“May one inquire what your purposes are?”

“I’d like to discuss that first with your navigator. In private.”

The green gaze studied Laure before Demring said, unsmiling: You have the right of command. And by our customs she having been instrumental in saving your life, a special relationship exists. But again I counsel forethought.”

Laure paid no attention to that last sentence. His pulse was beating too gladly. He switched off as soon as possible and ordered the best dinner his ship could provide.

Are you certain you want to make your announcement through her?” the voice asked him. “And to her in this manner?”

“I am. I think I’ve earned the pleasure. Now I’m off to make myself presentable for the occasion. Carry on.” Laure went whistling down the corridor.

But when Graydal boarded, he took both her hands and they looked long in silence at each other. She had strewn jewels in her tresses, turning them to a starred midnight. Her clothes were civilian, a deep blue that offset coppery skin, amber eyes, and suppleness. And did he catch the least woodsy fragrance of perfume?

“Welcome,” was all he could say at last.

“I am so happy,” she answered.

They went to the saloon and sat down on the couch together. Daiquiris were ready for them. They touched glasses. “Good voyage,” he made the old toast, and merry landing.”

“For me, yes.” Her smile faded. “And I hope for the rest. How I hope.”

“Don’t you think they can get along in the outside worlds?”

“Yes, undoubtedly.” The incredible lashes fluttered. “But they will never be as fortunate as…as I think I may be.”

“You have good prospects yourself ?” The blood roared in his temples.

“I am not quite sure,” she replied shyly.

He had intended to spin out his surprise at length, but suddenly he couldn’t let her stay troubled, not to any degree. He cleared his throat and said, “I have news.”

She tilted her head and waited with that relaxed alertness he liked to see. He wondered how foolish the grin was on his face. Attempting to recover dignity, he embarked on a roundabout introduction.

“You wondered why I insisted on exploring the cluster center, and in such detail. Probably I ought to have explained myself from the beginning. But I was afraid of raising false hopes. I’d no guarantee that things would turn out to be the way I’d guessed. Failure, I thought, would be too horrible for you, if you knew what success could mean. But I was working on your behalf, nothing else.

“You see, because my civilization is founded on individualism, it makes property rights quite basic. In particular, if there aren’t any inhabitants or something like that, discoverers can claim ownership within extremely broad limits.

“Well, we…you…our expedition has met the requirements of discovery as far as those planets are concerned. We’ve been there, we’ve proven what they’re like, we’ve located them as well as might be without beacons—”