ertain per cent of the light was
polarized. Now remember that I examined it for a long time and I found
out something else from the length of observation which convinces me.
The light varied with a periodic irregularity. The chronometers aren't
working exactly right out here, so I can't give you any explanation in
terms of hours. But I find a number of regularly recurring changes in
light intensity and character ... and that proves the presence of a
number of planetary bodies circling the star. That's the only way one
could explain the fluctuations for the G-type star is a steady type. It
doesn't vary greatly and has no light fluctuations to speak of. Not like
the Cepheid and Mira types."

"And that proves it's our Sun?" asked Chambers.

Craven nodded. "Fairly definitely, I'd say."

"How far away is it?" Stutsman wanted to know.

* * * * *

Craven snorted. "You would ask something like that."

"But," declared Stutsman, "there are ways of measuring how far a star is
away from any point, measuring both the distance and the size of the
star."

"Okay," agreed Craven, "you find me something solid and within reach
that's measurable. Something, preferably, about 200 million miles or so
across. Then I'll tell you how far we are from the Sun. This ship is not
in an orbit. It's not fixed in space. I have no accurate way of
measuring distances and angles simultaneously and accurately. Especially
angles as small as these would be."

Craven and Stutsman glared at one another.

"It's a long way however you look at it," the financier said. "If we're
going to get there, we'll have to start as soon as possible. How soon
can we start, Doctor?"

"Very soon. I have the gravity concentration field developed and
Manning left me just enough power to get a good start." He chuckled,
took off his glasses, wiped the lenses and put them back on again.
"Imagine him giving me that power!"

"But after we use up that power, what are we going to do?" demanded
Chambers. "This collector lens of yours won't furnish us enough to keep
going."

"You're right," Craven conceded, "but we'll be able to get more. We'll
build up what speed we can and then we'll shut off the drive and let
momentum carry us along. In the meantime our collector will gather power
for us. We're advancing toward the source of radiation now, instead of
away from it. Out here, where there's little gravity stress, fewer
conflicting lines of gr