Nansen and Dayan fly from Envoy toward Fleetwing in the space boat, Herald II. Piloting, Nansen must guide the boat around his target. He cannot enter an orbit because even a large ship's gravity is negligible.
Dayan probes Fleetwing's interior with:
radar
other detectors
subtler experimental instruments based on her new knowledge of quantum physics
She can tell that the fusion reactor is operating and powering functional systems but she cannot detect the nature of the trouble.
Nansen makes the boat fast to a smooth area of the hull, using a quantum manipulator inspired by the quantum intelligences. Magnetics would have been too slow.
Poul Anderson demonstrates practical applications of the discoveries made near the black hole. Multiple plot elements converge. There will be a cosmic conclusion.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
'Herald II' is an understandable, but perhaps a bit too obvious name to reuse.
Ad astra! Sean
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