Pioneers

 Preface   Chapter 1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42 

Paul was on his way out, but then Krings was on his knees, blubbering, "Menard, for the love of God."

Paul closed his eyes. He had hoped this very moment would never happen. He would rather have faced a wild condor in deadly combat. He would rather have faced Krings in manly combat. But this was a humiliation for both of them. He hoped nobody in the Aerie would ever learn of it.

Krings' eyes were wide with pleading, "Please, she is young and headstrong. She's all I've got. They'll banish me. Oh God, Menard..."

Paul looked out through the thick window. He noted how greenish light lay in the prism of the window's edge. Aerie law was cruel and inexorable. Yes, Krings was finished, and he should be a man about it. Paul thought ahead to the long space voyage. What if the hoped- for planet turned out to be some horror of raging poisonous storms? It took courage to live, no matter what. And yet he could not bring himself to say anything to Krings. He wanted to say: "Stop humiliating us both." Instead he shoved the kneeling man out of his way and walked out. He heard Krings pleading behind him: "Menard, for the love of God! Menard!"