THE PLANT FORMS A LONG TRUNK UNDER TERRIFIC TENSION, TUFTED WITH GREEN AT BOTH ENDS, STABILIZED BY

THE TIDE. THEY FORM THOUSANDS OF RADIAL SPOKES CIRCLING LEVOY'S STAR. THEY GROW UP TO A HUNDRED KILOMETERS IN LENGTH, WITH UP TO A FIFTH OF A GEE IN

TIDAL "GRAVITY" AT THE TUF1'S AND PERPETUAL HURRICANE WINDS.

THE WINDS DERIVE FROM SIMPLE ORBITAL MECHANICS.

THEY BLOW FROM THE WEST AT THE INNER TUFT AND

FROM THE EAST AT THE OUTER TUFT (WHERE IN IS TOw~ LEVOY'S STAR, AS USUAL). THE STRUCTURE BOWS

TO THE WINDS, CURVING INTO A NEARLY HORIZONTAL

BRANCH AT EACH END. THE FOLIAGE SIFTS FERTILIZER

FROM THE WIND.

THE MEDICAL DANGERS OF LIFE IN FREE-FALL ARE

WELL KNOWN. IF DISCIPLINE HAS INDEED ABANDONED US,

IF WE ARE INDEED MAROONED WITHIN THIS WEIRD ENVIRONMENT, WE COULD DO WORSE THAN TO SFITLE THE

TUFTS OF THE INTEGRAL TREES. IF THE TREES PROVE

MORE DANGEROUS THAN WE ANTICIPATE, ESCAPE IS EASY.

WE NEED ONLY JUMP AND WAIT TO BE PICKED UP.

The Grad looked up. "They really didn't know very much about the

trees, did they?'

"No. But, Jefi'er, they had seen trees from outside."

That was an awesome thought. While he chewed it, the Scientist said, "I'm afraid you may have to start training your own Grad, and soon."

Jayan sat cross-legged, coiling lines. Sometimes she looked up to watch the children. They had come like a wind through the Commons,

and the wind had died and left them scattered around Clave. He wasn't getting much work done, though it seemed he wa~ trying.

The girls loved Clave. The boys imitated him. Some just watched, others buzzed around him, trying to help him assemble the harpoons and the spikes or asking an endless stream of questions. "What are you doing? Why do you need so many harpoons? And all this rope? Is it a hunting trip?"

"I can't tell you," Clave said with just the proper level of regret. "King, where have you been? You're all sticky."

King was a happy eight-year-old painted in brown dust. "We went underside. The foliage is greener there. Tastes better."

"Did you take lines? Those branches aren't as strong as they used to be. You could fall through. And did you take a grownup with you?"

Jill, nine, had the wit to distract him. "When's dinner? We're still hungry."

"Aren't we all." Clave turned to Jayan. "We've got enough packs, we won't be carrying food, we'll find water on the trunk . . . claw sandals

jet pods, I'm glad we got those . . . hope we've got enough spikes what else do we need? Is Jinny back?"

"No. What did you send her for, anyway?"

"Rocks. I gave her a net for them, but she'll have to go all the way to the treemouth. I hope she finds us a good grindstone."