Starman Jones

Sam looked at him sourly. "I thought I told you not to look me up?"

"Never mind! Sam, I'm worried about you. This 'restricted' angle ... it means you won't have a chance to--"

"_Shut up!_" It was a whisper but Max shut up. "Now look here," Sam went on, "Forget it. I got my stake and that's the important point."

"But ..."

"Do you think they can seal this ship tight enough to keep me in when I decide to leave? Now stay away from me. You're teacher's pet and I want to keep it that way. I don't want you lectured about bad companions, meaning me."

"But I want to help, Sam. I ..."

"Will you kindly get up above 'C' deck where you belong?"

He did not see Sam again that leg; presently he stopped worrying about it. Hendrix required him to compute the planetary approach--child's play compared with a transition--then placed Max at the co

"Secure."

Max spoke into the ship's a

Of the four days they were there he spent the first three nominally supervising, and actually learning from, Kovak in the routine ninety-day inspection and overhaul of control room instruments. Ellie was vexed with him, as she had had different plans. But on the last day he hit dirt with her, chaperoned by Mr. and Mrs. Mendoza.

It was a wonderful holiday. Compared with Terra, Halcyon is a bleak place and Bonaparte is not much of a city. Nevertheless Halcyon is an earth-type planet with breathable air, and the party from the _Asgard_ had not set foot outdoors since Earthport, months of time and unthinkable light-years behind. The season was postaphelion, midsummer, Nu Pegasi burned warm and bright in blue sky. Mr. Mendoza hired a carriage and they drove out into green, rolling countryside behind four snuffling little Halcyon ponies. There they visited a native pueblo, a great beehive structure of mud, conoid on conoid, and bought souvenirs--two of which turned out to have "Made in Japan" stamped inconspicuously on them.

Their driver, Herr Eisenberg, interpreted for them. The native who sold the souvenirs kept swiveling his eyes, one after another, at Mrs. Mendoza. He twittered some remarks to the driver, who guffawed. "What does he say?" she asked.

"He was complimenting you."

"So? But how?"

"Well ... he says you are for a slow fire and no need for seasoning; you'd cook up nicely. And he'd do it, too," the colonist added, "if you stayed here after dark."

Mrs. Mendoza gave a little scream. "You didn't tell us they were _ca

Herr Eisenberg looked horrified. "Ca

"But that's worse!"

"No, it isn't, lady. Look at it from their viewpoint. They're civilized. This old fellow would never break one of their laws. But to them we are just so much prime beef, unfortunately hard to catch."

"Take us back at once! Why, there are hundreds of them, and only five of us."

"Thousands, lady. But you are safe as long as Gneeri is shining." He gestured at Nu Pegasi. "It's bad juju to kill meat during daylight. The spirit stays around to haunt."

Despite his reassurances the party started back. Max noticed that Eldreth had been unfrightened. He himself had wondered what had kept the natives from tying them up until dark.

They dined at the Josephine, Bonaparte's best (and only) hotel. But there was a real three-piece orchestra, a dance floor, and food that was at least a welcome change from the menus of the Bifrost Lounge. Many ship's passengers and several officers were there; it made a jolly party. Ellie made Max dance between each course. He even got up his nerve to ask Mrs. Daigler for a dance, once she came over and suggested it.

During the intermission Eldreth steered him out on the adjacent balcony. There she looked up at him. "You leave that Daigler hussy alone, hear me?"

"Huh? I didn't do anything."

She suddenly smiled warmly. "Of course not, you big sweet ni

"Oh, Max, isn't it _lovely!_"

"Sure is. Say, there's a meteor. They're scarce here, mighty scarce."

"Make a wish! Make a wish quick!"

"Okay." He wished that he would get off easy when it came to the showdown. Then he decided that wasn't right; he ought to wish old Sam out of his jam--not that he believed in it, either way.

She turned and faced him. "What did you wish?"

"Huh?" He was suddenly self-conscious. "Oh, mustn't tell, that spoils it."

"All right. But I'll bet you get your wish," she added softly.

He thought for a moment that he could have kissed her, right then, if he had played his cards right. But the moment passed and they went inside. The feeling stayed with him on the ride back, made him elated. It was a good old world, even if there were some tough spots. Here he was, practically a junior astrogator on his first trip--and it hadn't been more than weeks since he was borrowing McAllister's mules to work the crop and going barefooted a lot to save shoes.

And yet here he was in uniform, riding beside the best-dressed girl in four planets.

He fingered the insignia on his chest. Marrying Ellie wasn't such an impossible idea now that he was an officer--if he ever decided to marry. Maybe her old man wouldn't consider an officer--and an astrogator at that--completely ineligible. Ellie wasn't bad; she had spunk and she played a fair game of three-dee-- most girls wouldn't even be able to learn the rules.

He was still in a warm glow when they reached the ship and were hoisted in.

Kelly met him at the lock. "Mr. Jones--the Captain wants to see you."

"Huh? Oh. G'night, Ellie--I'll have to run." He hurried after Kelly. "What's up?"

"Dr. Hendrix is dead."

13 TRANSITION

Max questioned Kelly as they hurried up to the Captain's cabin.

"I don't know. I just don't know, Max." Kelly seemed close to tears. "I saw him before di

"What do you mean?"

"Well ... if I was captain, I'd lay over and send for a relief. But I don't know."

For the first time Max realized that this change would make Mr. Simes the astrogator. "How long would it take to get a relief?"

"Figure it out. The _Dragon_ is about three months behind us; she'd pick up our mail. A year about." In the contradictions of interstellar travel the ships themselves were the fastest method of communication; a radio message (had such a silly thing been attempted) would have taken more than two centuries to reach Earth, a like time for a reply.