s, volunteers had
descended to the plague world and reared the surviving children of the
colonists until they were old enough to look out for themselves. The
answer house had been set up as an instructional device.

"As nearly as possible, the scientists in charge attempted to create a
normal social situation for the plague carriers. They could never be
allowed to leave Rythar, but when they matured enough to know the truth,
Rythar could be integrated into the colonial system. Rytharian uranium
is already a significant trade factor in the colonial market. An
incidental by-product of the Guardian Wheel is the hospital facility,
where advanced cases of certain cancers and lung diseases have been
cured in a reduced gravity or by exposure to cosmic radiation."

Mryna shut off the projection. The words made sense, but the results did
not. And she knew precisely why Earth had failed. When they matured--in
those three words she had her answer.

And now it didn't matter. There was nothing she could do. Her ship was a
poisoned arrow aimed directly at the heart of man's civilization.

Mryna had slept twice when the auto-pickup lurched out of the time drive
and she was able to see the stars again. Directly ahead of her she saw
an emerald planet, bright in the sun. And she knew instinctively that it
was Earth.

A speaker under the viewport throbbed with the sound of a human voice.

"Auto-shuttle SC 539, attention. You are assigned landing slot
seven-three-one, Port Chicago. I repeat, seven-three-one. Dial that
destination. Do you read me?"

Three times the message was repeated before Mryna concluded that it was
meant for her. She found three small knobs close to the speaker and a
plastic toggle labeled "voice reply." She snapped it shut and found that
she could speak to the Chicago spaceport.

Her problem was easily solved, then. She could say she came from Rythar.
Without hesitation, Earth ships would be sent to blast her ship out of
the sky before she would be able to land. But she knew she had to
accomplish more than that; the same mistake must not be repeated again.

"How much time do I have?" she asked.

"Thirty-four minutes."

"Can you keep this shuttle up here any longer than that?"

"Lady, the auto-pickups are on tape-pilot. Come hell or high water, they
land exactly on schedule."

"What happens if I don't dial the slot destination?"

"We bring you in on emergency--and you fork over a thousand buck fine."