rporation on the
twenty-third floor of a Manhattan skyscraper a furious official of the
corporation faced an uncomfortable underling.

"I've heard of some pretty crude tricks in my time, Heilman, but
breaking into the Staker Company's office like a common house thief
takes the tin medal for low grade brains!" the official ranted,
pounding his desk. "I suppose you thought that was an excellent way to
advance yourself in the corporation, eh? Finesse, Heilman, finesse.
That's what it takes in matters like this. Asteroid Mining, before it
got the monopoly, stopped competition, but not by common
housebreaking--"

"But--but I thought," Heilman explained lamely, "that we could get a
copy of their trajectory and then deal with them after they got out to
the quadrant. You know, fire a 'meteor' at them, blanket them with
radio jamming, ruin their radar sighting--"

The official snorted and leaned disgustedly back in his leather chair.
"No, no you big dumb ox! You're retired from the team, benched. Now
you can sit on the sidelines and watch how the first string fix Staker
and Company."

* * * * *

When Bill asked for his key, the clerk handed him the key and a
faintly lavender tinted envelope.

Mystified by the feminine handwriting, Bill sat in a lobby chair, and
tore open the jasmine scented envelope.

The note was brief. It said, "Dear Captain Staker: Please call on me
at your earliest convenience, Apt. 5B. It is a matter of utmost
importance to both of us. Margo."

Ever since leaving Tom's office, Bill's mind had been spinning about a
center of hatred and ugly rumination. But now the stimulus of the
jasmine fragrance struck a spark of adventure on the edge of his
churning mind. The tangential path led off into inviting mysterious
shadows and he was going to follow.

The elevator stopped at the apartment floor of the hotel's north
Tower. In the softly lighted corridor his feet fell soundlessly on the
deep pile rug. He turned a corner, then walked up a short flight of
steps to the door of Apt. 5B.

In response to his knock the door was opened by a vision in white
satin. She was startlingly beautiful. Dark heavy lashes, creamy skin,
white even teeth in a flashing smile, a lithe body poised with the
ease of a jungle cat. She was fulsome and high breasted, and as she
followed Bill's quick appraising glance, she seemed to smile knowingly
that all he saw was displayed to best advantage.