Starfarers by Poul Anderson Page A

“Perhaps. My business.”
    “Your turn. I know hardly anything about you.”
    “There isn’t much to know. Quiet years, unlike yours.”
    “Then why are you going?”
    “I can be of service.”
    He sat back, ran a palm over the sweat that sheened across his pate, and said, “Well, we certainly do need a biologistand a physician, and if they come in the same package, God is very obliging. But you do well enough on Earth, no? Why should you want to leave it?”
    She sipped her tea, buying time, before she answered slowly, “The reasons are personal. Captain Nansen and the Foundation directors know, of course. You shall eventually. I would rather it not come out before the public, to avoid embarrassing … certain persons.” Decision: “Well, you won’t spill it to the media.”
    He grinned again. “Guaranteed.”
    “What do you know about me?”
    “Um … you studied medicine, and worked for years among the poor, first in this kingdom, later with relief missions elsewhere in Africa. At last you stopped, went back to school, became a biologist, and did good science, especially on the specimens brought back from Tau Ceti. Is this why you want to go with us, research?”
    “It will be fascinating.”
    “You may never publish it, you know. When we come back, we may not find any world here.”
    “I realize that. I dare hope—meeting the Yonderfolk, learning from them—will matter to humankind.” Mokoena fanned the air dismissingly. “But I don’t want to sound stuffy, either. By going, I can set something right here and now.”
    “What?”
    She sighed. “It hurt, forsaking medicine. The need is so great. I felt so selfish. But I—I did not think I could stand seeing much more utter misery, unless I hardened my heart to it, and I didn’t want to do that. My parents are ministers of the Samaritan Church. My work was through it, on its behalf. When I quit, they, felt betrayed.” Her fingers tightened around her tumbler. “
Envoy
badly needed one like me. I joined on condition that the Exploratory Foundation make a substantial grant to their church, a sum that’ll make a real difference. We are reconciled, my parents and I. They say they’ll wait for me in the afterlife and welcome me gladly. I don’t, myself, know about that. But they are happy.”
    He regarded her somewhat wonderingly. “You’re a saint.”
    She put down her drink, threw her head back, and let laughter ring. “Ha! Absolutely not, Mr. Ruszek, nor ambitious to be one. I expect I’ll enjoy most of what happens. I usually have.”
    After a moment: “In fact, since we’d like to get acquainted, why don’t you stay for dinner? When I cook for myself, I cook well, but it’s more fun to do for company.”
    “That’s the best offer I’ve had all week,” he said, delighted.
    “One thing—”
    “Oh, I have a room at the Hotel de Klerk.”
    “No, no, what I meant was—It had slipped my mind, but we have a chance to learn something about our second engineer.”
    “Alvin Brent? I’ve already met him.”
    She grew grave. “What was your impression?”
    “Why, … not bad. He knows his business. Not too much the physics of the quantum gate, but the nuts and bolts. If anything happens to Yu Wenji, Brent can get us home.”
    “But as a person? You see, I’ve never met him. I’ve only seen the reports and some news stories.”
    “His background is no worse than mine.”
    American, born in Detroit, parents service providers struggling to keep afloat amidst depression, taxes, and controls. Alvin was their single child, apparently wanted more by the father than the mother, she was dutiful, as the New Christian Church commanded women to be and the Advisor commanded citizens in general to be. A misfit in school, he showed a talent for computers and machinery, which his social isolation reinforced. On recommendation of his local gang boss—the Radiums were in favor with the regional commissioner—he won appointment to the Space