This morning she played in the water, getting her exercise without fighting gravity. Svetz sat on the launch platform, watching. He felt restless. They were wasting time, and there was no need. How did a Hangtree grow? Could it survive to the present? Would it move on to some other star? What would kill it and what was its life span? The only things left to learn would all be learned using the Fast Forward device. With the FFD they would watch it all happen, wait for present time, and ultimately report it all to the Institute— Thaxir! A breaking wave had caught her and was washing her toward shore! A Martian might well find an ocean terrifying, and indeed she seemed paralyzed, borne headfirst toward the beach on her belly plates. Svetz considered rescue. The tide was in. He could reach shore with a flight stick and risk being seen; or let the waves wash him in … but then he’d be stuck onshore for hours … though it might be the only way to help Thaxir. Waves rolled her up the sand.
