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exploded. That explosion ripped away the star s atmosphere and much of its mass, ejecting fully 70% of
its substance out into space. The explosion had done more than merely blast the outer layers of the star
skyward, however. The pressure on the core forced the electrons of the individual atoms out of their
orbits and down into the nuclei with the protons. The collapse of the electrons was accompanied by the
collapse of the star s core. Before the explosion, the star had been a glowing ball of gas as large as the
orbit of Mercury. After the explosion, it was a madly spinning sphere with a mass more than three times
that of Sol, yet a diameter of only 20 kilometers.
Out of the fires of the supernova had been born a neutron star.
Gawd! someone muttered as the image of the dead star floated at the center of the screen. Even though
it was ten light-years distant, the computer had the hull camera set to maximum field of view, and the gas
cloud still overflowed the edges of the screen.
Tearing his gaze away from the apparition on the screen, Dan Landon pressed the control that would put
him on the command circuit. All stations, report!
The reports quickly flowed in from all over the ship as departments announced their successful return to
normal space. When it came time for the communicator to report, he said, Strong interference across all
of the radio bands, Captain. It is all 30-cycle hum, just as predicted. Looks like we ll be transmitting via
laser for the duration.
Even with the atomic nuclei jammed together, the star retained both its original angular momentum and
magnetic flux. The neutron star rotated on its axis more than 30 times each second, sweeping surrounding
space with a magnetic field that was a billion times stronger than the one it had formerly possessed. The
spinning magnetic field whipped the surrounding gas and dust into a frenzy and broadcast an intense
beam of light and cosmic rays to the heavens like a lighthouse on some unknown shore.
Understood, Kelly, Landon replied. Dr. Bendagar.
The background radiation is high, Captain; but well within the capability of our shielding. We have
nothing to fear as long as we stay inside the hull. Work parties are another story. I wouldn t want to be
out in that stuff for any longer than necessary.
Landon touched another control. Sar-Say!
Yes, Captain? came the pseudo-simian s voice.
Is that Sky Flower? ?
Yes, Captain. It is just as I remember it, although much larger and more complex.
But it is the nebula you saw in the skies of the Zzumer world?
No doubt about it, Captain. It is the Sky Flower Nebula.
For the second time in as many minutes, Dan Landon let out a silent sigh of relief. They were near one of
the worlds of the Broan Sovereignty. That meant this whole expedition had not been a wild goose chase,
the result of misidentification of the nebula.
Very well. Astrogator, find us our target star!
I have it on the alternate screen, Captain.
Switch to main viewscreen.
At the front of the bridge, the screen changed to show a yellow-white star silhouetted against the
blackness of space. Hideout was where it was supposed to be, too. So far, so good.
Take her in, Mr. Fairfax. Mr. Klein, I want continuous circumambient sweeps on sensors. Let me know
if there is even a twitch that indicates the presence of a ship other than our own. Also, keep a full watch
on the Broan communications bands.
Landon waited for acknowledgement of his orders, and then grinned widely for the first time in a month.
All right, people, let s go find the rest of our fleet. Twist her tail, Chief Engineer!
Laura Dresser s words echoed instantly in his ears. Consider it twisted, Captain.
Thrust followed a moment later.
#
Is it truly Sky Flower? Lisa Arden asked Sar-Say after the captain signed off and the thrust-gravity had
caused the two of them to settle into their acceleration couches.
Yes, Leesa, it is really the nebula of the Zzumer sun. My memory for such things is quite good.
Lisa nodded. The alien had subtly mispronounced her name for the first time in months, making the long
e too long. That was as good an indication as any of the excitement that Sar-Say felt. She could not
blame him. She was excited herself.
How does it feel to be nearly home? she asked.
It feels very good, Sar-Say replied. But there is still much work to be done. We must find your fleet
before we can begin looking for the Zzumer world, no?
We must find our fleet, yes! Space is a big place, as you well know.
Sar-Say nodded. As he often remarked to himself, living with humans was hugely educational, if not
always pleasant. Frankly, the thought that stars were arrayed in the universe much as cities are arrayed
across the surface of a planet was a new one for Sar-Say. He had no use for astronomy before coming
to live among these strange people.
He had a use for it now.
Travel via stargate meant that you did not have to concern yourself with the space between the stars.
Rather, you moved from stargate to stargate. It was the topology of the gates themselves that was
important, not the positions of stars around which the gates orbited. Lisa had related an apt analogy to
explain the situation in human terms early in their language lessons. She had likened Sar-Say to a traveler
on one of the terrestrial subway systems.
As she had explained, the average rider of the London Underground cared not what buildings he or she
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