Chapter 44

"Before we shut down, who's got Eugene's key for the log?" asked Meiersdottir.

The Ark had been emptied of all its living cargo save for the plants unneeded on New Eden within a span of less than twenty-four hours. As before, AC—Heisinger and Igwanda—had taken on the brunt of the effort, aided enthusiastically by the remainder of the ship's original crew. The Edenites were already ensconced in their new Earthly home, their animals grazed happily in the abundant fields that had awaited them, and the whole migration had been completed.

All of the humans were by now back aboard. They'd long ago decided that their best approach would be to appear together as a unit when the shuttle made its final run, which this time would set down on Earth at the primary SES facility in Houston rather than New Eden. There they'd be able to accept what Meiersdottir had assured them would be worldwide plaudits for completing their mission.

There would of course be the small matter of explaining why the Ark's debarkation to New Eden had been so seemingly clandestine, notwithstanding its clear view through any Earth-based telescope. But that, they'd agreed, could be ascribed to a combination of security concerns—the small but vocal faction opposing the Edenites' coming had for the most part (Mallet excluded) made its position widely known—and the putative anxiety of the Edenites themselves to get to their new home. The original plan had been to broadly holocast the landings, but that had been scrapped for obvious reasons.

"I think I have it," said Cromartie in response to Meiersdottir's question. He searched his pockets. "Here," he said, producing it at last.

"Good," said Meiersdottir. She was currently perhaps the most alert of the crew; she'd been able to spend a good part of the debarkation resting in her cabin while most of others, including MacPherson, had been able to snatch only catnaps between the shuttle's ten trips (it had taken that many) to the surface.

"You do it, Warren," she directed. "I know Angus won't, but I want every reference to what really happened on the way out"—she meant MacPherson's actions—"deleted. We had trouble with the thrusters, that's all. Does anybody object?"

They were all present. No-one said a word.

Until the captain himself spoke. "Nae, Missus," he said. "I don' wan' t'live a lie. I'll ta'e rresponsibili'y forr me own actions."

"Say what you choose privately, Angus," she told him briskly. "But I won't have it as part of the log. You saved us. You, and no-one else. And that's what I want the world to know later."

There was universal agreement.

"Captain, you know I haven't always been your biggest fan," Igwanda spoke up. "But I'll fight you over this one if I have to. Dammit, man, you got us back against all odds. Want a wrestling match?"

MacPherson capitulated. "Nae, young mon, I admi' ye'rre youngerr an' prrob'ly fi'err than me, an' I'm too wearry forr th' exerrcise. Thank ye, then. Thank ye all. 'Tis farr morre than I deserrve. An' I thank ye especially, Missus, ye'rre ... kin'. Verra kin'. I'll still no' gae a-farin' in th' starrs again, bu' 'twill be guid t'rretire wi' me name still intac'."

It took Cromartie more than an hour to make the changes while they all waited. When he was done he looked up. "Mac, I expect you could have done it in half the time," he said. "You're the finest captain I've ever served under. It's been an honor."

"Th'honorr is mine," MacPherson told him. He extended his hand and the mate shook it warmly.

"All right, I think we're done here now," said Meiersdottir. "Somebody go get Tweedledum and Tweedledee"—MacPherson had told her he recognized the pilot as another of the men who'd paid him that long-ago visit—"and fetch them along. I'll explain a few realities to them and then we'll all go home."

The captain, Cromartie, Nassir, Umbyoto and Watesi all accompanied Igwanda to the locked cabin with drawn lasers; they were taking no risk of losing their captives at this point. But when they opened the locked door they found a very subdued Mallet simply staring glumly at the floor while the pilot lay asleep nearby. They woke him none too gently and led the prisoners to the bridge.