it was going to be," the neuronics expert chattered. "It works
exactly as you specified. We had to make substitutions, of course,
but you understand that was inevitable."
He glanced anxiously at Cassal, who nodded. That was to be
expected. Components that were common on Earth wouldn't necessarily be
available here. Still, any expert worth his pay could always make the
proper combinations and achieve the same results.
Inside the lab, Cassal frowned. "I thought you were keeping my work
separate. What is this planetary drive doing here?"
The Godolphian spread his broad hands and looked hurt. "Planetary
drive?" He tried to laugh. "This is the instrument you orderedI"
Cassal started. It was supposed to fit under a flap of skin behind his
ear. A Three World saurian couldn't carry it.
He turned savagely on the expert. "I told you it had to be small."
"But it is. I quote your orders exactly: 'I'm not familiar with your
system of measurement, but make it tiny, very tiny. Figure the size
you think it will have to be and cut it in half. And then cut that in
half.' This is the fraction remaining."
It certainly was. Cassal glanced at the Godolphian's hands. Excellent for
swimming. No wonder they built on a grand scale. Broad, blunt, webbed
hands weren't exactly suited for precision work.
Valueless. Completely valueless, He knew now what he would find at the
other lab. He shook his head in dismay, personally saw to it that the
instrument was destroyed. He paid for the work and retrieved the plans.
Back in his rooms again, he sat and thought. It was still the only
solution. If the Godolphians couldn't do it, he'd have to find some race
that could. He grabbed the intercom and jangled it savagely. In half an
hour he had a dozen leads.
The best seemed to be the Spirella. A small, insectlike race, about
three feet tall, they were supposed to have excellent manual dexterity,
and were technically advanced. They sounded as if they were acquainted
with the necessary fields. Three light-years away, they could be reached
by readily available local transportation within the day. Their idea of
what was small was likely to coincide with his.
He didn't bother to pack. The suite would remain his headquarters. Home
was where his enemies were.
He made a mental correction -- enemy.
He rubbed his sensitive ear, grateful for the discomfort. His stomach
was sore, but it wouldn't be for long. The Spirella had made the new
instrument just as he had wanted it. They had built an even better
auxiliary power unit than he had specified. He fingered the flat cases
in his pocket. In an emergency, he could draw on these, whereas Murra
Foray would be limited to the energy in her nervous system.
What he had now was hardly the same instrument. A Military version of it,
perhaps. It didn't seem right to use the same name. Call it something
staunch and crisp, suggestive of raw power. Manche. As good a name as
any. Manche against Dimanche. Cassal against a queen.
He swung confidently along the walkway beside the transport tide. It was
raining. He decided to test the new instrument. The Godolphian across
the way bent double and wondered why his knees wouldn't work. They had
suddenly become swollen and painful to move. Maybe it was the climate.
And maybe it wasn't, thought Cassal. Eventually the pain would leave,
but he hadn't meant to be so rough on the native. He'd have to watch
how he used Manche.
He scouted the vicinity of Travelers Aid Bureau, keeping at least one
building between him and possible detection. Purely precautionary. There
was no indication that Murra Foray had spotted him. For a Huntner,
she wasn't very alert, apparently.
He sent Manche out on exploration at minimum strength. The electronic
guards which Dimanche had spoken of were still in place. Manche went
through easily and didn't disturb an electron.
exactly as you specified. We had to make substitutions, of course,
but you understand that was inevitable."
He glanced anxiously at Cassal, who nodded. That was to be
expected. Components that were common on Earth wouldn't necessarily be
available here. Still, any expert worth his pay could always make the
proper combinations and achieve the same results.
Inside the lab, Cassal frowned. "I thought you were keeping my work
separate. What is this planetary drive doing here?"
The Godolphian spread his broad hands and looked hurt. "Planetary
drive?" He tried to laugh. "This is the instrument you orderedI"
Cassal started. It was supposed to fit under a flap of skin behind his
ear. A Three World saurian couldn't carry it.
He turned savagely on the expert. "I told you it had to be small."
"But it is. I quote your orders exactly: 'I'm not familiar with your
system of measurement, but make it tiny, very tiny. Figure the size
you think it will have to be and cut it in half. And then cut that in
half.' This is the fraction remaining."
It certainly was. Cassal glanced at the Godolphian's hands. Excellent for
swimming. No wonder they built on a grand scale. Broad, blunt, webbed
hands weren't exactly suited for precision work.
Valueless. Completely valueless, He knew now what he would find at the
other lab. He shook his head in dismay, personally saw to it that the
instrument was destroyed. He paid for the work and retrieved the plans.
Back in his rooms again, he sat and thought. It was still the only
solution. If the Godolphians couldn't do it, he'd have to find some race
that could. He grabbed the intercom and jangled it savagely. In half an
hour he had a dozen leads.
The best seemed to be the Spirella. A small, insectlike race, about
three feet tall, they were supposed to have excellent manual dexterity,
and were technically advanced. They sounded as if they were acquainted
with the necessary fields. Three light-years away, they could be reached
by readily available local transportation within the day. Their idea of
what was small was likely to coincide with his.
He didn't bother to pack. The suite would remain his headquarters. Home
was where his enemies were.
He made a mental correction -- enemy.
He rubbed his sensitive ear, grateful for the discomfort. His stomach
was sore, but it wouldn't be for long. The Spirella had made the new
instrument just as he had wanted it. They had built an even better
auxiliary power unit than he had specified. He fingered the flat cases
in his pocket. In an emergency, he could draw on these, whereas Murra
Foray would be limited to the energy in her nervous system.
What he had now was hardly the same instrument. A Military version of it,
perhaps. It didn't seem right to use the same name. Call it something
staunch and crisp, suggestive of raw power. Manche. As good a name as
any. Manche against Dimanche. Cassal against a queen.
He swung confidently along the walkway beside the transport tide. It was
raining. He decided to test the new instrument. The Godolphian across
the way bent double and wondered why his knees wouldn't work. They had
suddenly become swollen and painful to move. Maybe it was the climate.
And maybe it wasn't, thought Cassal. Eventually the pain would leave,
but he hadn't meant to be so rough on the native. He'd have to watch
how he used Manche.
He scouted the vicinity of Travelers Aid Bureau, keeping at least one
building between him and possible detection. Purely precautionary. There
was no indication that Murra Foray had spotted him. For a Huntner,
she wasn't very alert, apparently.
He sent Manche out on exploration at minimum strength. The electronic
guards which Dimanche had spoken of were still in place. Manche went
through easily and didn't disturb an electron.
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