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Kerk tested the barrel with a wet thumb； then let the gun slide back into its holster。 'We are law…abiding citizens of a different system who
have mitted no criminal acts。 The savages of Cassylia are too barbarous for civilized pany。 Therefore we are going to Darkban… here are our tickets…in whose sovereign territory 1 believe we are at this moment〃 This last was added for the benefit of the Cassylian officer who had just stumbled to the top of the gangway and was raising his gun。
The soldier couldn't be blamed。 He saw these badly wanted criminals getting away。 Aboard a Darkban ship as well。 Anger got the best of him and he brought his gun up。
〃e out of there； you scum！ You're not escaping that easily。 e out slow with your hands up or I'll blast you。。。〃
It was a frozen moment of time that stretched and stretched without breaking。 The pistol covered Kerk and Jason。 Neither of them attempted to reach for their own guns。
The gun twitched a bit as the ship~s officer moved； then steadied back on the two men。 The Darkhan spaceman hadn't gone far； just a pace across the lock。 This was enough to bring him next to a red box set flush with the wall。 With a single； swift gesture； he flipped up the cover and poised his thumb over the button inside。 When he smiled； his 11ps peeled back to show all of his teeth。 He had made up his mind； and it was the arrogance of the Cassylian officer that had been the deciding factor。
〃Fire a single shot into Darkhan territory and I press this button；〃 he shouted。 〃And you know what this button does…every one of your ships has them as well。 mit a hostile act against this ship and someone will press a button。 Every control rod will be blown out of the ship~s pile at that instant and half your filthy city will go up in the explosion。〃 His smile was chiseled on his face and there was no doubt he would do what he said。 〃Go ahead； fire。 I think I would enjoy pressing this。〃
The takeoff siren was hooting now； the close lock light blinking an angry message from the bridge。 Like four actors in a grim drama； they faced each other an instant more。
Then the Cassylian officer； growling with unvoicable； frustrated anger； turned and leaped back to the steps。
〃All passengers board ship。 Forty…five seconds to takeoff。 Clear the port。〃。 The ship's officer slammed shut the cover of the box and locked it as he talked。 There was barely time to make the acceleration couches before the Pride of Darkkan cleared ground。
5
Once the ship was in orbit； the captain sent for Jason and Kerk。 Kerk took the floor and was pletely frank about the previous night's activities。 The only fact of importance he left out was Jason's background as a professional gambler。 He drew a beautiful picture of two lucky strangers whom the evil forces of Cassylia wanted to deprive of their gambling profits。 All this fitted perfectly the captain's preconceptions of Cassylia。 In the end； he congratulated his officer on the correctness of his actions and began the preparation of a long report to his government He gave the two men his best wishes as well as the liberty of the ship。
It was a short trip。 Jason barely had time to catch up on his sleep before they grounded on Darkhan。 Being without luggage； they were the first ones through customs。 They left the shed just in time to see another ship landing in a distant pit。 Kerk stopped to watch it and Jason followed his gaze。 It was a grey； scarred ship。 With the stubby lines of a freighter…but sporting as many large guns as a cruiser。
〃Yours； of course；〃 Jason said。
Kerk nodded and started toward the ship。 One of the locks opened as they came up but no one appeared。 Instead a remote…release folding ladder rattled down to the ground。 Kerk swarmed up it and Jason followed glumly。 Somehow； he felt； this was overdoing the no…frills…andnonsense attitude。
Jason was catching on to Pyrran ways； though。 The reception aboard ship for the ambassador was just what he expected。 Nothing。 Kerk closed the lock himself and they found couches as the takeoff horn sounded。 The main jets roared and acceleration smashed down on Jason。
It didn't stop。 Instead it grew stronger； squeezing the air out of his lungs and the sight from his eyes。 He screamed but couldn't hear his own voice through the roaring in his ears。 Mercifully he blacked out。
When consciousness returned the ship was at zero…G。 Jason kept his
eyes closed and let the pain seep out of his body。 Kerk spoke suddenly； he was standing next to the couch。
〃My fault； Meta； I should have told you we had a one…C passenger aboard。 You might have eased up a bit on your usual bone…breaking takeoff。〃
〃It doesn't seem to have harmed him much…but what's he doing here？〃
Jason felt mild surprise that the second voice was a girl's。 But he wasn't interested enough to go to the trouble of opening his sore eyes。
〃Going to Pyrrus。 I tried to talk him out of it； of course； but I couldn't change his mind。 It's a shame； too； I would like to have done more for him。 He's the one who got the money for us。〃
〃Oh； that's awful；〃 the girl said。 Jason wondered why it was awful。 It didn't make sense to his groggy mind。 〃It would have been much better if he stayed on Darkhan；〃 the girl continued。 〃He's very nice looking。 I think it's a shame he has to die。〃
That was too much for Jason。 He pried one eye open； then the other。 The voice belonged to a girl of about twenty…one who was standing next to the bed； gazing down at Jason。 She was beautiful。
Jason's eyes opened wider as he realized she was very beautiful… with the kind of beauty he had never found on the planets in the center of the galaxy。 The women he had known all ran to pale skin； hollow shoulders； grey faces covered with tints and dyes。 They were the product of centuries of breeding weaknesses back into the race； as the advance of medicine kept alive more and more non…survival types。
This girl was the direct opposite in every way。 She was the product of survival on Pyrrus。 The heavy gravity that produced bulging muscles in men； brought out firm strength in strap…like female muscles。 She had the taut figure of a goddess； tanned skin and perfectly formed face。 Her hair； which was cut short； circled her head with a golden crown。 The only unfeminine thing about her was the gun she wore in a bulky forearm holster。 When she saw Jason's eyes open she smiled at him。 Her teeth were as even and as white as he had expected。
〃I'm Meta； pilot of this ship。 And you must be…〃
〃Jason dinAlt。 That was a lousy takeoff； Meta。〃
〃I'm really very sorry；〃 she laughed。 〃But being born on a two…C planet makes you a little immune to acceleration。 I save fuel too； with the synergy curve…〃
Kerk gave a nonmittal grunt。 〃e along； Meta； we'll take a look at the cargo。 Some of the new stuff will plug the gaps in the perimeter。〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 she said； almost clapping her hands with happiness。 〃I read the specs； they're simpiy wonderful。〃
Like a schoolgirl with a new dress。 Or a box of cqndy。 That's a great attitlAde to have toward bombs and flamethrowers。 Jason smiled wryly at the thought as he groaned off the couch。 The two Pyrrans had gone and he pulled himself painfully through the door after them。
It took him a long time to find his way to the hold。 The ship was big and apparently empty of crew。 Jason finally found a man sleeping in one of the brightly lit cabins。 He recognized him as the driver who had turned the car over to them on Cassylia。 The man； who had been sleeping soundly a moment before； opened his eyes as soon as Jason drifted into the room。 He was wide awake。
〃How do I get to the cargo hold？〃 Jason asked。
The other told him； closed his eyes and went instantly back to sleep before Jason could even say thanks。
In the hold； Kerk and Meta had opened some of the crates and were chortling with joy over their lethal contents。 Meta； a pressure cannister in her arms； turned to Jason as he came through the door。
〃Just look at this；〃 she said。 〃This powder in here…why you can eat it like dirt； with less harm。 Yet it is instantly deadly to all forms of vegetable life。 。 。 。〃 She stopped suddenly as she realized Jason didn't share her extreme pleasure。 〃I'm sorry。 Only I forgot for a moment there that you weren't a Pyrran。 So you don't really understand； do you？〃
Before he could answer； the PA speaker called her name。
〃Jump time；〃 she said。 〃e with me to the bridge while I do the equations。 We can talk there。 I know so little about any place except Pyrrus that I have a million questions to ask。〃
Jason followed her to the bridge where she relieved the duty officer and began taking readings for the jump setting。 She looked out of place among the machines； a sturdy but supple figure in a simple； onepiece shipsuit。 Yet there was no denying the efficiency with which she went about her job。
〃Meta； aren't you a little young to be the pilot of an interstellar ship？〃
〃Am I？〃 She thought for a second。 〃I really don't know how old pilots are supposed to be。 I have been piloting for about three years now and I'm almost twenty。 Is that younger than usual？〃
Jason opened his mouth…then laughed。 〃I suppose that all depends on what planet you'r