"Shall I go aboard?" He nodded again, and waved his hand toward the ladder. I went aboard lithely, and he followed. The girl and I glanced at each other; I was surprised and rather disturbed by her beauty and cleanness of body. I turned to the man, a little embarrassed, as she manipulated some controls and set the ship in motion again. "You'll have to forgive me," I said. "Something has happened, and I don't know things. I've completely lost my memory." They understood at once. "Your name is Baret." He pronounced it oddly. "I am Edvar, and this girl is Selda." We all looked at each other intently, and I went on hesitantly. "I don't know where I am. Can you tell me something about myself?" Edvar shook his head. "Only this," he said, "that we were notified of your presence and your name. This city is Richmond." I glanced about quickly. "Richmond!" I exclaimed. "Virginia?" But he shook his head. "I don't understand you," he replied. I went on, with a puzzled frown. "It has changed...." Both of them looked at me curiously. "How has it changed, Baret?" the girl, Selda, asked me. I glanced at her absently and closed my eyes. "Why ... I don't know," I stammered, "I don't remember." For a few moments there was silence, except for the shouting of the wind past our ship. Then Selda asked me another question. "Where are you from?" I shook my head helplessly, and answered again, "I don't know--I don't remember." * * * * * A moment later we dipped into the shadow of the building, which they called Richmond. We slipped by a succession of vast and intricate facades until we came to a court-like terrace, hundreds of feet above the ground and sheltered on three sides by walls that leaped up toward the sky for hundreds of feet more. The effect of height was dizzying and magnificent. Selda brought the ship to a quick and graceful landing. I found that we were in a large paved court like a public square, facing the east and the sun, which bathed it in cool bright light. It was still early in the morning. Innumerable windows looked down upon us, and a number of doorways led into the building on all sides. From one of these a girl stepped forward. Edvar spoke to her, evidently reporting himself and Selda. The girl pushed several buttons on a small cabinet which hung from her shoulder. It rang, low and silvery, twice. Then she pointed to me. "Who is that?" she asked. "His name is Baret," Edvar told her. "I was sent to meet him." "But where is he from? He is not registered." "We don't know. It's an unusual circumstance," he explained, while the girl examined us all carefully. "Very well," she said finally, "you must attend him until he is registered. I'll notify Odom." Edvar nodded, and we turned away.