LITMIR.BIZ

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get it in here?” Retief asked.

      “It was hauled here from the landing point, some nine miles distant,” Fith said, his voice thinner than ever. “This is a natural crevasse. The vessel was lowered into it and roofed over.”

      “How did you shield it so the detectors didn’t pick it up?”

      “All here is high-grade iron ore,” Fith said, waving a member. “Great veins of almost pure metal.”

      Retief grunted. “Let’s go inside.”

      Shluh came forward with a hand-lamp. The party entered the ship.

      Retief clambered up a narrow companionway, glanced around the interior of the control compartment. Dust was thick on the deck, the stanchions where acceleration couches had been mounted, the empty instrument panels, the litter of sheared bolts, scraps of wire and paper. A thin frosting of rust dulled the exposed metal where cutting torches had sliced away heavy shielding. There was a faint odor of stale bedding.

      “The cargo compartment—” Shluh began.

      “I’ve seen enough,” Retief said.

      Silently, the Groacians led the way back out through the tunnel and into the late afternoon sunshine. As they climbed the slope to the steam car, Fith came to Retief’s side.

      “Indeed, I hope that this will be the end of this unfortunate affair,” he said. “Now that all has been fully and honestly shown—”

      “You can skip all that,” Retief said. “You’re nine years late. The crew was still alive when the task force called, I imagine. You killed them—or let them die—rather than take the chance of admitting what you’d done.”

      “We were at fault,” Fith said abjectly. “Now we wish only friendship.”

      “The Terrific was a heavy cruiser, about twenty thousand tons.” Retief looked grimly at the slender Foreign Office official. “Where is she, Fith? I won’t settle for a hundred-ton lifeboat.”

      * * * *

      Fith erected his eye stalks so violently that one eye-shield fell off.

      “I know nothing of…of….” He stopped. His throat vibrated rapidly as he struggled for calm.

      “My government can entertain no further accusations, Mr. Consul,” he said at last. “I have been completely candid with you, I have overlooked your probing into matters not properly within your sphere of responsibility. My patience is at an end.”

      “Where is that ship?” Retief rapped out. “You never learn, do you? You’re still convinced you can hide the whole thing and forget it. I’m telling you you can’t.”

      “We return to the city now,” Fith said. “I can do no more.”

      “You can and you will, Fith,” Retief said. “I intend to get to the truth of this matter.”

      Fith spoke to Shluh in rapid Groacian. The police chief gestured to his four armed constables. They moved to ring Retief in.

      Retief eyed Fith. “Don’t try it,” he said. “You’ll just get yourself in deeper.”

      Fith clacked his mandibles angrily, eye stalks canted aggressively toward the Terrestrial.

      “Out of deference to your diplomatic status, Terrestrial, I shall ignore your insulting remarks,” Fith said in his reedy voice. “Let us now return to the city.”

      Retief looked at the four policemen. “I see your point,” he said.

      Fith followed him into the car, sat rigidly at the far end of the seat.

      “I advise you to remain very close to your consulate,” Fith said. “I advise you to dismiss these fancies from your mind, and to enjoy the cultural aspects of life at Groac. Especially, I should not venture out of the city, or appear overly curious about matters of concern only to the Groacian government.”

      In the front seat, Shluh looked straight ahead. The loosely-sprung vehicle bobbed and swayed along the narrow highway. Retief listened to the rhythmic puffing of the motor and said nothing.

      III

      “Miss Meuhl,” Retief said, “I want you to listen carefully to what I’m going to tell you. I have to move rapidly now, to catch the Groaci off guard.”

      “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Miss Meuhl snapped, her eyes sharp behind the heavy lenses.

      “If you’ll listen, you may find out,” Retief said. “I have no time to waste, Miss Meuhl. They won’t be expecting an immediate move—I hope—and that may give me the latitude I need.”

      “You’re still determined to make an issue of that incident!” Miss Meuhl snorted. “I really can hardly blame the Groaci. They are not a sophisticated race; they had never before met aliens.”

      “You’re ready to forgive a great deal, Miss Meuhl. But it’s not what happened nine years ago I’m concerned with. It’s what’s happening now. I’ve told you that it was only a lifeboat the Groaci have hidden out. Don’t you understand the implication? That vessel couldn’t have come far. The cruiser itself must be somewhere near by. I want to know where!”

      “The Groaci don’t know. They’re a very cultured, gentle people. You can do irreparable harm to the reputation of Terrestrials if you insist—”

      “That’s my decision,” Retief said. “I have a job to do and we’re wasting time.” He crossed the room to his desk, opened a drawer and took out a slim-barreled needler.

      “This office is being watched. Not very efficiently, if I know the Groaci. I think I can get past them all right.”

      “Where are you going with…that?” Miss Meuhl stared at the needler. “What in the world—”

      “The Groaci won’t waste any time destroying every piece of paper in their files relating to this thing. I have to get what I need before it’s too late. If I wait for an official Inquiry Commission, they’ll find nothing but blank smiles.”

      “You’re out of your mind!” Miss Meuhl stood up, quivering with indignation. “You’re like a…a….”

      “You and I are in a tight spot, Miss Meuhl. The logical next move for the Groaci is to dispose of both of us. We’re the only ones who know what happened. Fith almost did the job this afternoon, but I bluffed him out—for the moment.”

      Miss Meuhl emitted a shrill laugh. “Your fantasies are getting the better of you,” she gasped. “In danger, indeed! Disposing of me! I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous.”

      “Stay in this office. Close and safe-lock the door. You’ve got food and water in the dispenser. I suggest you stock up, before they shut the supply down. Don’t let anyone in, on any pretext whatever. I’ll keep in touch with you via hand-phone.”

      “What are you planning to do?”

      “If I don’t make it back here, transmit the sealed record of this afternoon’s conversation, along with the information I’ve given you. Beam it through on a mayday priority. Then tell the Groaci what you’ve done and sit tight. I think you’ll be all right. It won’t be easy to blast in here and anyway, they won’t make things worse by killing you. A force can be here in a week.”

      “I’ll do nothing of the sort! The Groaci are very fond of me! You…Johnny-come-lately! Roughneck! Setting out to destroy—”

      “Blame it on me if it will make you feel any better,” Retief said, “but don’t be fool enough to trust them.” He pulled on a cape, opened the door.

      “I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” he said. Miss Meuhl stared after him silently as he closed the door.

      * * * *

      It was an hour before dawn when Retief keyed

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