Space Station 1

“If that cruiser lands, Ramsey’s goose is cooked and ours is too,” a tall officer said. “The instant that freighter crashed I knew they’d find out quickly enough how the ships had been carrying smuggled uranium. I knew that under pressure, half of our captains would talk . . . and the crews, too. All the government would have to do is check and they’d find out that we re Ramsey's men, all of us. They might even now know about the masks.”

“Why not about the masks?” another officer joined in. “Ramsey paid for the research that went into them, didn’t he? Big tycoon . . . fingers in a dozen pies. When the secrets out, and he puts them on the market, he’ll make important money out of it. But we’ll be in prison with just our own faces staring back at us from a steel wall/’ “Don’t worry about that. Ramsey won’t profit from the manufacture of masks. He won't even profit from the false uranium clearance we gave him. If that cruiser is allowed to land hell be in prison with us.”

“Better think that over, Commander. You refused to let the Governmental Investigating Committee land. If a single soldier sets foot on the Station we’re done for. It’s not too late to do something about it. That cruiser can only berth by overtaking us. If we change our orbit fast and start blasting at them with our rear adjusting rockets they’ll have to keep their distance?”

“Aren't you forgetting something? A single atomic warhead could blow the Station apart.”

“We've got to risk that. They’ll think a long time before they’ll go that far. The Station's not expendible. If we change our orbit we can still make contact with the Mars ship that’s due to berth in an hour. We’ve got to get back to Mars and whatever protection Ramsey can give us. We’ll have his daughter with us. Hell be so glad to see her he’ll go out on a limb to protect us/'

“He’d go out on a limb anyway; He'd have to in order to save himself. But sure, we’ll take the girl. No harm in that. He knows she’s here and will be expecting her. He'll thank us for taking things so quickly in hand. If that crazy lieutenant had made his story public that cruiser would have been out there anyway — perhaps even sooner. They'd have wanted to know on Earth why anyone would want to harm Ramsey’s daughter, something we don’t know ourselves.”

Corriston decided then that he’d kept silent long enough. He returned his gun to its holster, and walked up to the three executive officers, completely ignoring the commander.

He heard the commander threaten him in a low tone, heard him say words which would have caused some men to pause in fear. But Corriston did not turn.

There was stunned disbelief in the eyes of the three men facing him. He spoke quickly, knowing that he had only a moment before the commander would see that he was seized and restrained. He had to make sure that the three would hear him out, that the commander would not be instantly obeyed. Perhaps he couldn’t make sure, but at least he could try.

“I’ll make a bargain with you,” he said. “I’ve done reckless things but I’m not a complete fool. You’re going to prevent that cruiser from berthing and I won’t be able to interfere. I’m just one man against several hundred. All three of you are armed. If I started shooting I’d get perhaps two of you — no more. Then you’d kill me. I haven’t even the advantage of surprise. I gave that up because I can’t believe you’re complete fools either.

“First, I want to see Helen Ramsey. I want you to let me talk to her. And when the Mars’ ship berths, I want to go to Mars with her. I’ve something to offer in return.”

One of the officers stared at him, tightened his lips and stared harder. “Good God!” he muttered. “Good God! A bargain. You must be out of your mind. What could you possibly offer? If you had a gun trained on us — ”

“A witness in your defense,” Corriston said. “A witness who will stand up in court and swear that you did try to protect Helen Ramsey, that you saved her from a very great danger. You may think that you do not need a witness now, but before the year is out Ramsey will be on trial for his life. His wealth won’t save him. They know too much about him now. That freighter explosion killed

too many people. The public outcry will be too great.

“If you stay on Mars you'll be hunted down like wild animals. They'll get you in the end and you know it. You’ll be brought back to Earth; you’ll stand trial.”

Corriston paused for the barest instant, knowing that the commander too was listening, knowing from the absence of sound and movement behind him that his words were being weighed. “I think you know that I would not break my word. I’ll stand up in court and defend you under oath. I’ll be speaking the simple truth. You did save Helen Ramsey from a very great danger; you probably saved her life. That is sure to weigh in your favor with any impartial judge and jury. You won’t get the death penalty; I can promise you that.”