The Colours of Space

As young Bart Steele stood looking over the Lhari spaceport, he heard a gong sound, touching off an explosion of warning bells. He looked up. A starship was arriving.

Bart ran down the ramp, thinking: I wonder if Dad will know me after five years. He searched through the crowd, looking in vain for his father's tall figure. Suddenly he spotted a fat little man coming toward him with his arms outstretched.

"Hello, son," the man said loudly, grasping Bart's arms. "Well, boy, you've sure grown. But you're not too grown-up to give your old Dad a hug, are you "

Bart started to pull away and stammer that the man had made a mistake, but the man pulled him roughly into his arms.

"Bart, listen to me," the stranger whispered. "Call me Dad, good and loud, if you want to live. Because, believe me, your life is in danger - right now!"