ittle two-man copter and the tall gleaming _Valhalla_ behind them.

"Let's go," the Captain said. They climbed in, Alan strapping himself
down in the co-pilot's chair and his father back of the controls.

"I never see much of you these days," the Captain said after they were
aloft. "Running the _Valhalla_ seems to take twenty-four hours a day."

"I know how it is," Alan said.

After a while Captain Donnell said, "I see you're still reading that
Cavour book." He chuckled. "Still haven't given up the idea of finding
the hyperdrive, have you?"

"You know I haven't, Dad. I'm sure Cavour really did work it out, before
he disappeared. If we could only discover his notebook, or even a letter
or something that could get us back on the trail----"

"It's been thirteen hundred years since Cavour disappeared, Alan. If
nothing of his has turned up in all that time, it's not likely ever to
show. But I hope you keep at it, anyway." He banked the copter and cut
the jets; the rotors took over and gently lowered the craft to the
distant landing field.

Alan looked down and out at the heap of buildings becoming visible
below. The crazy quilt of outdated, clumsy old buildings that was the
local Starmen's Enclave.

He felt a twinge of surprise at his father's words. The Captain had
never shown any serious interest in the possibility of faster-than-light
travel before. He had always regarded the whole idea as sheer fantasy.

"I don't get it, Dad. Why do you hope I keep at it? If I ever find what
I'm looking for, it's going to mean the end of Starman life as you know
it. Travel between planets will be instantaneous. There--there won't be
this business of making jumps and getting separated from everyone you
used to know."

"You're right. I've just begun thinking seriously about this business
of hyperdrive. There wouldn't be any Contraction effect. Think of the
changes it would mean in Starman society! No more--no more permanent
separations if someone decides to leave his ship for a while."

Alan understood what his father meant. Suddenly he saw the reason for
Captain Donnell's abrupt growth of interest in the development of a
hyperdrive.

_It's Steve that's on his mind_, Alan thought. _If we had had a
hyperspace drive and Steve had done what he did, it wouldn't have
mattered. He'd still be my age._

Now the _Valhalla_ was about to journey to Procyon. Another twenty years
would pass before it got back, and Steve would be almost f