Retief at Large by Keith Laumer

through."
     
                "Other
people have their eye on your rock, Sam. Ever meet a fellow called
Leatherwell?"
     
                "General
Minerals, huh? They haven't got a leg to stand on."
     
                "The
last time I saw your claim, it was still lying in the pending file. Just a
bundle of paper until it's validated by the Consul. If Leatherwell contests it
... well, his lawyers are on annual retainer. How long could you keep the suit
going, Sam?"
     
                Mancziewicz
closed his helmet with a decisive snap, motioned to Retief to do the same. He
opened the hatch, sat with the gun on Retief.
     
                "Get
out, paper-pusher." His voice sounded thin in the headphones. "You'll
get lonesome, maybe, but your suit will keep you alive a few days. I'll tip
somebody off before you lose too much weight. I'm going back and see if I can't
stir up a little action at the Consulate."
     
                Retief
climbed out, walked off fifty yards. He watched as the skiff kicked off in a
quickly dispersed cloud of dust, dwindled rapidly away to a bright speck that
was lost against the stars. Then he extracted the locator beacon from the
pocket of his suit and thumbed the control.
     
                Twenty
minutes later, aboard Navy FP-VO-6, Retief pulled off his helmet. "Fast
work, Henry. I've got a couple of calls to make. Put me through to your HQ,
will you? I want a word with Commander Hayle."
     
                The
young naval officer raised the HQ, handed the mike to Retief.
     
                "Vice-Consul
Retief here, Commander. I'd like you to intercept a skiff, bound from my
present position toward Ceres. There's a Mr. Mancziewicz aboard. He's armed,
but not dangerous. Collect him and see that he's delivered to the Consulate at
0900 Greenwich tomorrow.
     
                "Next
item: The Consulate has impounded an ore-carrier, Gravel Gertie II. It's
in a parking orbit ten miles off Ceres. I want it taken in tow." Retief
gave detailed instruction. Then he asked for a connection through the Navy
switchboard to the Consulate. Magnan's voice answered.
     
                "Retief
speaking, Mr. Consul. I have some news that I think will interest you—"
     
                "Where
are you, Retief? What's wrong with the screen? Have you served the
injunction?"
     
                "I'm
aboard the Navy patrol vessel. I've been out looking over the situation, and
I've made a surprising discovery. I don't think we're going to have any trouble
with the Sam's people; they've looked over the body—2645-P—and it seems General
Minerals has slipped up. There appears to be a highly valuable deposit
there."
     
                "Oh?
What sort of deposit?"
     
                "Mr.
Mancziewicz mentioned collapsed crystal metal," Retief said.
     
                "Well,
most interesting." Magnan's voice sounded thoughtful.
     
                "Just
thought you'd like to know. This should simplify the meeting in the
morning."
     
                "Yes,"
Magnan said. "Yes, indeed. I think this makes everything very simple
..."
     
    -
     
                At
0845 Greenwich, Retief stepped into the outer office of the Consular suite.
     
                "...
fantastic configuration," Leatherwell's bass voice rumbled, "covering
literally acres. My xeno-geologists are somewhat confused by the formations.
They had only a few hours to examine the site; but it's clear from the extent
of the surface indications that we have a very rich find here. Very rich
indeed. Beside it, 95739-A dwindles into insignificance. Very fast thinking on
your part, Mr. Consul, to bring the matter to my attention."
     
                "Not
at all, Mr. Leatherwell. After all—"
     
                "Our
tentative theory is that the basic crystal fragment encountered the