Carlin could not deny the crystalline logic. He had known from the first that this must be the issue, and he was too tired to care.

"You are sentenced to two years imprisonment in Rigel Prison and also to the loss of your spacemen's licenses or Cosmic Engineer's certificate, whichever you hold. Such sentence is obligatory in this case." He added quickly, "It is, however, within our discretion to suspend the prison term and to limit cancellation of your certificates to one year from date. Such is the sentence of this court."

Loesser drew a gusty breath of relief. "For a minute, I thought it was Rigel for us sure enough!"

The chief judge had risen. "Speaking personally," he added quietly, "we would like to congratulate you men upon a great achievement."

Ross Floring came to their side.

"A year's suspension isn't long," he said, and Carlin nodded wearily.

When, with Harb Land's giant figure leading them, they emerged from the building into the sunlight, a roar that deafened them came from the waiting crowd outside. The people of Earth, at least, had no need to temper their gratitude.

Harb was grimly silent as he pushed through the crowd toward Marn and old Gramp Land. Carlin found himself buffeted by eager hands, assailed by joyful faces and voices, as he followed.

A grizzled, excited man clapped his shoulder. "We Earthmen showed 'em we could still conquer space, didn't we?"

We Earthmen? Somehow, for the first time in all these days, Carlin's dulled mind felt a stir of pride as though at an accolade.

He didn't like to meet Marn's pale face. But she spoke steadily.

"It's all right, Laird, about Jonny. Women of Earth for two thousand years have seen their men go out into space—and not all come back."

Floring had followed them. "I want you to see something," he said.

He led the way toward the towering Monument of the Space-Pioneers. Carlin looked at the roll of names. Then his eyes suddenly blurred as he saw that, for the first time in several centuries, a new name had been added to the bottom of that great roll.

JON LAND

Marn's eyes were shining. And her giant brother looked long, 

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