mine.”
The Kronian woman, whose name was Adreya Laelye, turned out to be not Vorse’s assistant but his deputy.
“And how is Pang-Yarbat these days?” Vorse asked Keene.
“Always irrepressible. How else?”
“He and I have known each other for many years. I’m hardened to the gruesome puns now. But the last time we met him was . . . when?” He looked at Adreya inquiringly.
“At Essen,” she supplied. “Suliman Besso’s wedding.”
“Ah, yes. We talked about gardening. I told Pang I thought that more space in the Swiss Cheese should be reserved for growing flowers. Wouldn’t you agree? Coming from Earth, you must miss them.”
“I think I do . . . agree that more space should be reserved,” Keene said.
“Of course it should. We need them more than ever down in these mole-holes of ours. What would Besso’s wedding have been without them?”
The group parted to make room for a last few who had been holding back. The man at the fore was of crusty complexion and sprightly build, with an upturned, puckish nose and a mirthful expression that broadened to a grin as Keene recognized him. It was Gallian, who had headed the Kronian delegation to Earth that had brought Keene and his companions back. Keene swung his head accusingly toward Cavan. “Leo, why didn’t you tell me? You knew Gallian would be here!”
“Oh, you know I always like to have a surprise in store,” Cavan returned unapologetically. “Especially if it’s a pleasant one.”
“Of course, you two know each other already,” Foy observed.
“If it hadn’t been for Gallian we wouldn’t be here,” Cavan said—although SOE people would be aware of the details. Gallian had insisted that the Osiris, the ship in which his delegation had traveled, remain in the vicinity of Earth when all hope for Keene’s party seemed lost. “Idorf wanted to pull out.” Idorf had been the ship’s captain.
“Which was correct in his position. Safety had to be his first consideration.” Vorse sighed. “It was a shame about Idorf. He was one of the best. The Osiris was a fine ship.” Idorf had also commanded a later mission back to Earth to look for survivors, in which he and the Osiris were lost.
“So are you with SOE now?” Keene asked Gallian, to lighten the mood.
Gallian nodded. “I’m hoping to go with the return mission when one’s finally authorized.”
“Didn’t you have enough last time?”
“But . . . to see a whole new world beginning. How could I stay out?”
The remaining few were SOE technical people and a couple from elsewhere who were interested in the AG program at Essen. Vorse, who seemed to be in charge, made a short introductory announcement, and the group spread out around the table to seat themselves. For the benefit of those who were new to the subject, Keene gave an overview of the AG work, describing the early experiments on Valkyrie, the formation of the enlarged group at Tesla, and the design aims of the scaled-up system now being built there. The listeners were quick to raise further speculations beyond the obvious applications of creating normal living conditions in space and on the surfaces of minor astronomical bodies. Was there potential for new methods of excavating and earthmoving, or moving heavy loads? One of the SOE scientists asked about shaping and manipulating the fields on a smaller scale, and if it proved feasible, what kinds of devices might such capability permit? None of this was new, since the team at Tesla spent many hours debating such issues. Keene responded, “Back in the nineteenth century, a Victorian engineer would probably have agreed that the electric motor was a great idea and every home should have one—and he’d have mounted it on a pedestal in the basement, with belts and shafts going all over the building to transmit the power. What he’d never have dreamed of is having motors in just about every tool and appliance he owned. Well, we might be talking about the beginnings of something just as revolutionary that’ll be taken for granted a hundred years from now.”