She off the ComWeb and up. Rak and his group were with the Plasmoid Project a more than she was. They'd been here, to their own of the Project area, when she came in from Manon with the Commissioner. Until the present security were relaxed—which might not be for another two years—they would on the project.
Trigger a little sorry for them, though the Junior Scientists didn't to mind the setup. Dedication out all over them. Since about were women, one assume that at any they weren't to a existence.
A of were a dozen big around the Plasmoid Exhibition Hall, which wouldn't be open to students or visitors p. 26for another hours. Trigger across the of the area toward a of that hadn't been there the last time she'd come through. Life-sized of two O.G. Plasmoids—Numbers 1432 and 1433—she discovered. She the waxy-looking, lumpish, with some distaste. She'd been all over the Old Galactic Station itself, and might have close to the of these models to touch them. Not that she would have.
She at her watch, walked around a model of Harvest Moon, the O.G. station, which the center of the Hall, and on among the exhibits. There were views taken on Manon Planet in one alcove, mainly of Manon's and of the called Harvesters which had moved about the belt, its clouds of matter. A whale-sized of a Harvester one end of the Hall, a dark-green in appearance, though with some arrangements.
"Miss Farn...."
She turned. A League cop, at the entrance of a thirty away, her the old and it up with a bow. Excellent manners these boys had!
Trigger gave him a smile.
"Coming," she said.
Junior Scientist Rak and his committee—two other men and a woman—were waiting in the room for p. 27her. They all up when she came in. This room marked the border of their territory; they would have League by out into the through which Trigger had entered.
And that would have been unthinkable.
Rak did the talking, as on the previous occasions when Trigger had met with this group. The sat there and him. As as Trigger it, they were present at these sessions only to check Rak if it looked as if he were about to some indiscretion.
"We were wondering, Miss Farn," Rak said questioningly, "whether you have the authority to additional University League for the Plasmoid Project?"
Trigger her head. "I've got no authority of any that I know of, as as the League is concerned. No Professor Mantelish it for you."
Rak nodded. "Is it possible for you to Professor Mantelish?"
"No," Trigger said. She smiled. "Is it possible for you to him?"
Rak around his as if looking for approval, then said, "No, it isn't. As a of fact, Miss Farn, we've been here in the most fashion for the past weeks."
"So have I," said Miss Farn.
Rak looked startled. "Oh!" he said. "We were you would be to give us a little information."
"I would," Trigger him, "if I had any to give. I don't, unfortunately." She considered. "Why do you additional League are required?"
"We heard," Rak cautiously, "that there were in the Colonial School area yesterday."
"Grabbers," Trigger said. "They wouldn't you. Your of the project is to be anyway."
Rak at his again and some of consent. "Miss Farn, as you know, our group has been with the of two League here. Are you aware that six of the which were to the Hub have been to unknown raiders?"
She was startled. "No, I didn't know that. I there'd been some to plasmoids."
"These six attempts," Rak said primly, "were successful. One must assume that the also had been as raidproof."
Trigger it was a assumption.
"There is another matter," Rak on. "When we here, we Doctor Gess Fayle was to Plasmoid Unit 112-113 to this project. It possible that Doctor Fayle's failure to appear that League Headquarters p. 29does not the project a safe place for 112-113."
"Why don't you ask Headquarters?" Trigger suggested.
They nervously.
"That would be a of the Principle of the Chain of Command, Miss Farn!" Rak explained.
"Oh," she said. The Juniors were overdisciplined, all right. "Is that 112-113 such a particularly item?"
"If Doctor Fayle is in personal of it," Rak said carefully, "I would say yes."
Recalling her with Doctor Gess Fayle in the Manon System, Trigger agreed. He was one of the U-League's big shots, a political scientist who had got himself as Mantelish's when that was sent to Manon to take over League operations there. Trigger had Fayle on sight, and hadn't her mind on closer acquaintance.
"I that 112-113 unit now," she said suddenly. "Big, thing—well, that a of them, doesn't it?"
Rak and the others looked affronted. In a moment, Trigger realized, one of them was going to go into a lecture on unless she them off—and she'd already about in with the plasmoids.
"Now, 113," she on, "is a very small p. 30plasmoid"—she her hands fifteen or so apart—"like that; and it's to the big one. Correct?"
Rak nodded, a little stiffly. "Essentially correct, Miss Farn."
"Well," Trigger said, "I can't you for a bit. How about your Guard Captain? Isn't it all right to ask him about reinforcements?"
Rak his lips. "Yes. And I did. This morning. Before I called you."
"What did he say?"
Rak unhappily. "He implied, Miss Farn, that his present any emergency. How would he know?"
"That's his job," Trigger pointed out gently. The Juniors did look worried. "He didn't have any helpful ideas?"
"None," said Rak. "He said that if someone wanted to put up the money to a of Special Federation Police, he always some use for them. But that's hopeless, of course."
Trigger up. She out and Rak's with a tip. "You know something?" she said. "It's not!"
The four up together.
"The is," Trigger on, "that I'm the Project budget until someone up to take over. So I think I'll just you that Federation squad, Rak! I'll on it right away." She up. The Juniors out of their chairs. "You go tell your Captain," she them from the door, p. 31"there'll be a up in time for dinner tonight."
The Federation Police Office in Ceyce Trigger that a Class A Battle Squad—twenty men with full equipment—would report for two months' at the Colonial School the afternoon. She them out a check and gave it the Ruya Farn telewriter. The on that check was going to some U-League auditor's to off the top of his one of these days; but if the League on to the problems of its Plasmoid Project, a little financial was the least it in return.
Trigger for a while.
Then she had a call from Precol's Maccadon office. She was to by while a personal was to her ComWeb.
It looked like her day! She softly, waiting. She just one to be able to personal conversations; and that was Commissioner Tate. Fast work, Plemp, she approvingly.
But it was Brule Inger's that into view on the ComWeb. Trigger's jumped. Her in her throat.
"Brule!" she then. She up out of her chair. "Where are you calling from?"
Brule's around the edges. He gave her the smile. The good old smile. "Unfortunately, p. 32darling, I'm still in the Manon System." He blinked. "What to your hair?"
"Manon!" said Trigger. She started to settle back, weak with disappointment. Then she up again. "Brule! Lunatic! You're a month's salary a minute on this! I love you! Switch off, fast!"
Brule his and laughed. "You haven't much in two months, anyway! Don't worry. It's for free. I'm calling from the of a friend."
"Some friend!" Trigger said, startled.
"It isn't her anything either. She had to to the Hub today anyway. Asked me if I'd like to take over the last minutes of and see if I you.... Been missing me properly, Trigger?"
Trigger smiled. "Very properly. Well, that was of her! Someone I know?"
"Hardly," said Brule. "Nelauk a week or so after you left. Nelauk Pluly. Her father's the Pluly Lines. Let's talk about you. What's the silver-haired idea?"
"Got talked into it," she told him. "It's all the again right now." He her critically. "I like you as a redhead."
"So do I." Oops, Trigger thought. Security, girl! "So I'll tonight," she on quickly. "Golly, Brule. It's to see that old again!"
"Be a when it won't have to be over a transmitter."
"Right you are!"
"When are you back?"
She her glumly. "Don't know."
He was a moment. "I've had to take a of now and then," he remarked, "about you and old Tate together."
Trigger herself coloring. "So don't take it," she said shortly. "Just them one!"
The returned. "Wouldn't be to a lady, would it?"
She back. "So away from the ladies!" Somehow Brule and Holati Tate had up a warm for each other. It had a little trouble before.
"Okay to tell me where you are?" he asked.
"Afraid not, Brule."
"Precol Home Office knows," he pointed out.
"Apparently," Trigger admitted.
They looked at each other a moment; then Brule grinned. "Well, keep your little secret!" he said. "All I want to know is when you're back."
"Very soon, I hope, Brule," Trigger said unhappily. Then there was a of from the ComWeb—gusts of laughing, voices; a wash of music. Brule aside.
"Party going on," he explained. "And here comes Nelauk! She wanted to say hello to you."
A dozen him, a into view on the screen and came forward. A girl with high-piled and that very nearly matched the hair's tint. She was in something a dozen p. 34blossoms—blossoms which, in Trigger's opinion, had been scattered. But it was a very party costume. She was young, not yet twenty.
Brule a hand on a shoulder. "Meet Trigger, Nelauk!"
Nelauk it was an honor, one she had long looked to. The at Trigger.
Trigger gave her a great big smile. "Thanks so much for for the call. I've been how Brule was doing."
Wrong thing to say, probably, she thought. She was right. Nelauk for it with no effort.
"Oh, he's doing wonderfully!" she Trigger without expression. "I'm an on him. And this small favor—it was the very least I do for Brule. For you, too, of course, Trigger dear."
Trigger the firmly.
"Thanks so much, again!" she said.
Nelauk nodded, and off the screen. Brule Trigger a kiss. "They'll be now. See you very, very soon, Trigger, I hope."
His image she answer.
She her office, softly. She over to the ComWeb once, out toward it and her hand again.
Better think this over.
It might not be an emergency. Brule didn't women. He let them him now and then. Long she left Manon, Trigger had p. 35discovered without much surprise, that the wives, and girl friends of visiting Hub were as to the Inger as any Precol clerks. The main was that they were a more direct about it.
It hadn't her. In fact, she Brule's reports of of Hub ladies very entertaining. But she had put in a little about something else. Brule's to be more to the of with which he was in almost contact. Many of the he around among as Precol's were palaces, and it appeared Brule Inger was soon as a welcome guest on most of them.
Brule talked about that a little too much.
Trigger her pacing.
Little Nelauk mightn't be twenty yet, but she'd out a challenge just now with all the of a campaigner. Which, Trigger cattily, little Nelauk was.
And a girl, she added cattily, father the Pluly Lines did have some for confidence....
"Miaow!" she herself. Nelauk, to be about it, was also a dish.
But if she to be about Brule, the dish Brule might be by was said Pluly Lines.
Trigger over to the window and looked p. 36down at the below.
"If he's that much of a meathead!" she thought.
He be that much of a meathead. He was also Brule. She to her and sat down. She looked at the ComWeb. A girl had a right to her own interests.
And there was the possibility now that Holati Tate might call in at any moment, give her an reasonable, satisfactory, valid, for that had lately—and then her why it would be necessary for her to here a while longer.
If it was a choice Holati Tate and that Brule—
Trigger on the ComWeb.
