VIII.
At the decade's end, once again the representatives of the Genoese team were first in the Pedagogue's lounge. Mayer sat at the officer's table, Martin Gunther at his right. Jerry Kennedy leaned against the ship's bar, sipping appreciatively at a highball.
They could hear the impact of the space boat from Texcoco when it slid into its bed.
"Poor piloting," Gunther mused. "Whoever's doing that flying doesn't get enough practice."
They could hear ports opening and then the sound of approaching feet. The footsteps had a strangely military ring.
Joe Chessman entered, followed immediately by Barry Watson, Dick Hawkins and Natt Roberts. They were all dressed in heavy uniform, complete with decorations. Behind them were four Texcocans, including Reif and his teen-age son Taller.
Mayer scowled at them in way of greeting. "Where's Plekhanov?"
"Leonid Plekhanov is no longer with us," Chessman said dourly. "Under pressure his mind evidently snapped and he made decisions that would have meant the collapse of the expedition. He resisted when we reasoned with him."