s loud, those who had
not joined the line crowing because most of those on it had been turned
away. Behind the desk sat a small Denebian man of middle years. He
looked nervous.

"Can you fly?" he asked in a voice almost desperately thin.

"Yes," Pandit said. Then the rumors were right.

"How much experience?"

"Five years on and off."

"You have a license?"

"There are no licenses on Ophiuchus IX," Pandit pointed out.

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry. Habit. You people don't lie."

"We try not to."

"Your name?"

Pandit told him. The Denebian wrote it down on a form and said: "You'll
do. Pay is twenty credits a mission." It wasn't much, but it was more
than Pandit had expected.

"What do we fly?" he asked. Questions didn't seem welcome, but no harm
trying.

* * * * *

The Denebian looked at him and laughed. "You want the job?"

"Yes, I want the job."

"Then don't ask questions."

Pandit nodded.

"Out through that door, then. The other new pilots are assembling."

And Pandit left the small office.

A moment later a buzzer sounded on the Denebian's desk. He spoke into a
grid: "Orkap here. Go ahead."

"The guru near the League building reports that a native Ophiuchan left
the building heading for the city."

"When was this?"

"Yesterday morning."

"And?"

"Draw your own conclusions. Natives don't go near the League
headquarters as a rule, do they?"

"No."

"And the League, of course, will want to know about the suicides?"

"Yes, but--"

"But nothing," said the radio voice, which belonged to the only other
Denebian currently on Ophiuchus IX. "We can assume this native is a spy.
For the League, Orkap."

"All right. I don't see any need to worry, though."

"Don't you? The gurus, like the other natives, can sham, but they can't
lie. Sooner or later a guru will be brought out of trance by the League,
questioned, and--"

"Tell them about us?" Orkap asked in a shocked voice.

"It could happen. Maybe it's happened already. There won't be any proof,
of course, but the League would send a spy. Suppose I describe this
native to you."

Orkap said, "Go ahead," and the radio voice did so.

In a shocked voice Orkap admitted: "I've given that Ophiuchan a pilot's
job this morning. There can't be any doubt about it."

"Ah, then you see? You see?"

"I can fix that. I can--"

"Orkap, Orkap. You'll do nothing now. Let the spy alone for now. Then,
in the Empty Place