On the fourth day of orbit the circling hawk decided to come down. Anna stood outside the dome, watching the lander's star fall, then grow larger and rise, then seem to sit motionless in the sky. It was describing a graceful curve, getting brighter every second. The last few instants of its flight it seemed to burn, plunging toward the concrete, leaving a trail of cloud and glowing air. It touched down gently as a feather.
She sealed the air lock and walked under the peristyle roof into the light of dome day. Her hand reached down to the signaling sensors and flipped off the alarm. In the house Kawashita sat on a cushion, looking out the open doors at the rock garden. "They're down," she said. "How do you feel?"
"Better," he answered. "I'm sorry—"
"You've already apologized twice. That's enough. And nothing to apologize for, unless you say it to your foot, or your ankle, or the lump on your skull."
"You are angry."
"I am. Not at you—not just at you, anyway. At everything. The Peloros won't be back for a week. Until then, we're stuck. No way out, and them outside."
"You worry about the Waunters?"
"I don't know. They didn't answer our transmissions, didn't even send notice to our orbit sensors."
"Perhaps their ship isn't equipped to send."
"Listeners? Don't be silly."
"So we wait."
"I'm sick of waiting. Waiting for you to finally crack up, feeling my back tingle every time I wonder if they've landed or not . . . sick of not knowing why I'm so anxious."
"I have abused you," Kawashita said. "Expected too much from you."
"Shit," Anna said. "I'm a rock as far as that goes, but I have the right to be irritated, don't I? I don't like seeing your goddamned quest tear you apart. Save me from saints and revolutionaries!"
Kawashita stood and flexed his legs in the shaft of light coming through the doors. "I am calm now. It won't happen again. I didn't know I could be dangerous."
Nestor held her hand to her mouth and bit lightly at her knuckles. "I'm glad to hear it's over," she said. "You'd start me biting my nails again."
"I don't think it's over, but I won't be violent again. I think I see why I call the Perfidisians kami. They can't be like you and me, not like the Aighors, the Crocerians. They're something else, in another category."
"I won't dispute that. If anyone has a right to a theory, you do. But how are you going to face yourself? I mean, that's what you've been after, isn't it?"
"I can face myself without knowing all the answers. I'm not the one to know—but the Perfidisians, they know for me."
Anna sat down and held both hands in her lap. "Are you done here?"
Kawashita smiled. "Poor restless Anna. Anxious to get on with things."
"Well?"
"Yes. We can go wherever we want. They aren't here anymore."
She took a deep breath. "We both took risks," she said. "I'm surprised we made it this far."
The radio chimed and they went into the equipment shed to answer it. "This unit has a message from Alae and Oomalo Waunter," the device said. "They request permission to visit and talk."
"It's domestic," Kawashita said, grinning at her. "They've come to visit."
"They're not the casual type. But I suppose we're obliged to talk to them. I'll answer," she told the unit. "Nestor here. What can we do for you?"
"Greetings, madam. This is Oomalo Waunter. We've come to discuss transferring deed to our share of the planet's profits. When can we meet with you?"
"Whenever you wish, Mr. Waunter. We have no set schedules here."
"Then my wife and I will be at the dome entrance in an hour. We have to store our probe first—forgot it in the rush last time."
"We await." She switched the radio off and shook her head. "Who the hell would buy a ten-percent share of eventual profits for this place?"
"A fool, or a far-sighted speculator. We're inviting them inside?"
"We'll talk for an hour—that should be enough—then show them out. They're not my favorite people."