It is a strange thing, every time I see M'Clare I am startled all over again at how good-looking he is; seems I forget it between times which is maybe why I never fell for him as most female students do. However what strikes me this time is that he looks tired, three-days-sleepless tired with worries on top. I guess he is real, at that. He says, "Don't look so accusing, Lizzie, I only just got on this ship myself." This does not make sense; you cannot just arrive on a ship twenty-four hours after it goes on Mass-Time; or can you? M'Clare leans back and closes his eyes and inquires whether I am one of the Morse enthusiasts? So that is the name; I say when we get back I will learn it first thing. "Well," says he, "I did my best to arrange privacy for all of you; with so many ingenious idiots on board I'm not really surprised that they managed to circumvent me. I had to cheat and check that you really were on the list; and I knew that whoever backed out you'd still be on board." So I should hope he might: Horrors there is my first answer screwed up on the floor and Writing side top-most. However he has not noticed it, he goes on "Anyway you of all people won't be thought to have dropped out because you were afraid." I have just managed to hook my heel over the note and get it out of sight, M'Clare has paused for an answer and I have to dredge my Sub-threshold memories for-- WHAT? * * * * * M'Clare opens his eyes and says like I am enacting Last Straw, "Have some sense, Lizzie." Then in a different tone, "Ram says he gave you the letter half an hour ago." What letter? My brain suddenly registers a small pale patch been occupying a corner of my retina for the last half hour; it turns out to be a letter postmarked Excenus 23. I disembowel it with one jerk. It is from my Dad and runs like this: My dear Liz, Thank you for your last letter, glad you are keeping fit and so am I. I just got a letter from your College saying you will get a degree conferred on you on September 12th and parents if on Earth will be welcome. Well Liz this I got to see and Charlie says the same, but the letter says too Terran Authority will not give a permit to visit Earth just for this, so I wangled on to a Delegation which is coming to discuss trade with the Department of Commerce. Charlie and I will be arriving on Earth on August 24th. Liz it is good to think I shall be seeing you again after four years. There are some things about your future I meant to write to Professor M'Clare about, but now I shall be able to talk it over direct. Please give him my regards. Be seeing you Lizzie girl, your affectionate Dad J. X. Lee. Dear old Dad, after all these years farming with a weather-maker on a drydust planet I want to see his face the first time he sees real rain.