Jones looked out the window at the fading glow of the Great Light and nodded slowly. "It would require a great deal, of course." He said nothing for a long minute, still staring at the silver glow of the sky. After a while he said, "What does Sindi think of this marriage?"
Kiv frowned. "What does she think of it? Why, I don't know. I simply haven't asked her. Why? Does it matter?"
Turning from the window, Jones smiled. "No. Not in the least. Believe me when I say that this is probably the best decision you could have made."
"Then you do approve of my choice for Sindi's husband?"
Jones nodded. "I do. Most emphatically. I can't think of a better choice you could have made."
Kiv bowed his head. "May your forefathers bless you, Jones. May they bless you."
"Thank you, Kiv. And now, if you please, I would like to study. An old man must do many things in a short time," the Earthman said.
"You're actually retiring, then?" Kiv asked. "You weren't joking?"
"It's not something I'd joke about, Kiv. I feel that I've been called."
"We'll miss you," Kiv said. "And I think I'll miss you more than anyone else."
"Thank you," the Earthman said again. "And now—"
"Of course."
Kiv bowed politely and left Jones' study.
When he returned to the courtyard, the crowd had already deserted it. Only Yorgen peBor stood there, leaning slouchingly against one of the trees, looking as though he couldn't care less that he was in the courtyard of the great Bel-rogas School. Kiv walked over to him.
"Yorgen peBor, where is Sindi?"
"I believe she has gone to her room, Grandfather," the young man said with an air of bored politeness.
He was wrong. That was the excuse Sindi had given him, but she had headed, instead, for the biochem lab, very much pleased to rid herself of the company of Yorgen peBor Yorgen if only for a few minutes.
And she would be able to see Rahn again.
Rahn peDorvis Brajjyd was a tall, hard-muscled young man whose fine down of body hair was just a shade darker than Sindi's. He was sitting at one of the lab benches, deeply absorbed in a frayed textbook, when Sindi slid the door open and entered.
"I thought I'd find you here," she said softly. "Didn't you see the ceremony at all?"
He grinned at her. "No. Not having a father who's a local dignitary, I didn't feel compelled to attend the affair. I stayed here."
Sindi half frowned. "That's not fair, Rahn. Besides, I wouldn't have gone either if Smith hadn't caught me in the stables. He made me go."
"Too bad," Rahn said, still grinning. "But I hope you won't get into any trouble because of it."
"I won't. Smith's all right."
She was silent for a moment, thinking out what she had to say next. "Rahn," she said finally, "do you know Yorgen peBor Yorgen?"
Rahn rubbed a hand over the soft down on his cheek. "I know of him, but I don't know him personally. Why?"
"What do you mean, you know of him?"
Rahn's shoulders lifted in a slight shrug. "He has money to burn. He's known to keep company with a girl named Lia gePrannt Yorgen, but don't go repeating that around. He's got the reputation of being a fast lad with a set of pyramid-dice and is known to take a drink or two occasionally. He has a sort of group of loyal followers from the—ah—poorer classes. They like his money. He's not too bright." Suddenly Rahn stopped and scowled at her. "Why all the interest in him? He's not coming to Bel-rogas, is he?"
Sindi shook her head. "No. I just wondered what he was like, that's all. He was at the Commemoration Day ceremony, and I was introduced to him."
She didn't feel like mentioning that it had been her father who had introduced her; Rahn would know at once what that meant, and she didn't want him to know—yet.
Again Rahn shrugged. "For all I know, he's a nice enough sort of fellow—just a little wild, that's all. I must say I envy him his money, though."
The girl put her hand on his. "Rahn, you're not going to bring that up again, are you?"
Shaking his head, Rahn put his free hand over hers, holding it tight. "Sindi, when will you get it through your head that I don't blame you or your father for what happened to my family's money?"
"But your father—"
"My father does, sure, but it was his own fault. If he hadn't been so stubborn, he'd have been all right. But he said that his father and his father's father and his grandfather's father had been Edris manufacturers, and his fathers before them for hundreds of years, and by the Great Light he was going to go on manufacturing Edris powder. He just couldn't understand what had happened when your father found a better way to use it, practically wiping out the hugl so there wasn't any need for tons and tons of the stuff any more. My father got hung by his own product. But just because Father can't accept change, just because he had to blame someone else for his own short-sightedness—that doesn't mean I feel that way."
"I know," Sindi said, squeezing his hand. "But I—"
There was a sound at the door, and she jerked her hand away from his. She turned around just as Kiv entered the lab.
"Hello, Father," she said sweetly, hoping she was managing successfully to cover up her alarm.
"I wondered where you were, Sindi.'' Kiv looked at Rahn and smiled politely. "How do you do, young man."
"I ask your blessing, Grandfather,'' Rahn said, bowing his head.
Kiv gave the blessing, and Sindi said: "Father, this is Rahn peDorvis Brajjyd, my lab mate."
"I am pleased to know you, my son." Kiv's smile hadn't faded a fraction. "PeDorvis? Isn't your father Dorvis peDel?"
"Yes, Grandfather." Rahn's voice was a little stiff.
"I think I met him, years ago. Take my blessing to your father when you see him next."
"I will, Grandfather," said Rahn politely. But Sindi knew he would never do it. The blessing of Kiv peGanz Brajjyd was something that Dorvis peDel would hardly care to accept.
"You must excuse us, Rahn peDorvis," Kiv said. "My daughter and I have some things we must discuss." He made a ritual gesture. "The peace of your Ancestors be with you always."
"And may the Great Light illumine your mind as He does the world, Grandfather," Rahn returned in proper fashion.
He stood silently as father and daughter left the room.
Outside, Sindi said nothing. She walked quietly next to Kiv, wondering what he was thinking. They had covered half the long paved roadway before Kiv broke his silence.
"He seems like a pleasant young man. At least he knows the greeting rituals and uses them. So many of the younger people today tend to forget their manners.''
And that was all he had to say.
III
On the day of Jones' retirement, the students were asked to gather in the square. Word went round the rooms that a very special ceremony was to be held, and as the students filed into the square curiosity was evident on their faces.
Sindi and Rahn came straight from the laboratory, and got there late. They stood well to the rear of the clustered students, their backs pressed against the smooth granite wall of the Administration Building.
Unlike the recent Commemoration Day events, this was. to be no public demonstration. Only the students and faculty of the School were present.
The rumors of Jones' retirement had been spreading for some time, and it became apparent that this was indeed to take place when the Head Grandfather of the School, fat old Gils peKlin Hebylla, made a short, dignified speech about how the Earthmen were emissaries of the Great Light Himself, and how the Great Light found it necessary to call them back when their work was done. The kindly old man was neither pompous nor maudlin about it; it was easy to see that he meant every word. Sindi fancied she could feel an undercurrent of personal emotion in his words, as though he were contemplating the fact that he, too, was approaching the Light.