Rice called down from the cabin. "Cut it!" Petty Wheeler reached below his feet for the alcohol valve. The roar died to a hiss: water on a hot surface.

Next, the water valve. Gyrfalcon fell free.

The log was nearer; the plume of acceleration was gone. Using the binoculars, Wheeler found a pair of human shapes on the near side.

"They're not giving us much attention," he said. Murphy took the binoculars. Presently she said,

"They'll have time." She looked until he took them away.

The Navy ship was bigger and more elaborate than Logbearer. It arrived in a wave of warm steam and paused a hundred meters from the center of the midtrunk. Four men emerged and flew toward them.

Logbearer's crew waited outside the cabin.

"They're fast," Debby said.

Booce chuckled .."Never try to outfly the Navy. Navy wings are different, and the men are picked for their legs."

They were closer now. Rather suddenly gripped Booce's arm. "Booce, they're wearing silver suits!"

"Ah - Rather-"

Rather eased his grip. "Sorry."

"Well, watch that. It's only Navy armor."

"But it looks-"

"Just armor. There are three vac suits in the Admiralty, and we aren't important enough to see one. Incidentally, they'd love to make it four."

Closer yet. The armor didn't cover them. All wore helmets: head-and-shoulder pieces with an opening for the face. Some wore additional plates. And one was a dwarf.

Their wings! They pointed a little forward, as the foot did; they folded on the forward kick and snapped open on the back-kick. The Scientist should see this. Rather thought.

They left their wings on even after they touched bark.

The dwarf was a woman. Red hair showed around the helmet before she lifted it. Pale skin, pointed nose, and pointed chin; hair like flame streaming from a tree afire. Her chest plate stood several ce'meters out from her chest. She was five or six years older than Rather, quite lovely, and Rather's height.

She caught him looking and smiled at him. He forgot that he could move. Her eyes were blue, and they danced.

He was blushing, and Carlot had caught it, and Rather looked away in haste. And watched a long, long man kicking toward them.

The globe helmet was much larger than his head, with an opening for his face . . . like the silver suit's helmet with the faceplate missing. Separate curved pieces protected his thighs, back, upper arms, and hips. Those were wood painted in silver; but the head-and-shoulder piece was of hammered metal. Wide nose, dark skin, black cushion of hair: he might have been part of Booce's family.

He recognized Booce (and ignored his crew). "Booce Serjent? You may remember me: Petty Wheeler. Welcome home."

"Good to see you again, Petty. You'll remember Carlot-"

She smiled brilliantly. "Good day, Petty Wheeler."

"Oh, yes. You've grown, Carlot."