Velocity, Smoke Ring median: 11 kps. Velocity at Kendy's distance: 3 kps. Discipline's, relative velocity: 20 kps and falling. Discipline reached perihelion and began to rise, embedded in hot plasma. The animals were frantic. Kendy couldn't spare attention for them. Nothing had melted on his first pass . . . but the gas ahead of him thickened as he rose, because Goldblatt's World was ahead.

Visual: a raging, endless storm the size of Neptune. Neudar: a core the size of two and a half Earths spun once every seven hours, carrying the storm around with it, until the atmospheric envelope trailed off into the Smoke Ring. Instruments: impacting plasma increased in temperature and density; velocity decreased. The ship was surviving. There'd been the risk that he would have to blow hydrogen ahead of him for cooling.

Goldblatt's World passed below, warping the ship's path into something nearer a circle. Now the plasma density dropped fast.

Fifteen minutes of that was enough excitement for any computer program. In an hour he'd be over the Admiralty and out of the gas torus. He'd make his last short bum then. It would hold him near the Admiralty for a good half hour.

Discipline would be glowing bright enough to see, if anyone looked in just the right direction. That might or might not be good. Kendy had taken his time returning. His long-range plans were in tatters and he didn't know what to do about it.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Beginnings

from the Citizens Tree cassettes:

YEAR 384, DAY 2250. BOOCE RECORDED OUR

HOLDINGS BEFORE WE LEFT. HE'S APPALLED THAT WE NEVER ASKED. BAD BUSINES8PERSONS, HE CALLS US. WE DON'T USUALLY BOTHER TO SPELL OUT WHO OWNS WHAT IN CITIZENS TREE. IT DRIVES BOOCE CRAZY.

WE SPENT A LOT ON SEEDS AND POOD AND WIDGETS, BUT WE STILL HAVE CREDIT-IMAGINARY MONEY-IN SOME VAGUE AMOUNT THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT BOOCE ACTUALLY GETS FOR THE WOOD AND THE METAL. WE'LLLEARNTHATWHEN, AND IF, WERETURN TO THE ADMIRALTY.

-JEFFER THE SCIENTIST

THE LIFT CAGE DROPPED. IT WAS CROWDED WITH EIGHT people and several bags from the CARM. Lawri and Gavving, Scientist and Chairman Pro Tern, seemed distinctly uncomfortable. It wasn't hard to guess why. Raff Belmy was uncomfortable too. Carlot clung tight to his arm, possessively, protectively.

"I had some trouble finding the tree," Jeffer said.

"Your problem," Gawing answered. "After all, you took the silver suit. How were we supposed to tell you where we were?"

"Yeah, but you moved the tree, didn't you? That thing next to the lift, is that what I think it is?"

"Yes. Lawn's doing, mostly."

"Hah. Scientist, I thought you'd be twiddling your toes waiting for me to come home."

"We found ways to occupy ourselves, Scientist." Lawn's pregnancy was growing conspicuous. The formality between her and her husband did not seem unfriendly.

Gavving said, "I hope you brought something to make us look good."

The rest of them laughed; but Clave said, "Trouble?"