The cautious and roundabout journey to Atsileigh took a hundred and twenty hours. There were a couple of times when some observer thought he or she had detected a pursuit ship. The pilot then put Long March into a fast zigzag or a sudden yaw, throwing everyone around a bit before a false alarm was declared. Otherwise, the voyage was almost boring and routine.
At last, near the end of the fifth day, Nakai announced they were going into orbit above Atsileigh. Everyone who could rushed to the nearest viewport to look for the first time on their future home. The planet was not large, had one dim moon, and, by the light of its star, showed two small oceans and rocky continents of a dull sandy-beige color.
“Don’t look like much,” many said. In a way, it was a disappointment. Most of the rebels
