The Meteorite

The Star Fox, Part Three, V.

I have read to the end of this chapter but still do not get it. It was Fox II that had grappled and towed the meteorite. This meteorite had to be:

large;

but not too large to be deflected quickly;

already near Europe Neuve;

but not dangerously near;

still in a natural-seeming orbit after deflection;

deflected into an orbit that would terminate in an ocean at night.

This explains the roles of Fox II and of Meroeth, the captured Aleriona ship that follows the meteorite down to the planet, but not the role of the tender that had taken men to the moon, Diane. I had expected an explanation before the end of this chapter but it seems that no explanation is forthcoming.

We look forward to reading Poul Anderson's account of Heim's interactions with the New Europeans, particularly one called Madelon, now married with four children.