DESPERATE MEASURES
Measured in and time that walk in the across the of the was a one, by the of his own heart, Dane it much too long. There was no of life by the air lock of the bubble—no move on the part of the men there to come to their assistance.
"D'you we're invisible?" Ali's voice in the earphones.
"Maybe we'll wish we were," Dane not that return.
Rip was almost to the air lock door now. His arm was toward the when the com-unit in all three the same demand:
"Identify!" The order had to them that an answer was the best policy.
"Shannon—A-A of the Polestar," Rip gave the information. "We E rights—"
But would they them? Dane wondered. There was a loud in his ears. The metal door was to Rip's hand. At least those on the had taken off the lock. Dane to join his leader.
Together the three from the Queen through the lock door, saw that and seal them, as they waiting for the moment they the and enter the dome. The against them not be too high, this was a small Stat. It would not house more than four at the most. And they were familiar with the of such to know just what move to make. Ali was to go to the room where he take over if they did meet with trouble. Dane and Rip would have to any in the main section. But they still that luck might their and they put over a which would keep them out of active with the Eysies.
The on the registered safety and they the of the suits. Standing the against the as the door to the lock rolled back, they walked into Eysie territory.
As Free Traders they had the of being tunicked—with no Company to their ship or status. So that well be the "Polestar" them—and not the "Solar Queen." But each, as he passed through the lock, gave a to his which the of his sleep closer to hand. Innocuous as that was, in close its effects, if only temporary, was to some purpose. And since they were prepared for trouble, they might have a over the Eysies in attack.
A Company man, his and open in a fashion at his thick throat, waiting for them. His was grizzled, his coarse, with to he had not to use smooth-cream for some days. An under officer of some spacer, retired to out the years pension in this nominal duty—fast the of personal he had had to maintain on ship board. But he wasn't all and soft living, the with which he them was appraising.
"What's your trouble?" he without greeting. "You didn't I-dent in."
"Coms are out," Rip as shortly. "We need E-Hydro—"
"First time I it that the were in with the grass," the Eysies's hands were on his hips—in close to something which Dane's narrow. The was a flare-blaster! That might be for an E-Stat agent on a asteroid—but he didn't it. And the other was quick on the too.
"The are something else," Rip answered readily. "Our is on them. But the hydro's all though. We'll have to and restock. Give you a on Terra for the stuff."
The Eysie agent to the into the station. "This is private—I-S property. You should the Patrol post—they to you F-Ts."
"We the nearest E-Stat when we that we were contaminated," Rip spoke with an of patience. "That's the law, and you know it. You have to supply us and take a voucher—"
"How do I know that your is the it's recorded on?" asked the agent reasonably.
"All right," Rip shrugged. "If we have to do it the hard way, we'll to your bill."
"Not on this field." The other his head. "I'll in your first."
He had them, Dane bitterly. Their luck had out. Because what he was going to do was a move they not protest. It was one any agent would make in the present situation. And if they were what they said they were, they must agree to let him their of payment to I-S headquarters, to be and they took the stock.
But Rip registered a mild resignation. "You the Com-tech? Where's your unit? I'll at once if you want it that way."
Whether their to co-operate some of the agent's or not, he some, them one more all around he on his heel. "This way."
They him the narrow hall, Rip on his heels, the others behind.
"Lonely post," Rip commented. "I'd think you boys'd space-whirly out here."
The other snorted. "We're not star lovers. And the pay's a three month stretch. They take us for Terra we start talking to the Whisperers."
"How many of you here at a time?" Rip the question in casually.
But the other might have been it by the way he a direct answer. "Enough to the place—and not to help you clean out your wagon," he was about it. "Any you do is on your own. You've hands on a that size to manage—"
Rip laughed. "Far be it from me to ask an Eysie to do any work," was his counter. "We know all about you Company men—"
But the agent did not take fire at that jib. Instead he pushed a and they were looking into com-unit room where another man in the of the I-S on what was by law twenty-four hour duty, into three watches.
"These F-Ts want to a through," their the tech. The other, interested, gave them a once-over he pushed a small toward Rip.
"It's all yours—clear ether," he reported.
Ali with his to the and Dane still in the portal. Both of them their attention on Rip's left hand. If he gave the upon signal! Their were in their belts only an or so from their sleep rods.
With his right hand Rip up the while the Com-tech to make to the controls, up a to call the I-S headquarters.
Rip's left across his thumb to a circle. Ali's did not his belt, it up and the from it upon the seated tech. At the same Dane at the agent who had them there. The had time for a and his hand was at his as he to his and then on the floor. The Tech across the call as if sleep had overtaken him at his post.
Rip the room and off the which opened the wire for broadcasting. While Ali, with Dane's help, and the Eysies with their own belts.
"There should be at least three men here," Rip waited by the door. "We have to them all under we start work."
However, the of the bubble, as it did on the of the asteroid, was not an easy place to search. An enemy, of the invasion, easily keep ahead of the party from the Queen, on them at his or preparing for them. In the end, of time, they themselves with locking the doors of the leading to the levels, making to the they had their search.
Emergency mainly of which be in and put to use—as the plants now in the Queen took much longer to under methods. Dane to the E-Stat and the necessary at the air lock while the other two, having had more experience, to the to the and prepare to contents.
But, when Rip and Ali left, the Cargo-apprentice to the a place. He took the sealed out of their racks, them on a small hand truck, and pushed them to the of the stairs, up which he then two of the at a time.
The of the air through the narrow a of sound, but he himself for something else, for a other than his own, for the of against a wall—for a of voice. And time and time again he paused to listen—sure that the hint of such a had his ears. He had a dozen up when the welcome him by the com-unit of his helmet. To transfer the to the lock, out, and then open the door, did not take long. But as he waited he still for a which did not come—the notice, that someone himself was free to move about the Stat.
Not just how many of the supply were needed, he on transferring all there were in the to the upper and the lock. But he still had a dozen left to pass through when Rip sent a message that he was in.
Out of his pressure suit, the Astrogator-apprentice into the corridor, looked at the of and his head.
"We don't need all those. No, them—" he added as Dane, with a sigh, started to up two for a return trip. "There's something more just now—" He into the which to the room.
Both the I-S men had awakened. The Com-tech appeared to accept his philosophically. He was and on his back, at the ceiling. But the other agent had a worm's progress across the room and Rip had to in to prevent on him.
Shannon and, his in the other's tunic, him while the man them with some of the speech—and NOT Trade Lingo—Dane had heard. Rip waited until the man to and then he in with his soft drawl.
"Oh, sure, we're all that. But time on, Eysie, and I'd like a of which may something to you. First—when do you your relief?"
That set the agent off again. And his remarks—edited—were that no something, something F-T was going to any something, something out of him!
But it was his in misfortune—the Com-tech—who the Rip's question.
"Cut jets!" he the other. "They're just being soft-hearted. I take it," he spoke over the other agent's to Rip, "that you're about us down—That's it, isn't it?"
Rip nodded. "In of what you think about us," he replied, "We're not Patrol Posted outlaws—"
"No, you're just from a ship," the Com-tech calmly. And his his dumb. "Solar Queen?"
"You got the warn-off then?"
"Who didn't? You have on board?" The did not appear to the Com-tech unduly. But his his some away from the Free Traders and his mixed emotions—most of them fearful.
"We have something—probably supplied," Rip straightened. "Might pass along to your that we know that. Now you tell me about your relief. When is it due?"
"Not until after we take off on the long if you us like this. On the other hand," the other added coolly, "I don't see how you can do otherwise. We've still got those—" with his he pointed to the com-unit.
"After a alterations," Rip amended. The of the was in a sealed case which they would need a to open. But he and did with the portions. The this at least two his had not used. But when Rip he was his self again.
"Now," Rip his sleep rod. "A little and when you wake it will all be a dream." He each man into and helped Dane off their bonds. But he left the room he on the the for the they had taken. The Queen was not stealing—under the law she still had some of rights.
Suited they the to the ship. And there about the fins, already into was a of plants—the rich result of years of collecting.
"Did you anything?" Dane asked as they that on their way to the ladder.
Rip's voice came through the com. "Nothing we know how to interpret. I wish Frank or Craig had had a to check. We took tri-dees of we dumped. Maybe they can learn something from these when—"
His voice off that "when" to ring in their minds. It was such an "when." When would either the or the Medic to view those tri-dee shots? Or was that "when" an "if?"
Back in the Queen, sealed once more for blast-off, they took their stations. Dane as to the Rip had set—were they just going to about the to notice until they had somehow solved their problem? Or did Shannon have some port in mind? He did not have time to ask they lifted. But once they were space again he his question.
Rip's was serious. "Frankly—" he and then for a long moment he added, "I don't know. If we can only the Captain or Craig on their again—"
"One thing," Ali to join them, "Sinbad's in the hydro. And this you couldn't him the door. It's not a very good piece of evidence—"
No, it wasn't but they to it as for their of the past hours. The cat that had such a marked for the company of the stricken, and then for the hydro, was now to visit the as if some he has there had been with the of the garden. They had not yet solved their but another had come into their hands.
But now the of the hours and Rip that a watch be by the com—listening in for news which might the Queen. They had done a good job at the E-Stat, for they had been almost six hours in space the news of their was to the nearest Patrol post.
Ali laughed. "Told you we'd be pirates," he said when he to that account of their upon the I-S station. "Though I didn't see all that work they're now about. You'd think we a major there!"
Weeks growled. "The Eysies are trying to make it look good. Make us into outlaws—"
But Rip did not in the at the wild of the report from the ether. "I notice they didn't say anything about the we left."
Ali's curled. "Did you them to? The Eysies think they have us by the now—why should they give us any of the doubt? We all our us on this take-off, and don't that, my friends."
Weeks looked confused. "But I you said we do this legal," he to Rip. "If we're Patrol Posted as outlaws—"
"They can't do any more to us than they can for in a ship," Ali pointed out. "Either will us if we into the now. So—what do we do?"
"We out what the is," Dane said and meant every word of it.
"How?" Ali inquired. "Through some of Craig's magic?"
Dane was to answer with the truth. "I don't know yet—but it's our only chance."
Rip his wearily. "Don't think I'm disagreeing—but just where do we start? We've already Frank's and Kosti's—we out the hydro—"
"Those tri-dee of the hydro—have you them yet?" Dane countered.
Without a word Ali and left the cabin. He came with a roll. Fitting it into the large he it on the and the button.
They were looking at the hydro—down the length of space so recorded that it they might walk into it. The of the plants was so and alive Dane that he out and a leaf. Inch by he those ranks, looking for something which was not in order, had no right to be there.
The long of the as it had been into a series of groupings. In they it intently, using all their in an attempt to spot what each one was must be there somewhere. But they were all by their of knowledge of the garden.
"Wait!" Weeks' voice up. "Left hand corner—there!" His pointing hand and the he was calling to their attention. Ali jumped to the and a quick adjustment.
Plants four and five times life size green on the wall. What Weeks had they all saw now—ragged leaves, stems.
"Chewed!" Dane the answer.
It was only one of plant which had been so mangled. Other in the same bank no of disturbance. But all of that one type had at least one branch and two were skeletons.
"A pest!" said Rip.
"But Sinbad," Dane a the memory of the cat's of the past stopped him. Sinbad had up, the who had the Queen free of the outré life which came from time to time with cargo, had not that which had the plants. Or if he had done so, he had not, after his custom, presented the of the to any member.
"It looks as if we have something at last," Ali and someone that with a of relief.
