. You make them look like
a sack."

"They feel like one. I keep thinking that all I need is a tag around my
neck."

"You haven't much time to get used to them," Kennon said. "We're leaving
this week."

"So soon?"

"Yes--and you'll wear those things to the ship, into the ship, and all
the time we're on the ship. You'll keep wearing clothing until it looks
right."

"Slave driver!" Copper hissed.

"Slave," Kennon answered equably.

Copper giggled. The sound was utterly unexpected, and completely
incongruous. That was the wonder of her, Kennon reflected. Her mercurial
temperament made life something that was continually exciting She was a
never-ending delight.

CHAPTER XVII

It was the last trip. Kennon loaded the jeep with the last-minute items
he would need. The four reactor cores in their lead cases went aboard
last and were packed inside a pile of lead-block shielding.

He helped Copper in and looked back without regret as the bulk of
Olympus Station vanished below him in the dusk. The last of the work
crew had left that afternoon. The station was ready for occupancy.
His assignment had been completed. He felt an odd pleasure at having
finished the job. Alexander might not be happy about his subsequent
actions, but he could have no complaint about what he did while he was
here.

"Well--say good-bye to Flora," he said to Copper.

"I don't want to," she said. "I don't want to leave."

"You can't stay. You know that."

She nodded. "But that doesn't make me any less regretful."

"Regretful?"

"All right--scared. We're going to try to make the God-Egg fly again.
Not only is it sacrilege, but as you've often said, it's dangerous. I
have no desire to die."

"You have two courses--"

"I know--you've pointed them out often enough," Copper said. "And since
you decided to go I'd go with you even though I knew the Egg would blow
up."

"You're quite a girl," Kennon said admiringly. "Did I ever tell you that
I love you?"

"Not nearly often enough," Copper said. "You could do it every day and
I'd never get tired of hearing it."

The jeep settled over the lava wall. "We'll leave it in the passageway
when we're through," Kennon said. "Maybe it will survive blast-off."

"Why worry about it?" Copper asked.

"I hate destroying anything needlessly," Kennon said.

"And since we have plenty of time, we might as well be neat about our
departure."

He was wrong, of course, but he didn't know that.

* *