aving a conference
of some kind, I should be in on it."

"Just routine work, Burl. What is it you want?"

"Somebody is getting careless. The bulletin of yesterday's run has not
been posted. It's little things like that that make all the difference
in the reputation of a shipping line. Somebody ought to be reprimanded.
What was the day's run, by the way? Well, speak up, Josiah! I'm
waiting."

Evans reached for a sheet of paper from the desk and silently handed it
across. Jasperson looked at the figures, frowned, and spoke angrily.

"Have your computers broken down, Captain Evans? Or is this a joke? Why,
that's only about two-thirds our usual distance. At this rate it will
take us from now to eternity to arrive."

"You'd better sit down, Burl." The Captain looked steadily at him.
"Those figures explain why I ordered that the bulletin was not to be
posted. Not one passenger out of a hundred would have noticed much
change in the figures, but I do not want to alarm even that one in a
hundred. I have ordered the ship to proceed at half-speed."

"What? Have you lost your mind?"

"We are approaching the Thakura Ripples. It just isn't safe to go any
faster."

Expelling a long breath, Jasperson spoke more calmly.

"That means we'll be late in reaching Almazin III?"

"Three or four days, perhaps, not more. Eventually we'll get through
this danger zone, and then we can resume speed."

"But we _can't_ be late, Captain Evans! Surely you haven't forgotten
that we're out after the Blue Ribbon? The Light Line's ships have made
it in forty-three days, and we've got to do it in forty-two or less.
This trip is a matter of prime importance to the Star Line, and a delay
of even three days would keep us from breaking the record. I thought you
understood all that?"

* * * * *

Sighing, the Captain shook his head. "I know all that. But we are in
dangerous regions, and I can't risk my ship just for a piece of silk!
Last night Pile Ten started heating. It's still hot, and we may have to
expel it. I hadn't expected to reach the Ripples so soon, and had even
hoped we could avoid them entirely, but evidently the limits of the band
haven't been charted very accurately. The only safe thing is to go
slow."

"But the Ripples are imaginary! Why do you think we've hit them?"

"There's the number Ten Pile."

"But why should only that one out of the twenty-four be affected? And
even if it is heating, that'