"We've got to get rid of the silver suit," Jeffer said.

"No." I'm the Silver Man!

"I don't mean feed it to the tree! I mean don't have it when Logbearer gets home."

"How?"

"I don't know, and Kendy isn't answering. I don't even know what course he's on now."

"What if I don't go back? You can pick me up with the CARM."

"Sure, and what does Wayne Mickl say to the Serjents? You've got to face him and lie."

Rather could see the Market far behind him. Was he in view of Navy instruments? But they'd have to find him, and he'd changed direction.

The deep voice of Wayne Mickl was small and full of the chattering sound of distance. "Rather Citizen, I will wait for you at Serjent House."

"I heard that," Jeffer said. "I've spotted you. Can you see Voy? Sixty-five degrees east, bum for five seconds. Zero north, there's no point in getting higher. You'll both be back in the Dark before you meet."

"Jeffer? Why don't you come get the silver suit?"

". . . Stet. Here I come."

Rather himself had spotted Logbearer now, above the plane of the Dark, foreshortened and trailing steam.

Jeffer said, "I'm on my way, but it'll take me nearly a day. If you just ditch the suit it'll fall back into the Dark."

"It's doing that now. You'll have to find it somehow. I've got an idea."

Rather flew through the Dark. He was using wings. There couldn't be much left of his fuel;

He glimpsed a man-shape through the murk.

Carlot. When he opened his helmet she kissed him breathlessly. "I thought I'd never see you again! Did you do it?"

"Yeah. All of it, but the Captain-Guardian knows, or thinks he does."

She talked while she helped him out of the suit. "Raym got too much of the fringe. He's in the cabin getting through the hangover. Debby's with him. She'll keep him quiet. We've got our mud and four tons of walnut-cushion. Two Dark sharks tried to open us up. Debby took them. Rather, I'd hate to have her mad at me. We've got the meat, and I'll show you tooth scars on the wood-"

"I hope they were big. I'm hungry." He was out. He closed up the suit, leaving the helmet open. "Jeffer?"

"Here. I'm above your position."

"I'm doing it." He closed the helmet. He turned the pressure dial high and the temperature low. The suit grew rigid. "Now I want to start a fire."

"In the Dark that won't be easy."

"Help me. That. . . fisher jungle, I guess it was." He indicated a mass of dry brush with white things taking root in it. "Help me push the legs in."