The Colors of Space - Page 106/108

A night came when the buzzer sounded and he opened the door to Raynor

One and Raynor Three.

"Better turn on your vision-screen, Bart. The Elder of the Lhari Council

has arrived with their official decision, and he's going to announce

it."

Bart waited, anxiously, pacing the room, while on the TV screen various

dignitaries presented the Elder.

"We are the first race to travel the stars." A bald head, an ancient

Lhari face seamed like glazed pottery, looked at Bart from the screen,

and Bart remembered when he had stood before that face, sick with

defeat. But now he need not pretend to hold his head erect.

"We have had a long and triumphant time as masters of the stars," the

Lhari said. "But triumph and power will sicken and stagnate the race

which holds them too long unchallenged. We reached this point once

before. Then a Lhari captain, Rhazon of Nedrun, abandoned the safe ways

of caution, and out of his blind leap in the blind dark came many good

things. Trade with the human race. Our Mentorian allies. A system of

mathematics to take the hazards from our star-travel.

"Yet once again the Lhari had grown cautious and fearful. And a young

man named Bartol took a blind leap into unknown darkness, all alone--"

"Not alone," Bart said as if to himself, "it took two men called

Briscoe. And my father. And a couple of Raynors. And even a man called

Montano, because without that, I'd never have decided--"

"Like Rhazon of Nedrun, like all pioneers, this young man has been

cursed by his own people, the very ones who will one day benefit from

his daring. He has found his people a firm footing among the stars. It

is too late for the Lhari to regret that we did not sooner extend you

the hand of welcome there. You have climbed, unaided, to join us. For

good or ill, we must make room for you.

"But there is room for all. Competition is the lifeblood of trade, and

we face the future without fear, knowing that life still holds many

surprises for the living. I say to you: welcome to the stars."

Even while Bart stood speechless with the knowledge of success, the door

opened again, and Bart, turning, cried out in amazement.

"Tommy! Ringg! Meta!"

"Sure," Tommy exclaimed, "we've got to celebrate," but Bart stopped,

looking past them.

"Captain Vorongil!" he said, and went to greet the old Lhari. "I thought

you'd hate me, rieko mori." The term of respect fell naturally from

his lips.