only if we can’t get a regular tourist packet to Badau. Assuming, of course, that we’re successful here.”
Paddy went to the chart of the planet. “That location is right on the lip of the cliff—North Cape, it’s called, on Kolkhorit Island.”
She said doubtfully, “I think your interpolations are slack. I got a point just off the cliff.”
Paddy laughed. “Won’t that be just like a woman? Her navigation sets us out in the ocean. You’ll see that I’m right,” he promised her. “We’ll find what we’re looking for on the edge of the cliff.”
She shook her head. “The point’s off the edge of the cliff.” She glanced at him sidewise with raised eyebrows. “What’s the matter?”
“You’re too authoritative to suit the blood of one of the Skibbereen Blackthorns. We’re a proud clan.”
She smiled. “They’ll never hear about it unless you tell them. And I’m only giving orders because I’m more efficient and smarter than you are.”
“ Hah! ” cried Paddy. “Now then, you’re as vain as the Shaul jailer that did the cube roots in his head, and an arrogant cur he was, and he’s still nursing the bruise I gave him. I’ll do the same for you, my black-headed minx, if you’re not less bothersome with your orders.”
She made a mock obeisance. “Lead on, Sultan. Take it from here. You’re the boss. Let’s see how you handle it.”
“Well,” Paddy rubbed his chin, “at least we’ll talk things over a bit and there won’t be these lordly decisions. Here’s my idea—we’ll drop low over that gas ocean and make for the shore. Well find a bit of quiet beach near the cliff, we’ll drop down, seal our ship, get out and see what’s to be done.”
“Good enough,” said Fay. “Let’s go.”
The gas ocean showed a queer roiling surface like slow-boiling water. In color it was the dirty yellow of oily smoke and the yellow light of Alpheratz penetrated only a few feet into the depths. From time to time the wind would scoop up a tall yellow tongue, lift it high, blow it over backwards.
Paddy brought the boat down almost to the surface, steered cautiously toward the lavender-blue bulk of Kolkhorit Island. The finger of the North Cape suddenly appeared through the haze with the sharp-cut silhouette of the cliff at the tip.
Paddy changed course and the cape loomed swiftly over them—a rocky tumble of porphyry, pegmatite, granite. He cut the power, the boat drifted close to shore. Below them appeared a small table, rimmed by walls of shadowed gray rock and almost awash in the seethe of brown gas. Paddy dropped the boat into the most secluded corner and five minutes later they stood on the barren windy rock with the ship sealed.
Paddy walked to the edge of the table, peered into the fog below. “Strange stuff.” He turned. “Let’s go.”
They climbed up over the rocks and after a hundred yards scrambling across loose gravel, came out on a well-paved path. Fay clutched Paddy’s sleeve.
“A couple of Eagles—there in the rocks. I hope they didn’t see us land.”
The Eagles hopped solemnly up to the path, man-creatures seven feet tall with leathery hide stretched tight over sharp bones, narrow skulls with jutting noses, little red eyes, foot-long crests of orange hair. They bore pouches bulging with red gelatinous globes like jelly-fish.
Paddy watched them advancing with truculent eyes. “A more curious race was never bred. They’ll want to know all about us. Ah, these planets are like cuckoo’s eggs in a wren’s nest and to think that Earth once spent her best on them.”
He nodded to the Eagles. “Good morning, friend Eagles,” he said in a syrupy voice. “And how’s your bulb-picking today?”
“Good enough.” They look around the horizon. “Where’s the little air-boat?”
“Air-boat? Ah, yes. It flew very swiftly to the east and out of sight in a twinkling.”
The Eagles examined Paddy and Fay with sharp interest. “And what are you doing here
Paddy went to the chart of the planet. “That location is right on the lip of the cliff—North Cape, it’s called, on Kolkhorit Island.”
She said doubtfully, “I think your interpolations are slack. I got a point just off the cliff.”
Paddy laughed. “Won’t that be just like a woman? Her navigation sets us out in the ocean. You’ll see that I’m right,” he promised her. “We’ll find what we’re looking for on the edge of the cliff.”
She shook her head. “The point’s off the edge of the cliff.” She glanced at him sidewise with raised eyebrows. “What’s the matter?”
“You’re too authoritative to suit the blood of one of the Skibbereen Blackthorns. We’re a proud clan.”
She smiled. “They’ll never hear about it unless you tell them. And I’m only giving orders because I’m more efficient and smarter than you are.”
“ Hah! ” cried Paddy. “Now then, you’re as vain as the Shaul jailer that did the cube roots in his head, and an arrogant cur he was, and he’s still nursing the bruise I gave him. I’ll do the same for you, my black-headed minx, if you’re not less bothersome with your orders.”
She made a mock obeisance. “Lead on, Sultan. Take it from here. You’re the boss. Let’s see how you handle it.”
“Well,” Paddy rubbed his chin, “at least we’ll talk things over a bit and there won’t be these lordly decisions. Here’s my idea—we’ll drop low over that gas ocean and make for the shore. Well find a bit of quiet beach near the cliff, we’ll drop down, seal our ship, get out and see what’s to be done.”
“Good enough,” said Fay. “Let’s go.”
The gas ocean showed a queer roiling surface like slow-boiling water. In color it was the dirty yellow of oily smoke and the yellow light of Alpheratz penetrated only a few feet into the depths. From time to time the wind would scoop up a tall yellow tongue, lift it high, blow it over backwards.
Paddy brought the boat down almost to the surface, steered cautiously toward the lavender-blue bulk of Kolkhorit Island. The finger of the North Cape suddenly appeared through the haze with the sharp-cut silhouette of the cliff at the tip.
Paddy changed course and the cape loomed swiftly over them—a rocky tumble of porphyry, pegmatite, granite. He cut the power, the boat drifted close to shore. Below them appeared a small table, rimmed by walls of shadowed gray rock and almost awash in the seethe of brown gas. Paddy dropped the boat into the most secluded corner and five minutes later they stood on the barren windy rock with the ship sealed.
Paddy walked to the edge of the table, peered into the fog below. “Strange stuff.” He turned. “Let’s go.”
They climbed up over the rocks and after a hundred yards scrambling across loose gravel, came out on a well-paved path. Fay clutched Paddy’s sleeve.
“A couple of Eagles—there in the rocks. I hope they didn’t see us land.”
The Eagles hopped solemnly up to the path, man-creatures seven feet tall with leathery hide stretched tight over sharp bones, narrow skulls with jutting noses, little red eyes, foot-long crests of orange hair. They bore pouches bulging with red gelatinous globes like jelly-fish.
Paddy watched them advancing with truculent eyes. “A more curious race was never bred. They’ll want to know all about us. Ah, these planets are like cuckoo’s eggs in a wren’s nest and to think that Earth once spent her best on them.”
He nodded to the Eagles. “Good morning, friend Eagles,” he said in a syrupy voice. “And how’s your bulb-picking today?”
“Good enough.” They look around the horizon. “Where’s the little air-boat?”
“Air-boat? Ah, yes. It flew very swiftly to the east and out of sight in a twinkling.”
The Eagles examined Paddy and Fay with sharp interest. “And what are you doing here
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