the old class, that could only manage eight. She
had both system and star drive that meant she served many of the
outlying colonies where there were no receiving stations like this one.
40 When she finally released her moorings and floated away on her
planetary drive, Morn watched her for some time as she maneuvered away
from the station, and oncoming traffic, and ignited her system engines.
Then she swiftly disappeared.
41 Silently Morn walked back to the beam tubes and returned to his
apartment. He packed the rest of his things, had what he wanted to keep
shipped to Academy, the rest he gave away. Then, he told his guard that
his services wouldn't be needed. The guard objected, but for the next
six days Morn disappeared, only calling in once and a while to let his
Father know he was safe. No one knew what he had been up to.
42 Finally, he arrived at the beaming station in time to go up to
Academy with North and his family. Presenting their papers, Morn wanted
to laugh at North's nervousness. He had forgotten how much
his friend hated transport beams. Morn, too, had heard the stories
about beams being broken and only half of someone arriving! Or, people
arriving with arms or legs or other parts of their bodies missing. But
he knew these occurrences were very rare. The disruptor field that
surrounded the transport beam tube would destroy virtually anything
before it could break the beam.
43 The beams were one of the safest means of travel, but he could
understand why they made some people nervous. Having your atoms
separated and shot through the center of a beam of energy, and then
reassembled at the receiving station was a strange sensation for anyone.
44 As they stepped out of the receiving station at Academy City, an
older officer met them. "Cadet Officers, he snapped, "I have been
assigned to escort you and your