"Whenever you're ready. The rocket dome is on automatic. Take off and it'll open for you." "It's safe to leave?" "If you're the rocket pilot you say you are. It's an ordinary landing. The scouts the general left us are in fair condition." "Don't worry about me. I meant, will the expedition interfere?" "Last time we checked the ship was nosing around the outer planets." "Good stupid old Judd. It's nice that we can depend on him to proceed with the utmost of military caution--and arrive at his goal too late." It was not quite fair to the general, who was shrewd enough when it came to things he had been trained to deal with. From the military standpoint he had to check every possibility before going on to the next. He was the official representative of the entire solar system and he did not dare act as hastily as the accidentals could. His responsibilities held him back. But there were other times in which unimaginative obedience to higher authority would carry the day. "Be careful," warned Docchi. "Don't let anyone go out until the air and soil and water have been tested and retested and approved." "The doctor thinks we can handle any virus, bacteria, parasite, or anything else you can name that shows up. It's not the first strange world man has landed on." "This is not the solar system," said Docchi. "You may have to restrain Cameron if he's overly anxious to show Nona what the new world is like." "For that reason you----" Webber stopped, glancing away from Docchi's face. "It's too bad you can't go. You ought to have some first to your name." "Don't concern yourself. I'll get there one of these days. Somebody's got to be up here at this end." "And I'll make certain nothing goes wrong down there." Webber shifted uncomfortably but the mood didn't last. "I'll be back in a week for the next load. Once we get settled things will speed up." "We'll be waiting," called Jordan as Webber left. There was tension before the rocket lifted and sluiced through the dome locks. It didn't abate as the swatch of light flared across the darkness and faded against the bright illumination of the planetary disc. It was only when they were able to observe the successful landing on the selected site and the radio response came in. "All clear. A bit shaken up on the way down but no damage except to my ego. I think I got all the rusty rocketry out of my system. We're waiting while tests come in. We'll let you know before we go out." "Now I can breathe," said Anti. "A place of our own. Just let the general come and try to take us off." "Why not? He has weapons, which we don't. There's nothing to stop him from landing down there and capturing them. I won't feel safe until we have a real settlement going and can defend it. And then I'm not sure." "Now, Jeriann," admonished Anti.