They don't expect what they did to make any
difference, you know. They believe we're all going to die. That's the
only reason they would've helped us. They were simply trying to make
our end more comfortable."
36 The Voice looked at North. "Sometimes," he said, "the way our minds
run along the same line of thought frightens me. If you'll excuse me,
I'll return to my other duties."
37 The rest of the Officers on the command deck had been unaware of
this entire conversation, as The Voice and North had not been
communicating with words, but with thoughts.
38 North began to quickly issue orders, and the Fleet moved out. As
soon as they came out of leap North knew they had at least found a
planet suitable to set down a couple of pods on. It was just inside the
right temperature range and about half the size of their native worlds.
39 It wouldn't exactly be a paradise, but it had an atmosphere, and if
they dropped in a few asteroids made of ice, the colonists would have
plenty of water to get them by. Two months later the work was done, and
they moved out again. The next system had little to offer....a couple
of gaseous giants and a lot of planetoids.
40 "Well, this is it!" sighed North. "Either we make it this time, or
we've got REAL problems!"
41 "Agreed!" answered The Voice.