Rockets in Ursa Major by Fred Hoyle, Geoffrey Hoyle Page A

to say. It was very flattering to be saved, but I couldn't see myself bottled up in a space ship, being subject to acceleration forces, confined spaces and endless time. I suppose if I'd my laboratory along with me, that would be better, but how long would it be before I felt fed up. The whole thing was out of proportion, I thought, if it was a question of trying to solve the problem and die in the attempt, I'd prefer that to living and dying in a space ship.
    `Will you take me back?' Alcyone said.
    `Certainly, but don't you want to see a little more of England?' I asked.
    `I would like to, but you must make up your mind about coming with us. If I'm with you, you'll not take the situation seriously,' she said.
    We reached the helicopter. I programmed it to take us to Alcyone's space craft. The flight was made in relative silence. When we arrived, the place was swarming with television technicians and their followers. The helicopter came to rest in the park.
    `We'll have to make a run for it,' I said, looking at swarms of TV newscasters coming towards us.
    `I think you're right,' Alcyone said, smiling for the first time.
    `Excuse me, sir. Could you give us a word on the current situation?' A persistent reporter pushed his microphone at us.
    `Sorry, we don't know what current situation you're talking about.'
    `The galactic war,' said another.
    Several large security guards manoeuvred the press and TV men away and escorted us to the space craft. `Will you come and see us?' said Alcyone, about to enter the airlock.
    `Certainly. Here's my phone number,' I said, handing her my phone card. 'I'll drop in some time during the week unless something urgent comes up.'
    `You're going back to work?'
    `I'm afraid so. I have a lot of work to catch up on.' Alcyone smiled almost sadly and went in.
    I fought my way back through the press and TV men and with a feeling of relief got the helicopter into the air.
     

EIGHT
     
    I HAD plenty on my mind. The threat of the Yela occupied me constantly. Betelgeuse and his people were more advanced in technology than we were and they had not found a substantial defense. But since they were nearly always traveling through space, they were physically limited from developments that needed big stable resources. Rigel was in many ways ahead of me in his knowledge and yet he admitted that in my own field I had ideas new to him. Were his people too restricted by their life to break out of the Yela's grip? Could I help because I was not being inhibited by their environment? But how could one counter an attack when one was not sure of the way it would be launched? I had to see Sir John and Betelgeuse.
    The Market Square was below. I landed and walked back to College deep in thought. Once in my room I rang Sir John. His image appeared on the screen.
    `Hello, Sir John. I would like to see you about something important.'
    `Good,' he said. 'I was just about to ring you. World HQ is worried by Betelgeuse's forces out in space.' `Why?'
    `I've no idea, but they're working like mad to get the blueprints put into action,' Sir John said dryly. 'However there is one interesting development.'
    `Oh, what's that?'
    `We've had more strange signals.'
    Did you get a tape?'
    `Yes. Look, let's get a bite to eat while we play it,' Sir John said with a certain amount of enthusiasm.
    `Fine, where?'
    `What about Le Jardin, say in about half an hour,' Sir John said, looking at his watch.
    I nodded and the screen went dead.
    A little later I hailed a hover taxi.
    `Where to, sir?'
    `Le Jardin. The French restaurant on Hills Road,' I said.
    The man pressed a button and the vehicle lifted off the ground. A slight sound came from the fan below me, but once it reached full operating speed, everything went quiet.
    Sir John stood outside the restaurant, with a small portable tape recorder in his hand. I gave my credit card to the taxi man, who punched it and then gave it back to me, while I signed the receipt.
    We turned to go into the