“Indeed,” Elaine said, “we delayed the flight of the Mighty Hauler 2 in case you had any final questions about its patent issues.”

“Caution is always wise.”  Tzoltzin nodded.  “However, my final inspection, last visit, is legally binding, so your ship is free to fly.   If the weather improves before then, I would be pleased to watch it ascend.  It is so rare that I see anything new and different in starship design, not that your ship is, with only beta drives, a true starship.”

“Beta drives are faster-than-light,” Elaine said, “an action my recent ancestors thought was impossible, so on paper the Mighty Hauler 2 could travel to another nearby star. Eventually.  I would strongly discourage trying it; it’s not designed to spend a year in space without ground maintenance.  However, its sole mission it to fly from here to Proserpine, a distance of 100 light hours, load with iron-nickel, and fly back.”

“My intruments claim that your drive, “ Tzoltzin pointed, “is a match of the root design.  Now we test it under power – levitation to a few foot-lengths off the ground is adequate.”

“Elaine pointed at the technicians and gave a thumb’s-up.  “Bring the drive to test height,” she called.  There followed  a quarter-hour of one component after the next being powered up, until the entire assembly was filled with pale white light, following which the drive obediently climbed and hovered.

“The root drive is very definitely not what you would want on a warship that might scramble in an emergency,” Elaine said.

“Scramble – mix?  No scramble, run fast.”  Tzoltzin nodded. “No, you would not want that, not unless you are not bothered that the occasional takeoff includes an unscheduled disassembleation event. I would find this undesireable, also, though some species would disagree with us.  Now we get to wait again.”

“I hope that you may advise Legate Bronkowski that we’re doing nothing improper,” Elaine observed.

“The Legate…Oh, you must not have heard,” Tzoltzin said.  “The Legate has been recalled to Mogado.  According to one of your newspapers, he had certain secret objectives for the betterment of the Republic, did not attain them, so he is being sent someplace more suited to his doubtless redoubtable talents.”