Dr. Motich stood, "Robert, thank you for coming."

Robert accepted the outstretched hand and shook it, "Doctor."

Dani took a seat in a corner as Robert pulled up a chair in front of Dr. Motich's desk. Dr. Motich's office was spartan by modern standards. All he had was a rug, a simwood desk, one terminal, and two chairs. Only the front wall was a holo-wall, unlike so many executives who converted all four walls, the ceiling and the floor to holo-walls.

Robert appreciated the office. It was simple. He always felt comfortable here. More than just about anywhere else, he felt at home in this office.

Dr. Motich rubbed his eyes as he sat down, "We've got a problem, Robert."

Robert frowned, glaring at one of his cigars, "What's that, Doctor?"

"A Senator from Sector 2, Chinese, has learned of EarthCo's experiments in time travel."

Dani stifled an exclamation as she edged her chair forward. Robert frowned, saying, "So what does this mean?"

"Well," Dr. Motich began, "he learned of your name, but thought that it was the call-sign for my temporal project. As of yet, he doesn't know that we managed to pluck you out of your century. But he will find out eventually." He sighed as he swiveled his terminal so that Robert could see it, "This is a list of everyone who knows that you're not what you seem."

Robert studied the list, amazed, "There's over twenty people on that!"

Dr. Motich nodded, "It includes the crew of the ship we used when we tried the experiment. Most of these people have been on shore leave for the past five months."

Dani leaned forward next to Robert, "I never knew that there were so many people who knew."

"We can't be entirely sure that they all know, but they were all exposed to some part of the truth at one time or another." said Dr. Motich. "But that's not our only problem."

Robert looked up, "What's the other one?"

"If I don't forward my research, all of it, to this Senator, he's going to blackmail me by exposing me to the World Council and the entire Senate."

"So," Robert mulled, "what can we do?"

Dr. Motich stood and paced around the front of his desk, "We have a difficult decision to make, Robert. The only way to throw him off of our back will set my research back three years, at least."

Dani reached over and grabbed Robert's hand, gently tapping his palm, "What's the plan?"

"All of my records concerning temporal research, with the exception or your personal file, Robert, are stored in the mainframe near Jupiter, on Io. The computer there is so remote both physically and in the net that it makes detection nearly impossible."

"What I want to do," he said, "is to sabotage that computer, destroying my records. I will have a hard copy of all essential files made, though."

Robert pushed Dani's hand away, already knowing the answer to his next question, "What does that mean to me?"

"It means that all the theoretical work that the AI system is doing now to solve your problem will be lost. When we're able to start back up again, we'll have to input all the data from hard copy and start from scratch."

"Let me get this straight," Robert said, "You destroy they data and thereby guarantee that you shake your nagging Senator, but ensure that I'm stuck here for a minimum of at least three more years?"

Dr. Motich sighed, "That about sums it up."

"I've got another solution," said Robert suddenly.

Dr. Motich raised and eyebrow, leaning against the desk, "What is it?"

Robert took a deep breath and exhaled, "I want to go to New Earth."

Both Dani and Dr. Motich chorused, "What?" Dani blurted afterward, "Robert, you don't even know if we're going to send anyone there yet!"

Dr. Motich shook his head, "No, Dani. We are planning a colony ship." He looked at Robert piercingly, "But how did you know? That was discussed only two hours ago by myself and the senior staff of EarthCo."

"I didn't know," said Robert, "but I suspected. The broadcast was aired all over the world." He grinned at Dani, "If you didn't follow with something spectacular, you'd disappoint your viewing audience."

Dani smiled, catching the reference to their earlier conversation. Robert continued, "It's time I faced the facts, Doctor. I'm not going home. My life has been a complete holding action since I got here."

"But going to New Earth," Dani pleaded, "that's a big decision!"

Robert nodded, "Yes, it is. But my skills will be more useful there." He scowled and held up his banded arm, "Here, I'll always be an idiot."

"I could get that thing off of you, Robert", Benjamin motioned at the band, "You don't need to go to New Earth to be rid of it."

"I know," Robert agreed, "but there's more to it." He stood and lit the cigar he had been holding, "If I stay in the solar system, I'll always be running to catch up, never feeling comfortable with the new technologies."

"What does that have to do with New Earth?" Dani asked.

"Once the colony ship lands on New Earth, the colonists are going to be on their own. All the modern conveniences and technology will be useless. The closest help will be fourteen light years away. It's going to take hard work, not just technology, to get the colony stable."

Robert glanced at Dr. Motich, "Do you know what the technological level will average as compared to present day on the colony planet?"

Benjamin walked around his desk and plugged into the infonet, forgetting social etiquette for the moment. After a brief wait, he unplugged, wiped his eyes, and spoke, awed, "The average tech level will be early twenty-first century, just decades ahead of your native tech-level. How did you know?"

Robert raised a hand, showing his band "Again, I just suspected. I'm not quite the idiot this thing implies I am. I knew that there was no way it could be as advanced as it is here. If I go to New Earth, I'll be back in my element. Hell," he puffed on his cigar, "I may actually be of some genuine value instead of just being a unique specimen."

"By the way," asked Robert, "Why did Springer have to mine for materials for his new radio? Didn't you send spares or something with him?"

"Indeed we did," Benjamin nodded. "Springer sent in a separate transmission that when he landed on the planet, he pierced his eco-suit and scratched himself against a native tree. It was a stupid, unnecessary accident. Apparently, the toxins didn't kill him, but sent him some terrible hallucinations. In a frenzy, he flew back to the ship and destroyed all the electronics with his sidearm before he passed out."

"Is that why he's not heading back?" asked Dani.

"Yes. He not only destroyed his transmitter, but he demolished the AI system and the guidance system as well. He's effectively stranded until you get there. Fortunately, the cryogenic storage unit is self-contained and wasn't affected by his madness."

Robert frowned. "That planet's going to need extensive terraforming, isn't it?"

Benjamin nodded, placing his hands on the desk with an air of finality, "I can arrange for you to be on that ship, if it's really what you want to do."

Robert nodded slowly, "Yes. I think it is." He looked at the Doctor, and then at Dani, wanting them to really know how he felt. "Don't you understand, Doctor, that this is my one chance to have a life I can understand? This is my one chance to be in control of my own destiny again. I need this chance. I'm dying a slow, meaningless death here."