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felt, but the exuberance of a new experience. Romance, love. What were these things, then? She had promised Adam he would be introduced to them in their fullness. Even as his eyes were still occluded by Vega’s hand and the ship roared to slower velocity, he could think only of his next great adventure. One name sought to fill his entire consciousness, the name of Launie. The wearer of the name would be touchable flesh-and-blood, he felt sure. But then, suppose it was to be merely an apparition in the mist? Would he be brought to the fountain to drink, and the drink be turned to mere vapor on his lips? No, no; space visitors would not play such earth-like pranks. With that realization he became patience itself, knowing his greatest fulfillment was immutably waiting for him. “Launie,” he thought unconsciously hoping there would be no more to experience beyond her. Forever with her would be enough. Though Launie was to give substance to the purpose of his existence he felt he had longed for her from time immemorial, this she whom he knew not, one thing was certain: Vega had become just another human being in his mind, and he knew he could live with or without her. It was Launie, he felt, who was his other half from the day he was born and would be until the day he should die, though she was a daughter of Alpha Centauri, and he was a son of the sun. Vega’s role had been that of escort. The ship came to a complete halt, paused a silent moment, then continued slowly forward. Vega removed her hands from his eyes, and before him appeared a new world. An ethereal horizon closed down sharply not far ahead. “This is our home, Adam. We have entered on one side of it, and the horizon you see ahead is ten miles away. Yes, it is one large ship containing a self-composed world ten miles in diameter and housing five hundred thousand people. It is shaped like two saucers facing each other; or like the solar system. It resembles a galaxy, Adam, so how about giving it a name at once?” 75 VENUS, OUR SISTER aman of earth. Thus it had not really been love either of them had