They wanted her to go with them and help trade for
cattle. Mom didn't want to; she was afraid. They had to do a lot of
play-acting, with half a dozen Marines pretending to guard her with
fixed bayonets from some of Dave Questell's Navy construction men
who had red bandannas on their heads to simulate combs before she
got the idea. Then she was afraid to get into the contragravity
lorry that was to carry the hoes and the wagon wheels. Sonny managed
to reassure her, and insisted on going along, and he insisted on
taking his ax with him. That meant doubling the guard, to make sure
Sonny didn't lose his self-control when he saw his former
persecutors within chopping distance.
It went off much better than either Paul Meillard or Luis Gofredo
expected. After the first shock of being air-borne had worn off,
Mom found that she liked contragravity-riding; Sonny was wildly
delighted with it from the start. The natives showed neither of them
any hostility. Mom's lavender bathrobe and Sonny's green coveralls
and big ax seemed to be symbols of a new and exalted status; even
the Lord Mayor was extremely polite to them.
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