Then the words popped out before they could be suppressed: “Fine little storm developing there east of Japan!”

The Chief looked, and the J. M. was embarrassed at his own enthusiasm, almost an emotional partisanship, certainly not scientific.

“Where’d she come from?” said the Chief in his matter-of-fact voice.

“Incipient yesterday, north of Titijima.” The words were professional, but hardly concealed the tone of pride.

The Chief glanced back at the map of the preceding day. “Hn-n? Yes. I should say you’re right. A fast mover!”

But the Chief naturally showed no special interest in Maria. His eyes swept back and forth. Then they rested upon the Canadian Northwest. He turned to the map of the preceding day, again studied the same region, and then came back to it on the current map. Beginning to be curious, the Junior Meteorologist watched the glance shift to Cornelia in the Gulf of Alaska, then pass on to Antonia and again to Maria, come back through the vast Pacific High to California, sweep over the United States, move north to Felicia over Hudson Bay, and finally return to the point of departure. But after this rapid circuit of nearly half the northern hemisphere the only comment was the usual, non-committal, “Hn-n?”

For a few seconds the Chief still bent over the map, and the lines on his forehead creased as if he tried to solve the problem. Then seeming to feel an explanation in order, he remarked shortly: “Too many unknowns.”

He straightened up. “That’s a very neat map you’ve drawn. Pressure rising a little at Coppermine—did you notice?” And retreating to his own office, the Chief shot behind him a final arrow: “About time, too!”

8

A proud City, set upon hills, pearl-gray in the winter sun, swept clean of smoke and dust by the steady wind from the sea. Last warder of the West, a City looking forth upon that vast water where West in the end became East, space so wide as if to defeat Time the ancient, and cause the calendar to lose a day. A City bearing the Phoenix for its symbol, proud that like the Phoenix it had more than once sprung to life from its own ashes. A City of towers and banners.