Crashlander

Along every light-shadow borderline were the Outsiders. Just as their plantlike ancestors had done billions of years ago on some unknown world near the galactic core, the Outsiders were absorbing life energy. Their branched tails lay in shadow, their heads in sunlight, while thermoelectricity charged their biochemical batteries. Some had root tentacles dipped in shallow food dishes; the trace elements which kept them alive and growing were in suspension in liquid helium.

We stepped carefully around them, using our headlamps at lowest intensity, following one of the Outsiders toward a door in the wall ahead.

The enclosure was dark until the door closed behind us. Then the light came on. It was sourceless, the color of normal sunlight, and it illuminated a cubicle that was bare and square. The only furnishing was a transparent hemisphere with an Outsider resting inside. Presumably the hemisphere filtered out excess light going in.

«Welcome,» said the room. Whatever the Outsider had said was not sonic in nature. «The air is breathable. Take off your helmets, suits, shoes, girdles, and whatnot.» It was an excellent translator, with a good grasp of idiom and a pleasant baritone voice.

«Thanks,» said Elephant, and we did.

«Which of you is Gregory Pelton?»

«Gronk.»

The wall was not confused. «According to your agent, you want to know how to reach that planet which is most unusual inside or within five miles of the sixty-light-year wide region you call known space. Is this correct?»

«Yes.»

«We must know if you plan to go there or to send agents there. Also, do you plan a landing, a near orbit, or a distant orbit?»

«Landing.»

«Are we to guard against danger to your life?»

«No.» Elephant's voice was a little dry. The Outsider ship was an intimidating place.

«What kind of ship would you use?»

«The one outside.»

«Do you plan colonization? Mining? Growth of food plants?»

«I plan only one visit.»

«We have selected a world for you. The price will be one million stars.»

«That's high,» said Elephant. I whistled under my breath. It was, and it wouldn't get lower. The Outsiders never dickered.

«Sold,» said Elephant.

The translator gave us a triplet set of coordinates some twenty-four light-years from Earth along galactic north. «The star you are looking for is a protosun with one planet a billion and a half miles distant. The system is moving at a point eight lights toward — «He gave a vector direction. It seemed the protosun was drawing a shallow chord through known space; it would never approach human space.

«No good,» said Elephant. «No hyperdrive ship can go that fast in real space.»

«You could hitch a ride,» said the translator, «with us. Moor your ship to our drive capsule.»

«That'll work,» said Elephant. He was getting more and more uneasy; his eyes seemed to be searching the walls for the source of the voice. He would not look at the Outsider business agent in the vacuum chamber.

«Our ferry fee will be one million stars.»

Elephant sputtered.

«Just a sec,» I said. «I may have information to sell you.»

There was a long pause. Elephant looked at me in surprise.

«You are Beowulf Shaeffer?»

«Yeah. You remember me?»

«We find you in our records. Beowulf Shaeffer, we have information for you, already paid. The former regional president of General Products on Jinx wishes you to contact him. I have a transfer-booth number.»

«That's late news,» I said. «The puppeteers are gone. Anyway, why would that two-headed sharpie want to see me?»

«I do not have that information. I do know that not all puppeteers have left this region. Will you accept the transfer-booth number?»

«Sure.»

I wrote down the eight digits as they came. A moment later Elephant was yelling just as if he were a tridee set turned on in the middle of a program. «— hell is going on here?»

«Sorry about that,» said the translator.

«What happened?» I asked.

«I couldn't hear anything! Did that mon— Did the Outsider have private business with you?»

«Sort of. I'll tell you later.»

The translator said, «Beowulf Shaeffer, we do not buy information. We sell information and use the proceeds to buy territory and food soil.»

«You may need this information,» I argued. «I'm the only man within reach who knows it.»

«What of other races?»

The puppeteers might have told them, but it was worth taking a chance. «You're about to leave known space. If you don't deal with me, you may not get this information in time.»

«What price do you set on this item?»

«You set the price. You've got more experience at putting values on inforrnation, and you're honorable.»

«We may not be able to afford an honest price.»

«Tbe price may not exceed our ferry fee.»

«Done. Speak.»