for anybody. They knew
too well how the Government worked. They had heard of the swift trials,
the harsh imprisonments that awaited even the petty infringers. The
Military Government had no time to waste on those who stepped out of
line, they had no mercy to spare. And the men knew that their captain
was not in favor in top Government circles. Crack patrol commanders were
not shunted into remote, lifeless Satellite Stations if their stand in
the Government was high. And deep in their minds, somehow, the men knew
they couldn't trust this little, sharp-eyed, white-haired man. The
credit for such a discovery as this might go to him, yes--but there
would be little left for them.

"The law--" Sabo repeated stubbornly.

"Damn the law! We're stationed out here in this limbo to watch Saturn
and report any activity we see coming from there. There's nothing in our
orders about anything else. There have been ships from there, they
think, but not this ship. The Government has spent billions trying to
find an Interstellar, and never gotten to first base." The captain
paused, his eyes narrowing. "We'll go aboard this ship," he said softly.
"We'll find out what's aboard it, and where it's from, and we'll take
its drive. There's been no resistance yet, but it could be dangerous. We
can't assume anything. The boarding party will report everything they
find to me. One of them will have to be a drive man. That's you,
Brownie."

The little man with the sharp black eyes looked up eagerly. "I don't
know if I could tell anything--"

"You can tell more than anyone else here. Nobody else knows space drive.
I'll count on you. If you bring back a good report, perhaps we can
cancel out certain--unfortunate items in your record. But one other
should board with you--" His eyes turned toward John Sabo.

"Not me. This is your goat." The mate's eyes were sullen. "This is gross
breach, and you know it. They'll have you in irons when we get back. I
don't want anything to do with it."

"You're under orders, Sabo. You keep forgetting."

"They're illegal orders, sir!"

"I'll take responsibility for that."

Sabo looked the old man straight in the eye. "You mean you'd sell us
down a rat hole to save your skin. That's what you mean."

Captain Loomis' eyes widened incredulously. Then his face darkened, and
he stepped very close to the big man. "You'll watch your tongue, I
think," he gritted. "Be careful what you say to me, Sabo. Be very
careful. Be