They also picked up the source for the world’s name. Volaria, according to Kwylla, was derived from an ancient language. “It means salvation,” she said.

The humans never mentioned their prime concern, the probable resistance back home that all this would generate. But among themselves, it dominated the conversation. And, as they got closer to Utopia, Korsek brought up another issue. “Nobody’s going to believe this,” he said. “They’re going to have to see it. And I don’t think pictures are going to be persuasive enough.”

Hutch asked Rampol, the stargazer whom she now thought of as an astronomer, whether there were any observatories on Volaria.

“What,” he asked, “is an observatory?”

“You put a building with an opening on the roof on top of a mountain, and then put a large version of that”—she indicated his telescope—“inside. You’d be amazed at what you can see.”

“Oh, yes, of course. We have a couple of them. But I don’t think anybody’s seen that thing. If they have, they certainly haven’t said anything.”

•  •  •

The planet floated in soft sunlight. White clouds drifted over wide oceans and lush green continents and vast mountain chains. Two of the three moons were visible.

“Are there tigers here?” Korsek asked.

Barry explained he had substituted a term. “I assume the reference was to a predator.”

Derek responded that there probably were. “Every world has predators,” he said. “Compared to a black hole, though, a tiger’s not much to worry about.” Arin understood and nodded agreement.

The Volarians, when talking among themselves, tended to speak quickly, and often used words and constructions with which none of the humans, nor Barry, was familiar. “I’m getting some of it, though,” Barry told Hutch, speaking through her pod. “The prime issue for them, as far as I can determine, is whether they can convince their people to accept an idea that’s so wild from their perspective. Black holes make no sense to them. Not even to the ones who are here looking at it.”

When he saw an opportunity, Ken took the issue back to Arin. “You do understand this is really happening, right? The threat is real.”

It seemed a bit ham-handed, but it got directly to the point.

“We’ve been on the islands,” Arin said, “forever. Nothing ever changes. Except that electricity arrived. Then you appear and suddenly we hear the world is ending. Do not be offended, Ken, but it is philosophically difficult to accept. And painful.”

•  •  •

Derek would have liked to accompany them to the ground. But they needed Ken, and they already had to make two trips to get the five Volarians down. Add one more to the mix and it would mean another flight. Ken asked whether there was any place in particular they would like to see up close?