Planet Of No Return

“That’s very pleasing to hear. As you know we are a fully voluntary organization.” He ignored Brion’s snort of derision as he struggled a flat plastic box from the pocket of his tunic. “As I am sure you are aware, almost all of our assignments deal only with cultures that are in trouble, societies on planets that have been cut off from the mainstream of human contact for thousands of years. We don’t go near newly rediscovered planets — that’s the job of Planetary Survey. They go in first, then turn their records over to us. They’re a rough outfit, I did four years with Plansurv before I transferred to Culrel.”

He smiled grimly. “I thought this new job would be easier. Plansurv has a problem and they have asked us for help. In cases like this we always say yes. Are you ready to look at these records now?”

“I’ll get a viewer from our cabin,” Brion said.

Carver nodded wearily, too tired to speak.

“Would you like me to order you something?” Lea asked as Brion went out of the lounge.

“Yes, thank you, a drink of some kind. I’ll wash down a pill with it — feel better in a few minutes. But no alcohol, I can’t take any of that yet.”

She felt his eyes on her as she phoned passenger control and gave her order to the computer. When she had finished the call she put back the phone and turned sharply to face him.

“Well — do you like what you see?”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. But I read your history in the records. I never met anyone from Earth before.”

“What did you expect — two heads?”

“I said that I was sorry. Before I left my home world and went into space I really believed that the whole story of Earth was just another religious myth.”

“Well, now you can see for yourself that we are real undernourished flesh and blood. Underfed citizens of an overcrowded and worn out planet. Probably just what we deserve, I imagine you would say.”

“No. I might have at one time. No more. I’m sure that the Earth Empire was guilty of a number of excesses, just the sort of thing we read about in our school books. No one’s in doubt about that. But all of that’s just history now, ancient history thousands of years in the past. What is of much greater importance to me is the fate of all the planets that were cut off after the Breakdown. It wasn’t until I saw for myself what had happened to some of them that I knew what an unyielding and harsh universe it could be. Mankind basically belongs only on Earth. You may feel personally inferior because the overcrowding and limited resources have caused an overall reduction in your size. But you belong on Earth — and are a product of Earth. A number of us may appear larger or stronger than you — but this is because we have been forced to adapt to some cruel and violent worlds. I’ve become used to that — I even accept it as the norm. It wasn’t until I saw you that I realized that the home of mankind was still a reality.” He smiled a crooked grin.

“Please don’t think me foolish for saying this,” he said, “but I experienced a sensation of both pleasure — and relief — when I met you. Like a child discovering his long-lost parents. I’m afraid I’m not saying this very well. It’s like coming home after a long voyage. I have seen the way mankind has adapted to a score of planets. Meeting you is, in a funny way a reassuring bit of knowledge. Our home is still there. I am very happy to meet you.”

“I believe you, Carver.” She smiled. “And I’m forced to admit that I’m beginning to like you too. Though I have to admit that you are not too good to look at.”

He laughed and leaned back, sipping at the cold drink that had been delivered automatically to the table at his side. “Give me a year and you’ll never recognize me.”

“I am sure that will be true. I’m a biologist, an exobiologist, so I know in theory what can be done with restoration growth, I’m sure that you will be as good as new after some time. But that’s just theory — I’ve never seen it in practice before. We’re not rich on Earth, so few of us can afford massive reconstruction like yours.”

“This is one of the few benefits of working for Culrel. They put you back together again no matter how badly you get butchered. I’m going to have a new eye behind this patch in a few months.”

“How very nice. But speaking personally I would like to avoid all the benefits of this kind of reconstruction if you don’t mind.”

“Good luck in that — I don’t blame you.”