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not falling apart. It's coming together."

Cadillac kept his head down, 'Oh, yeah?" he sniffed.

'Yeah! What the eff-eff are you complaining about?

Mr Snow's taught you all he knows. Add in everything you picked up

from me and the other guys here and what you've learned from these

hairless wonders, hell - you're like a two-legged version of COLUMBUS!'

'Except I may not be walking around on two legs much longer."

'Don't even think about it!" cried Steve. 'You gotta stay on top of

this thing! Okay. Maybe the Japs are planning to take over this

operation, but that won't be until after you've shown 'em you can put

these birds in the air and keep 'em there."

'Yeah, but. supposing we fail?"

Boy! thought Steve. When this guy hits a downer he goes straight to

the bottom of the shaft...

He didn't know that alcoholic elation could flip over into manic

depression between one swallow and the next. 'It's not going to

fail!

We're going to do the best job we can and we're going to put this place

on the map because when this project finally takes off, so do we."

Cadillac slowly raised his head and fixed his eyes on Steve. 'Oh,

yeah? Just how do we do that?"

Bad move, thought Steve. Bad move! 'Leave all that to me,' he said

hastily. 'You've got enough to worry about." He moved the bottle out

of reach. 'And go easy on this stuff. Otherwise you'll end up with a

headful of boiled rice instead of brains."

'What about Clearwater?"

'Don't worry. When, and if, the time comes, she'll be right with

you."

'Okay, but promise me one thing."

'What's that?"

'That you won't make any moves - do anything foolish - without clearing

it with me. I want to know what's happening - before it happens."

'Sure."

'And if it turns out I got it wrong and Min-Orota decides he is not

going to re-staff the Heron Pool with his own people, then we forget

the whole thing. If you want to take Clearwater back - fine. But I'm

staying. Is that understood?"

'Absolutely."

'Okay. But..." Cadillac jabbed his forefinger at Steve while he

searched for the words. He was fading fast. ' . . . if I, uhh - if I

find you're trying to shaft me -' 'Christopher Columbus!" hissed

Steve. 'What kind of person do you think I am? You saved my life!

How many times do I have to tell you? What happened with Clearwater

wasn't my fault ' 'I don't care. about that!" 'Well I do! And I'm

trying to make it up to you! There may be times when you have cause to

doubt me, but I'm ourfriend! I told Mr Snow I'd come and find you, but

if you want to stay, well - that's tough on him but its okay by me.

Clearwater and I will just fade away quietly. You won't even know

we've gone." Steve thrust his right hand across the table and radiated

sincerity. 'You have my word on that. Is it a deal?"

Cadillac eyed the offered hand. 'Maybe. I'll sleep on it."

Steve picked up the bottle of sake he'd removed and set it down in

front of the Mute. 'Be my guest..."

Cadillac's reading of the situation turned out to be correct.

Permission to take Steve up in the newly modified glider was granted,

and after stage-managing a few hesitant approaches and hair-raising

landings, he went solo with twenty hours of instruction.

On the ground, Steve was still obliged to act out his public role as a

menial subordinate. His newfound ability to fly brought a few

belligerent comments about 'uppity Mutes', but Cadillac smoothed the

ruffled feelings of the Tracker linemen by stressing the risky nature