"Gypsy."
Thorkild Gustav asks why anyone would want to return to space. He states his case emphatically. He has his feet on the ground, his own ground, his own home which is growing. He is building, planting, seeing it become real. It will be there for his children and theirs. There is air, wind, rain, sunlight, sea, woods, mountains:
"'Cosmos! Who wants more?'" (p. 266)
("Cosmos" again.)
He contrasts this with homeless, hopeless life "...in a sterile metal tank..." (ibid.)
Slow down, Gustav. The spaceship will be the Nomad's home with interior space enough for a park. Their voyages will be hopeful. He states good reasons why some should stay on Harbor but not necessarily everyone.
Those who depart say goodbye, knowing that they will never again see or hear from those who remain behind:
"It was like dying." (p. 270)
That implies that their voyage will be outward forever. However, by the time of the Peregrine, Nomad ships move around, trading and exploring, within a large but finite volume of space. On this basis, regular or occasional return visits to Harbor would be possible.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Exactly, some people will simply be too restless to be content settling down for life in one place if other alternatives are possible. I absolutely expect, once the technology needed for doing so is available, many to leave Earth to become explorers, discoverers, even nomads, if practical.
Yes, I would expect even the "Traveler" to occasionally return to Harbor, esp. if, at first, that was the human colonized planet its crew knew of.
Ad astra! Sean
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