Well, Forrester thought, it had its compensations. In the three days that the Detective Inspector had been on Earth, Forrester had had time to think and to find out some things. Gerda, for instance, was getting married to Alvin Sherdlap. Forrester wondered what kind of love would let a woman choose a name like Gerda Sherdlap, and decided it was better not to think about it.
What did he have to go back to? History cla.s.ses? Students? Even students like Maya Wilson?
Well, he was sure he could do better than that. He looked at Diana and became even surer.
"The remaining eleven Overseers," Bor Mellistos was saying, "will be along shortly. You will then be able to draw fully on the machine. You need merely follow world events and make sure that any--ah--regrettably _final_ decisions are not made. Your actions will, of course, be very much undercover."
Forrester nodded. "This ma.s.s arrest of the G.o.ds is going to cause an upheaval all by itself."
"Quite true, sir. But that will be worked out. I"m afraid I don"t really know the details, but doubtless the other eleven who are coming will inform you more thoroughly on that score."
Forrester sighed. "About the G.o.ds--what kind of punishment will they receive?"
"Well, sir," Bor Mellistos said, "it varies. Vulcan, for instance--the person who called himself Vulcan, or Hephaestus--will probably get off with a lighter sentence than the others. He was a mechanic, brought along under some duress to service the machine. But the sentences will be severe, you may be sure. Very severe."
Forrester didn"t feel like asking any more questions about that. There was a pause. He looked at Diana again, and she looked back at him.
"Do you accept?" Bor Mellistos said.
Forrester and the others nodded.
Bor Mellistos said: "Very well. In that case, I will inform the other eleven Overseers already picked that they will be met by you here, on Mount Olympus, and that--"
But Forrester wasn"t listening.
He had begun whistling, very softly.
The song he was whistling was Tenting Tonight.