The Link

the concert before his ship was swallowed by the brilliantlanding lights.A bell chimed softly in his ear. Ravdin forced his attention back to thelanding operation. He was still numb and shaken from the Warp-passage,his mind still muddled by the abrupt and incredible change. Momentsbefore, the sky had been a vast, starry blanket of black velvet; then,abruptly, he had been hovering over the city, sliding down toward warmfriendly lights and music. He checked the proper switches, and felt thethrobbing purr of the anti-grav motors as the ship slid in toward thelanding slot. Tall spires of other ships rose to meet him, circle uponcircle of silver needles pointing skyward. A little later they wereblotted out as the ship was grappled into the berth from which it hadrisen days before.With a sigh, Ravdin eased himself out of the seat, his heart poundingwith excitement. Perhaps, he thought, he was too excited, too eager tobe home, for his mind was still reeling from the fearful discovery ofhis journey.The station was completely empty as Ravdin walked down the ramp to theshuttles. At the desk he checked in with the shiny punch-card robot, andwalked swiftly across the polished floor. The wall panels pulsed asomber blue-green, broken sharply by brilliant flashes and overtones ofscarlet, reflecting with subtle accuracy the tumult in his own mind. Nota sound was in the air, not a whisper nor sign of human habitation.Vaguely, uneasiness grew in his mind as he entered the shuttle station.Suddenly, the music caught him, a long, low chord of indescribablebeauty, rising and falling in the wind, a distant whisper of life....