r a day or so--just to see what it's like out there."

Quantrell was silent a long time.

"Just for a day or so?" he asked, at last. "We'll just go out, and have
a look around, just to see what it's like out there." He fell silent
again. Alan saw a little trickle of sweat burst out on Quantrell's
cheek. He felt strangely calm himself, a little to his own surprise.

Then Quantrell smiled and the confidence returned to his tanned face.
"I'm game. Let's go!"

But Rat was quizzical about the whole enterprise when Alan returned to
his room to get him.

"You aren't serious, Alan. You really are going over to the Earther
city?"

Alan nodded and gestured for the little extra-terrestrial to take his
usual perch. "Are you daring to take my word in vain, Rat?" he asked in
mock histrionics. "When I say I'm going to do something, I do it." He
snapped closed his jacket and flipped the switch controlling the archaic
fluorescent panels. "Besides, you can always stay here if you want to,
you know."

"Never mind," Rat said. "I'm coming." He leaped up and anchored himself
securely on Alan's shoulder.

Kevin Quantrell was waiting for them in front of the building. As Alan
emerged Rat said, "One question, Alan."

"Shoot."

"Level, now: are you coming back--or are you going over the way Steve
did?"

"You ought to know me better than that. I've got reasons for going out,
but they're not Steve's reasons."

"I hope so."

Quantrell came up to them, and it seemed to Alan that there was
something unconvincing about his broad grin. He looked nervous. Alan
wondered whether he looked the same way.

"All set?" Quantrell asked.

"Set as I'll ever be. Let's go."

Alan looked around to see if anybody he knew might be watching. There
was no one around. Quantrell started walking, and Alan fell in behind
him.

"I hope you know where you're going," Alan said. "Because I don't."

Kevin pointed down the long winding street. "We go down to the foot of
this street, turn right into Carhill Boulevard, head down the main drive
toward the bridge. The Earther city is on the other side of the river."

"You better be right."

They made it at a fairly good clip through the sleepy Enclave, passing
rapidly through the old, dry, dusty streets. Finally they came to the
end of the street and rounded the corner onto Carhill Boulevard.

The first thing Alan saw was the majestic floating curve of the bridge.
Then he saw the Earther city, a towering