The Law of Falling

“It cannot be gainsaid that although the ships constructed on this system were ideal in atmosphereless spaces, and moved there almost with the speed of the rays ‘Etzikolnianakhnian’ issuing from planets, yet when nearing
some sun or planet it became real torture for the beings directing them, as a great deal of complicated maneuvering was necessary.

“The need for this maneuvering was due to the same ‘Law of Falling.’

“And this was because when the ship came into the medium of the atmosphere of some sun or planet which it had to pass, it immediately began to fall towards that sun or planet, and as I have already intimated, very much care and considerable knowledge were needed to prevent the ship from falling out of its course.

“While the ships were passing near any sun or planet whatsoever, their speed of locomotion had sometimes to be reduced hundreds of times below their usual rate.

“It was particularly difficult to steer them in those spheres where there was a great aggregation of ‘comets.’

“That is why great demands were then made upon the beings who had to direct these ships, and they were prepared for these duties by beings of very high Reason.

“But in spite of the said drawbacks of the system of Saint Venoma, it gradually, as I have already said, displaced all the previous systems.

“And the ships of this system of Saint Venoma had already existed for twenty-three years when it was first rumored that the Angel Hariton had invented a new type of ship for intersystem and interplanetary communication.”

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