is latest of bodies, he was likely
to turn up at some testing station or other and volunteer for work. He
was never turned down, although the Galactic League didn't approve.
Mayhem was probably the galaxy's best pilot, with incredible reflexes
and an utter indifference toward death.

For the past two weeks, having completed what turned out to be an
easier-than-expected assignment on Neptune, he had been piloting the
space-bound coffins out of Neptune Station, and with very satisfactory
experimental results.

A few minutes ago he had been called into the station director's office,
but when he entered he was surprised to see the Galactic League Firstman
of Neptune waiting for him.

"Surprised, eh?" the Firstman demanded.

"I'll bet you want me to quit test-flying," Mayhem said with a smile
which, clearer than words, told the Firstman his advice would be
rejected.

The Firstman smiled too, "Why, no, Mayhem. As a matter of fact, I want
you to take one of the coffins into deep space."

"Maybe something's wrong with my hearing," Mayhem said.

"No. You heard it right. Of course, it's up to you. Everything you do,
you volunteer."

"Let's hear it, Firstman."

So the Firstman of Neptune told Johnny Mayhem about _Mozart's Lady_
which, six hours ago, had left Triton for Pluto's orbit with an
eccentric wealthy widow, a hundred girls, and a desperate escaped
killer.

"The only thing we have out here fast enough to overtake them, Mayhem,
is the one-man coffins. The only man we have who can fly them is you.
What do you say?"

Mayhem's answer was a question, but the question didn't really require
an answer. Mayhem asked: "What are we waiting for?"

The Firstman grinned. He had expected such an answer, of course. The
whole galaxy, let alone the solar system, knew the Mayhem legend. Every
world which had an Earthman population and a Galactic League post,
however small, had a body in cold storage, waiting for Johnny Mayhem if
his services were required. But of course no one knew precisely when
Mayhem's services might be required. No one knew exactly under what
circumstances the Galactic League Council, operating from the hub of the
Galaxy, might summon Mayhem. And only a very few people, including those
at the Hub and the Galactic League Firstmen on civilized worlds and
Observers on primitive worlds, knew the precise mechanics of Mayhem's
coming.

Johnny Mayhem, a bodiless sentience. Mayhem--Johnny Marlow, then--who
had