animals indigenous to that planet. The plants and animals thus bred from the planet’s existing native stock are given names approximate to Space vocabulary — figs, horses, etcetera — though the scientific genus of the actual plants and animals is often a far remove from the original specimens so named, thus accounting for the variety of fruit in Space masquerading under the same name. The only interloper allowed by humankind to break this planetary quarantine is humankind itself.
Belid, however, was leaving the planet. Her father had told her what course she should take. That course took her straight up and out of the atmosphere. Five and a half thousand kilometres out she was to turn and head directly for XE2.
Those instructions didn’t make sense to Belid. Her father had phoned their Senate Member. All five ships, her father had been told, had been given similar instructions. Each ship would take an initial course vertical from their place of departure, then 5,500 kilometres out turn and head for XE2. Belid, tugging at her father’s sleeve, still didn’t understand why they should all leave at exactly the same time and yet follow such different trajectories. There were reasons, the Senate Member blandly assured her; and to assuage her fears he told Belid and her distraught father the names of the four people who were taking out the other ships.
Belid did not want to be alone Out There. So, immediately on entering the ship, she amended course and speed to take her around the planet within the stratosphere so that she would exit on the tail of a friend.
They had been to school together on XE2. Belid knew that he would be only too glad of the chance to get into Space. Nor was he truly a friend. In fact he had cheerfully disassociated himself from her tears on XE2. But she did know him, and she wouldn’t be alone.
Her amended course and speeds had been given the ship, all was ready to go on completion of the countdown. The ten second buzzer sounded. She saw her father glance at his watch. From the stoop of her shoulders her mother, she knew, was containing her tears. At a word from her father both drew themselves bravely up and began waving. Belid lifted a feeble hand in response; and biting her lips she lay back in her seat. On the walls of the house her mother’s and father’s joined shadows waved huge arms. The ship lifted off.
So that she would catch up with her friend’s ship Belid’s amended speed was faster than that recommended by all Transport bodies. Breaking both safety regulations and civil laws she went thundering up through the atmosphere in a parabolic flight path that took her rapidly to the stratosphere. There she howled around the planet, overtaking the sunset.
The weight and abruptness of her departure scared her, the heat of the speed she was travelling at worried her. Her console told her that she had fifteen seconds to her exit point. She strained ahead for signs of the other ship, saw a pink vapour trail directly before her.
Belid’s ship began altering its course, took the sun from her screens, and there, in front of her, heading out through the ionosphere into the black of space, were the red exhausts of two ships. Somebody else had come looking for company.
She calculated that the two ships were about four seconds ahead of her, wondered if she should risk increasing her speed yet, or if she should wait until she was completely free of orbital drag to bring herself level with them. Or wouldn’t she then be able to match their acceleration?
She frowned. The few stars to either side of the red exhausts were being blocked out. Being on the periphery of its galaxy the planet’s night sky contained, comparatively, but a faint scattering of visible stars.
Something hit the two ships. Their courses converged, almost touched, and then they span apart. Both ships exploded.
“Manual!” Belid Keal screamed, grabbed the control column and in a tight curve headed back towards the
Belid, however, was leaving the planet. Her father had told her what course she should take. That course took her straight up and out of the atmosphere. Five and a half thousand kilometres out she was to turn and head directly for XE2.
Those instructions didn’t make sense to Belid. Her father had phoned their Senate Member. All five ships, her father had been told, had been given similar instructions. Each ship would take an initial course vertical from their place of departure, then 5,500 kilometres out turn and head for XE2. Belid, tugging at her father’s sleeve, still didn’t understand why they should all leave at exactly the same time and yet follow such different trajectories. There were reasons, the Senate Member blandly assured her; and to assuage her fears he told Belid and her distraught father the names of the four people who were taking out the other ships.
Belid did not want to be alone Out There. So, immediately on entering the ship, she amended course and speed to take her around the planet within the stratosphere so that she would exit on the tail of a friend.
They had been to school together on XE2. Belid knew that he would be only too glad of the chance to get into Space. Nor was he truly a friend. In fact he had cheerfully disassociated himself from her tears on XE2. But she did know him, and she wouldn’t be alone.
Her amended course and speeds had been given the ship, all was ready to go on completion of the countdown. The ten second buzzer sounded. She saw her father glance at his watch. From the stoop of her shoulders her mother, she knew, was containing her tears. At a word from her father both drew themselves bravely up and began waving. Belid lifted a feeble hand in response; and biting her lips she lay back in her seat. On the walls of the house her mother’s and father’s joined shadows waved huge arms. The ship lifted off.
So that she would catch up with her friend’s ship Belid’s amended speed was faster than that recommended by all Transport bodies. Breaking both safety regulations and civil laws she went thundering up through the atmosphere in a parabolic flight path that took her rapidly to the stratosphere. There she howled around the planet, overtaking the sunset.
The weight and abruptness of her departure scared her, the heat of the speed she was travelling at worried her. Her console told her that she had fifteen seconds to her exit point. She strained ahead for signs of the other ship, saw a pink vapour trail directly before her.
Belid’s ship began altering its course, took the sun from her screens, and there, in front of her, heading out through the ionosphere into the black of space, were the red exhausts of two ships. Somebody else had come looking for company.
She calculated that the two ships were about four seconds ahead of her, wondered if she should risk increasing her speed yet, or if she should wait until she was completely free of orbital drag to bring herself level with them. Or wouldn’t she then be able to match their acceleration?
She frowned. The few stars to either side of the red exhausts were being blocked out. Being on the periphery of its galaxy the planet’s night sky contained, comparatively, but a faint scattering of visible stars.
Something hit the two ships. Their courses converged, almost touched, and then they span apart. Both ships exploded.
“Manual!” Belid Keal screamed, grabbed the control column and in a tight curve headed back towards the
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