The Impossible Voyage Home Read online

come back toMars so we could be near John and Pearl and Ray. Let's not regret whatwe've done." She picked at the chair arm. "We've been here a long time,ain't we?"

  Ethan nodded.

  "Maybe they've forgotten we've only got a month left," she said eagerly.

  "You sure it's a month?"

  "Figure it out. It took longer when we went."

  "Then it's no use. A slow ship is all we'd be allowed to take--and wewouldn't be allowed because it'd be more than a month."

  "They won't remember every last minute we spent in space."

  "They will, too," he stated. "They've got records."

  "Maybe they lost them."

  "Look, we've got kids and grandchildren here. They come around and seeus. Do we have to go to Earth, 'specially when it'd be against the law?"

  "That's just it," she argued. "We've seen all our other kids' kids.Ain't we going to see the youngest? How do we know his wife can takecare of a baby? I can't sleep nights, thinking of it."

  "Try catnaps during the day, like I do."

  Amantha touched the button and the automatic chair stopped abruptly."Are you going to try to get tickets or aren't you?"

  "I'll think about it. Go ahead and rock."

  "I won't," she said obstinately, "not even if it was the kind of chairyou can rock yourself. I thought I married a man who'd make me happy."

  "I've always done my best. Go ahead and rock."

  "But will you try to get the tickets?"

  Ethan nodded resignedly and felt better when the chair began to swingback and forth. There was no living with a woman when she didn't havepeace of mind.

  * * * * *

  Amantha lay in bed, listening. Sometimes her hearing was very good, theway it used to be. Other times, it wasn't worth a thing. The way it cameand went reminded her of when she was young and used to wonder why oldfolks couldn't hear. Now she could often lie next to Ethan and not evennotice whether he was snoring. Tonight her hearing was good.

  Footsteps came from the hall, creaky noises of someone trying not tomake a sound. She'd lain awake many nights, hearing him come home. Sheknew who it was and for once she didn't mind. The Home for RetiredCitizens had rules.

  Careful, she thought. There's the bad spot where the floor's thin andbends when you step on it. Then when your foot comes off it, it goesploinnnnng. They don't build right any more. Skimping and trying tosave.

  But there wasn't a sound. Ethan avoided it. When she thought of it, sherealized he had a suspicious amount of skill--the skill of practice.

  Ethan was fumbling at the door and she forgot her irritation. Sheslipped out of bed and swung the door open. He stumbled in against her."'Mantha, they laughed--"

  "Did you have anything to eat?" she broke in.

  "Cup of that Mars coffee. But--"

  "Don't talk till you get something hot inside. Empty belly, empty head."

  "Can't eat stuff that comes out of the wall. I'll wait till breakfast."

  She flicked the light on low and punched the selector. She took theglow-plate from under the bed and set it on the table. As the foodarrived, she heated it and began adding spices. "There--it ain't realfood, but you can pretend."

  Ethan pretended and, when the food was gone, wiped his lips and lookedat her.

  She nodded. "Now you can tell me--but keep your voice low. Don't wakeanyone up."

  Ethan stretched and creaked. "Went down to the Interplanet office andthey wouldn't talk to me. Said there wasn't any ship leaving for thenext ten months and they didn't sell tickets in advance. I keptpestering them and they got mad. They looked up our records and said wecouldn't go anytime, except on a fast ship, and, considering our age, itwas doubtful they'd let us. Didn't give up, though, and finally theysaid we might get a release from the man who'd take us. Maybe theywanted to get rid of me. Anyway, they sent me down to talk with one ofthe pilots."

  * * * * *

  Amantha approved. Go straight to the man responsible. Persistence couldget you there.

  "He talked real nice for a while," Ethan continued. "He explained hedidn't own the ship and didn't have the say-so who he took. I knew youwanted to go real bad. I offered him the money we'd saved."

  "_All_ of it, Ethan?"

  "Don't get mad. Figured it was worth it to you."

  "Don't believe in paying extra," she mused, "but did you tell him wecould borrow some if it wasn't enough?"

  "Didn't get a chance. He started laughing, saying didn't I understand hegot paid not just for each trip, but for all the years after that, whenhe was finished and had used up his time and couldn't work at the onlything he knew? Saying that he wouldn't risk that kind of security forany money and I was an idiot for believing he might." Ethan trembled.

  "Never mind. He's an old fool."

  "He's younger than Jimmy."

  "Some people get wisdom when they're young."

  Ethan sat morosely in the chair. "If Jimmy hadn't made that last trip,he'd be here and he'd have married a girl here and his kids would behere. We wouldn't have to worry about them."

  "I guess so, but he was lucky anyway. They found out he wasn't as strongas he was supposed to be and wouldn't let him come back." She beganclearing the dishes. "How'd they know he couldn't come back?"

  "They got tests. They give them each trip."

  She should have thought of it. They had tests. Because of tests, Jimmywas safe but distant. She sat down.

  "Tired." Ethan yawned. "Let's go to bed."

  "You go. I'm thinking."

  Amantha went on thinking while he undressed and lay down. Sometimes itwas difficult--things weren't as clear as they used to be. Tonight,though, she had no trouble managing her mind. A woman who had kids hadto know her way around things. Presently, she said, "Tomorrow I'm goingto bake."

  Ethan stirred. "Won't do no good. Didn't say so, but there was a girltalking to the pilot when I got there. She was crying and begging him totake her to Earth next trip. Said she'd do anything if he would."

  "Shame on her!" exclaimed Amantha. "But did it work?"

  "She was young and pretty and still he wouldn't pay attention to her,"said Ethan. "What chance would you have?"

  "I'm going to bake tomorrow. In the morning, we're supposed to go for awalk. We'll take a big basket. Do you remember the old canal nobody goesnear any more?"

  There was no answer. Ethan was asleep. Now that she'd decided what todo, she lay down beside him.

  * * * * *

  The sentry huddled in his post. It was insulated and supplied withoxygen, very much like a spacesuit. Though big for a spacesuit, it was asmall place to spend hours in without relief. But there werecompensations: never anything to do--except as now. He went to the mike.

  "Get back," he shouted.

  They paid no attention.

  Swearing, he shouted again, turning up the volume. Even in the thin air,he had enough sound to blast them off their feet. But they kept ongoing. He poked the snout of his weapon through the porthole and thenwithdrew it. Who'd given him those orders anyway? He didn't have to obeythem. He clamped on his oxygen helmet and slipped into electric mittsand hurried outside.

  "Where do you think you're going?" he demanded, standing in front ofthem.

  "Hello," said Amantha. "Didn't see anyone around."

  Damn senior citizens--they never used hearing aids. "You've got to turnaround and go back," he said.

  "Why?"

  He was shivering and didn't see how they could stand it. Thin clothingand obsolete oxygen equipment. Oddly, they could take more than you'dthink, though. Used to it, he supposed. "Come on in," he commandedgruffly. He wasn't going to freeze. They followed him into the post."Didn't you see the signs to keep out?"

  "But the ships aren't using the field. What harm are we doing?"

  "Orders," he said. There were still a few pilots checking over theirships, making sure everything was in working condition before they werelocked up. In a
week, all flight personnel would be gone to thesettlements, there to await the next round of voyages when Earth camenear. They had it soft, while he, the guard, had to stay in colddiscomfort.

  "We're going to visit a friend of my son," said Amantha. "They werepilots