"The medicos told me later that it was a crazy sort of feeling that everyone gets his first time out, but I didn't believe them. I didn't believe it was quite the same with anyone else. When I got out to Mars finally, and during my one tour on Pluto, it seemed to get worse instead of decreasing as they told me it would. When I got out I took a job in my profession, and I've been satisfied, but I've never been able to get rid of the feeling there's something I'm missing, something I ought to be doing. It's connected with everything out there." He lifted a broad hand and gestured to the horizon beyond the windows. "Perhaps your career should have been in the Service," suggested Ashby. "No. That was good enough while it lasted, but they didn't have anything I wanted permanently. When I heard about the proposed colonization on Serrengia that seemed to be it." "Your application indicates you are not married." "That's right," said Jorden. "I have no ties to hold me back." "You understand, of course, that as a colonist you will be expected to marry, either before leaving or soon after arrival. Colonial life is family life." "I hadn't thought much about that, but it can't be too bad, I suppose. I presume my choice would be quite severely limited to a fellow colonist?" "Correct." "There is a story about my third or fourth grandfather who was given a girl to marry the night before he sailed from his homeland to settle in a new country. They had seventeen children and were said to be extraordinarily happy. My family still owns the homestead they cleared. I was born there." "It can be done, but it doesn't conform closely with our currently accepted social mores," said Ashby hopefully. "I'm sure that won't stand in my way. If there's a woman who's willing to take a chance, I certainly will be." "There's one more thing we have to know," said Ashby. "What are you running away from? Who or what are your enemies?" Jorden laughed uncertainly. "I'm sorry, but I'm not running away from anything. As far as I know I have no enemies." "_All_ colonists are running from something," said Ashby. "Otherwise they would stay where they are." Jorden regarded him a moment in silence, then smiled slowly. "I think you are going to have occasion to revise that thesis," he said. "A great deal of history would also have to be revised if we did," said Ashby. "At any rate, let's go down to the test pits. I'll show you what's in store for you there, and you can further decide if you insist on going through with it." * * * * * The laboratories of the Institute of Social Science were spread over a forty acre area, consisting mostly of the test pits where experimental examination of proposed colonists was being conducted. Ashby led his visitor to the ground floor where they took a pair of the electric cycles used for transportation along the vast corridors of the laboratory.