BOOCE HAD BOUGHT A SMALL PUMP. RATHER WAS working it to fill Logbearer's fuel tank. A Navy ship was doing much the same on the other side of the pond. Water had to be shared, this close to the Market. Greetings had been exchanged, and now the two crews were ignoring each other.

Cariot said, "Raym's been running messages for Dave Kon and Mand Curts. They'll know where he is. You'll have to track him down, though."

"No problem," Booce said. "How did he lose his rocket?"

"I didn't want to ask. He's far gone on fringe spores, Dad. We want him, but I don't want him in charge of anything."

"Fine. Rather, stop, it's full."

Rather began packing up the pump and hose. "That was quick," he said, remembering how long it took to fill the CARM.

"A pretty good pump for something that's all hardwood. Let's get going. Cariot, you drop me and Clave at the Market and then go on to the house. Clave, you get the rest of the seeds. I want to buy us some clothes. You're all still wearing tree-dweller pajamas."

"You'll bring Raym?"

"I'll send him to the house. If he's too fringey to find it, I don't want him aboard any ship of mine."

Rather had not found the chance to confide in anyone but Debby and Cariot. Maybe that was good. Booce seemed to take it for granted that he would stay where the Navy could find him. Rather's plans were quite different.

Would Cariot help him? He wasn't sure. The way she was acting-

The Market swarmed like a hive. When the rocket came near, a dozen citizens separated from the pattern and flew to look. Booce delayed his exit for dramatic reasons. When he emerged he was surrounded. He stayed to talk, and Cariot joined him. Clave grew bored and flapped off toward the Vivarium at the far rim. Booce took an order for a thousand square meters of wooden planks . . . and the sun crossed half the sky and was behind the Dark before Logbearer moved on.

Serjent House continued to drift. It was now radially out from the Market. The Dark eclipsed the sun; Voy shone from the side. Half violet, half black, the cluster of cubes made an eerie sight.

"We'll have to tell Clave," Debby said. "First chance we get."

Cariot said, "I'm still not sure about this."

Rather said, "Booce was right, wasn't he? I want to look undependable. So-"

"They'll think you had Dad's permission!"

"The Navy doesn't own me. Booce doesn't own me. Even you don't own me, Cariot, and if you're holding me as a copsik I want to know it so I can think about escaping!"

"No, I don't own you." The ship was turning, decelerating. Cariot was very busy tending the rocket, too busy to look him in the face. Her voice was almost inaudible. "But it was a fool stunt, running off to make babies with that Navy woman."