"No problems. Expedition's in good shape. Raym will probably swear I was there the whole time."

"Repeat after me. 'There's a respectable store of metal here.'"

"There's a respectable-"

"Try to say it like I did. Listen a few times. 'There's a respectable store of metal here.'"

Rather deepened his voice and tried to spit the syllables. "There's a respectable store of metal here."

They rehearsed "You wouldn't want to have to sell your new house," and "I need to consult the Library," and "I relieve you." Rather was lethally sick of it when Kendy quit. "It'll have to do. Try to be in a cloud when you sight Headquarters. Don't make your approach without me."

"Right."

"I've displayed a neudar map of Headquarters for Jeffer. He can guide you if I'm out of range. Back in two days. Kendy out."

"Jeffer?"

"Here. Rather, you should try to sleep."

"Sleep?"

"Nothing natural can hurt you in the silver suit. Sure, sleep. You'll be less hungry. You've got no food."

"I'll give it a try."

He slept not a wink. The turning of the Clump spiral caught him up and he had to make a correcting burn. Houses and decorated puff jungles passed, none close enough to see more than a passing pressure suit. Citizens would wonder what the Navy was doing out here.

Within a layer of haze he found the unmistakable shape of the Market. Headquarters to spinward . . . "Jeffer? I have it."

"How close?"

"Forty klomters."

"Get a lot closer. Approach from the Market side if you can. Rather, it just struck me: there are two ways into the Library, and they have to guard both."

"So?"

"I don't think it was ever meant to be guarded. The Library was supposed to be free to all. Just a guess."

"What's the word from Kendy?"

"Any breath now."

"I'll come in through that cloud bank. You see it? I think there's a pond in there. I'll come around that."

"Kendy for the State. Rather, are you in place?" The boy sounded edgy. "Ready. You missed some interesting stuff."

Headquarters was four hundred meters distant. They'd lose a few minutes crossing that. Kendy sent, "Something I should know?"

"No, just interesting. I watched two triune families arrange a marriage."

"If your helmet faced it I didn't miss it. Time to move. Just wings."

Kendy watched the guards as Rather approached. Would they expect him to have an escort? They spread arms and legs as he came near, with a hand and foot to hold the harpoon. That position had been Attention! for any military man in free-fall since long before Kendy's birth. The door behind them was large and massive, and closed.

"Just go in unless they do something," Kendy said. "I've watched them every orbit. You won't need a password because your helmet's closed. Don't hurry. Let them open the door for you."