ke minute adjustments in order to insure perfect
superimposition of the flange surfaces.

Brad smiled grimly and unsnapped his harness with nervous fingers. If he
could get into his suit in time, it would be simple to open a hatch aft
and let the air spill from the Fleury. Then when Altman undogged the
inner hatch of the Fleury's air lock, it would be sucked open violently
and pull the skipper of the Cluster Queen into a vacuum. It would make a
mess out of the air lock and the control compartment--but that would be
advantageous. It would be evidence to prove at least that Altman had
taken the initiative in boarding the Fleury without first dispatching
his intention of doing so to the nearest port, as required by the law.

Brad planned that if he then found the Queen's locks dogged, he would
temporarily close the Fleury's inner lock and fill the between-ships
passage with normal pressure air so he would be able to open the Queen's
hatches against the thirty-pound pressure in the other ship. After
opening her hatches, he would leap back to the Fleury's inner hatch,
release the single doglatch and let the vacuum suck all the air from the
other ship too. He would immediately report the defensive action to Vega
IV, borrow emergency cad rods from the Queen, prevent an internal pile
blast aboard the Fleury and withdraw the crippled ship, together with
its engine compartment evidence, to the node of the arc to await the
arrival of investigators.

He clamped the helmet on his neck ring with a minute to spare as he
reassured himself it was a perfect plan and had a reasonable chance to
success. It was one too that required no physical exertion. He couldn't
go through any rough stuff with his sprained arm.

* * * * *

Stiffening, he watched the first of the six doglatches on the hatch
swing to the unlocked position. He moved over against the starboard
bulkhead, well away from the hatch. He would have to get out of the suit
again, and it would be a messy job if he were standing close to Altman
when the vacuum went to work on him.

The final doglatch unsnapped. The hatch crashed open and he imagined he
could almost hear the swoosh of escaping air.

Instead he heard a mocking voice over his audio.

"You were right, captain," the voice laughed.

"Who'd think Conally would try a trick like that?" Altman taunted,
extending a spacesuit clad leg across the hatch ledge.

"You would and did.... He'll