Jeriann was shaking him. She had to shout before he started and woke up. "They've left," she said. "We've got to hurry."
He was tired and didn't want to move. It was very unimportant. "Are you sure it was the Star Victory you saw? It may have been a satellite."
"It was the ship—at least it was using rockets."
He got out of bed and let her help him dress. Usually he refused her aid. "Rockets? But the Star Victory doesn't have any." Of course it did; it was part of the obsolete equipment that hadn't been removed because there wasn't time. Besides, it was an excellent reverse source of propulsion.
"I don't care. That's what I saw," said Jeriann.
"Where are Jordan and Anti?"
"I've called them. They'll be there."
He finished dressing and they hurried to the scanner. There was no mistake; it was the ship, but there was no bright tail behind. They were using the gravity drive. He watched it grimly.
"But they were," said Jeriann. "There's nothing wrong with my eyesight. They were using rockets."
He withheld comment. Rockets weren't nearly as efficient as the gravity drive, particularly near a large planet. Yet Jeriann said she saw it. He hoped she hadn't.