He held the unexpected package. "Go ahead. He'll want me to explain myself, even if this turns out to be nothing."

As the compy swiveled about and departed, Anton studied the shimmering cover. He discovered how to unfasten the protective layer and slid out an etched-diamondfilm sheet. It was written by one of the chief Ildiran historians, a rememberer named Vao'sh.

So, unlike the inquiries about his parents, Anton's letters and applications to Ildira had not gone unnoticed after all. The rememberer even knew that Anton could read the Ildiran written language.

He was invited to come to Ildira and "share stories and interpret legends" with Vao'sh himself. His eyes sparkled. He couldn't believe it. Transport had already been arranged.

His heart pounded and he looked down at the notes scattered across his desk. Writing his parents' biography would have to be delayed again. He was going to Mijistra!

15

ADAR KORI'NH

After choosing the personnel who were best suited for the mission, Adar Kori'nh took seventy soldiers, workers, and engineers from his warliners and led the demolition team to the hiddenBurton .

Though he had not argued with the Dobro Designate, Kori'nh was not convinced of the need for this operation. The generation ship had remained here, cold and silent, for so many years. Analysis of this alien hulk might have led scientist kithmen to innovations for Ildiran vessels.

But the Ildiran Empire had resisted change for generations. The Mage-Imperator was not interested in improvements, because that would imply their civilization was notalready at its pinnacle. So the emptyBurton floated out here in space, ignored-and now Kori'nh had been ordered to destroy it. It seemed such a shame.

Shuttles wove through space debris that hung like a smoke screen around the cumbersomeBurton. As the dismantling team approached the haunted-looking derelict, the Adar drank in details he had missed on his first inspection. Around him, muscular soldiers and intent-eyed engineers peered with fascination at the corroded hulk.

It was a monument to lost dreams, an abandoned town once filled with hundreds of hopeful human colonists. Long ago, foolhardy pioneers had left their home planet and set off into the uncharted emptiness with no rational expectation of finding a habitable world. What fabulous folly! How long had it been since the Ildiran race had shown such passion, taken such risks? Kori'nh couldn't wait to get aboard.

The Ildiran shuttles hovered beside theBurton, while the Adar dispatched an initial team of specialists. Working outside in hard vacuum, the engineer kithmen wrestled with the antique Terran docking hatches, removing external access panels, testing and rewiring circuits.

"Bekh!"He fought back his impatience as he watched the work. "Slowly. No mistakes." The engineers finally managed to open the external doors to reveal a cargo bay large enough to accommodate all the Ildiran shuttles. "Once our ships are inside, send out three systems specialists in environment suitfilms. See if we can pressurize the interior."

Within an hour, yellow lights glowed inside theBurton 's docking bay. "Oxygen levels test out, Adar," one of the engineers transmitted. "It appears we have reactivated the atmospheric systems. Should we power up the whole ship? The stagnant air will need to be circulated and filtered. I am certain theBurton has reserve supplies."