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SON OF THE SUN she removed her hand from my eyes. “You can better endure the sight with that capsule,’ she said. ‘Also, your conscious and subconscious will receive and record it “a 1 wrod a > in more detail, and with deeper appreciation.’ “Even so, Orfeo, I could not suppress a sigh at the sight. Before my eyes was the earth in all its daylight glory, and I could discern the Eastern Hemisphere. It was surrounded by the stars beyond like jewels around the head of a majestic being. Its atmosphere made an auroral halo of rainbow colors around it. Our ship was going away from it at such velocity the earth seemed to fall back, diminishing in size, and the colors gradually were merging into the yellow band. “The stars remained as if fixed, and they seemed to be absorbing our earth into their own environs. The earth light dazzled a bit, flared, and then flashed. We had reached a point where some of the earth’s reflective mass had resolved the sunlight to a focus, like a reflecting telescope. Then, it became just a huge star, brighter than all the others, larger, and falling back rapidly. “Suddenly, from the right side, another large orb came in view. Our field was so broad now we were seeing the moon, also. Like the earth, it, too, seemed to recede rapidly. “I reached out and took Vega’s hand and held it in my own. I could hardly speak, so overwhelming was my emotion. But I managed a few words. “Vega, I can see why they sent you to bring me to them. Never could I have been equal to it, either alone or with someone I could not love, as I do you. This experience demands a sharing, a spiritual merging, and the utmost of moral courage. Oh, Vega, how can I thank you? How can I thank you?’ “Her hand squeezed mine a little in sympathy and under- standing, but her eyes were still gazing at the receding earth and moon with an expression such as a great artist would give to a goddess he was painting. “The hull was now becoming translucent, now more opaque, 54 of complete exuberance. She saw my face move into a smile, and 1 ty oo4oate