Inkland turned upon his heel and left, with no further word.
The group of high-ranking officers followed him at length, leaving Maynard to watch the mighty Orionad being serviced and unloaded. He stood there for some time, relaxing and enjoying the fresh air and watching the operations. He found a comfortable spot, and seated himself lazily.
He did not sleep, though he did drowse a bit, and a sparse circle of cigarette butts began to surround him. He did not care; his last sojourn into space had made him appreciative of the comforts of just being on Earth where he could watch the sky and the ground meeting at the horizon.
He was not molested; though many people came to see the monster Orionad, none bothered him until the day wore into late afternoon. His first visitor was Laura Greggor.
"Guy," she said. Her voice was neither sharp nor inviting, but rather a flat tone of greeting.
Guy leaped to his feet and reached for her hands. "Laura!" he breathed. "It's good to see you!"
"I thank you for that," she said coldly.
