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Right here it says Year 17 Day 1, and that's what I'm going by. Who cares what year it is on Earth? This is my world!" "I know, Alan." Together they moved away from the viewscreen; it was time for breakfast, and the second gongs were sounding. "I'm just teasing, son. But that's the sort of thing you'll be up against if you leave the Starmen's Enclave the way your brother did."
A tentative chugg-chuff came from the copter; its rotors went round and it lifted, stood poised for a moment on its jetwash, and shot off northward toward the Starmen's Enclave. "What's this about a change in schedule, Dad?" "I want you to ride over with me in the two-man copter. Kandin took your place aboard Copter One. Let's go now," he shouted to the next group. "Start loading up Number Two."
When blastoff time came for the Valhalla, Steve had not reported back from the Starmen's Enclave where all Spacers lived during in-port stays. Alan's memories of the scene were still sharp. Captain Donnell had been conducting check-off, making sure all members of the Crew had reported back and were aboard.
The next morning, Roger Bond told him all about the dance. "It was the dullest thing you could imagine. Same old people, same dusty old dances. Couple of people asked me where you were, but I didn't tell them anything." "Good." They wandered on through the heap of old, ugly buildings that composed the Starmen's Enclave. "It's just as well they think I was sick," Alan said. "I was, anyway.
The Starmen's Enclave seemed utterly quiet, almost dead. Then he turned and kept his gaze forward. The Earther city was waiting for him. He reached the end of the walkway and paused, a little stunned, staring at the incredible immensity of the city spread out before him. "It's a big place," he said. "I've never been in a city this big." "You were born here," Rat reminded him. Alan laughed.
The crazy quilt of outdated, clumsy old buildings that was the local Starmen's Enclave.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?
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