* * * * *

Jason was sure he would. He listened intently--and quietly--as Kerk
repeated word for word what he had said before, then continued.

"The official car gate will probably be wide open with the traffic
through it. And a lot of the agents will be in plain clothes. We might
even get onto the field without being recognized, though I doubt it. It
is of no importance. We will drive through the gate and to the take-off
pad. The _Pride of Darkhan_, for which we hold tickets, will be sounding
its two-minute siren and unhooking the gangway. By the time we get to
our seats the ship will take off."

"That's all very fine," Jason said. "But what will the guards be doing
all this time?"

"Shooting at us and each other. We will take advantage of the confusion
to get aboard."

This answer did nothing to settle Jason's mind, but he let it slide for
the moment. "All right--say we _do_ get aboard. Why don't they just
prevent take-off until we have been dragged out and stood against a
wall?"

Kerk spared him a contemptuous glance before he returned his eyes to the
road. "I said the ship was the _Pride of Darkhan_. If you had studied
this system at all, you would know what that means. Cassylia and Darkhan
are sister planets and rivals in every way. It has been less than two
centuries since they fought an intra-system war that almost destroyed
both of them. Now they exist in an armed-to-the-teeth neutrality that
neither dare violate. The moment we set foot aboard the ship we are on
Darkhan territory. There is no extradition agreement between the
planets. Cassylia may want us--but not badly enough to start another
war."

That was all the explanation there was time for. Kerk swung the car out
of the rush of traffic and onto a bridge marked _Official Cars Only_.
Jason had a feeling of nakedness as they rolled under the harsh port
lights towards the guarded gate ahead.

It was closed.

Another car approached the gate from the inside and Kerk slowed their
car to a crawl. One of the guards talked to the driver of the car inside
the port, then waved to the gate attendant. The barrier gate began to
swing inwards and Kerk jammed down on the accelerator.

Everything happened at once. The turbine howled, the spinning tires
screeched on the road and the car crashed open the gate. Jason had a
vanishing glimpse of the open-mouthed guards, then they were skidding
around the corner of a building. A f