fluorine for respiration.
‘You’ve met already?’ Jacky said, astonished, and I explained briefly. He nodded comprehension. ‘I see! Well, you’ll have another chance to get better acquainted tonight – I’ve invited Anovel to my party. I thought he might like to meet the people I’ve asked. While I remember, incidentally: I saw Patricia over lunch and you are both coming.’
A great guy, Jacky. I gave him a smile and apologized for having to dash off, using Tinescu’s impending departure as my excuse.
The chief was indeed still in his office, but he wasn’t alone. I hesitated on the threshold, even though he’d told me to come in via the annunciator.
‘Oh, don’t stand there dithering!’ he rapped. ‘Roald, this is Inspector Klabund of the World Police, Pacific Coast District. Just as well you turned up – I gather he wants to talk to you.’
Me? What on earth for? But I moved forward obediently and took a chair to which Tinescu waved me. The inspector was a big man with short brown hair and deep-set brown eyes. I judged him to be eight or ten years older than myself.
‘Now, before the inspector starts on you, I’d like to put some questions to you myself. I gather the Tau Cetians gotsafely to the Ark, so that’s all right, but there’s this almost hysterical message I had from the port director, Rattray…’
He broke off, perhaps reading my expression.
‘Hysterical be damned,’ I said shortly. ‘Those three young men deliberately rammed our truck. I’m sure of it.’
Tinescu shut his eyes and sighed. ‘I’ll save my questions, then,’ he said tiredly. ‘That’s what Inspector Klabund is here about.’
I gave the policeman a startled glance. ‘But we’re not in the Pacific Coast police district!’ I objected.
‘Correct,’ Klabund said heavily. ‘I’m in charge of the inquiry into last night’s rocket crash.’
Several things clicked together with extreme abruptness in my mind. I leaned forward. ‘Was it you who brought Anovel here?’
Klabund hid a flicker of surprise. ‘The Regulan?’ he parried. ‘Why – yes, that’s so.’
‘Then I’m beginning to catch on. Do you suspect that that rocket was sabotaged?’
‘You have a remarkably swift mind, Mr Vincent,’ Klabund answered slowly. ‘As a matter of fact, I’m relying chiefly on Anovel’s evidence at this stage. He maintains that just before the engines exploded – perhaps a tenth of a second earlier – he heard a sharp noise distinct from the roar of the rockets. I brought him here to confirm that his hearing was sensitive enough to make such fine judgements. He passed one hundred per cent.’
‘He would. Regulans are very amazing creatures. But —’ I hesitated, then plunged on: ‘But are you saying that someone would wreck a rocket just to try and kill an alien? Why, anyone should know that a Regulan can stand damage that would mash a man to jelly!’
‘Someone insanely convinced of the “natural superiority of human beings” might conveniently overlook that,’ Klabund countered.
The idea was horrible, but I had to utter it. I said, ‘You mean we’re up against fanatics that won’t object to murdering men and women if they can wipe out a few aliens?’
‘I daren’t go that far. But it looks terrifyingly like it.’ Klabund glanced at a small notebook on his lap. ‘Now, Mr Vincent! I gather you found in your office this morning a leaflet issued by the Stars Are For Men League?’
I nodded. ‘I was so annoyed I called the chief to complain. He said to stuff it in the destructor and forget it – the police had checked on the League three years ago and rated them as negligible.’
‘That was true – then. Lately, someone has been pumping money into their organization.’ Klabund scowled. ‘Was that the first you’d heard of the League, Mr Vincent?’
‘As far as I recall. But not the last. The men who rammed our alien wagon at the port today had a pile of their literature in the
‘You’ve met already?’ Jacky said, astonished, and I explained briefly. He nodded comprehension. ‘I see! Well, you’ll have another chance to get better acquainted tonight – I’ve invited Anovel to my party. I thought he might like to meet the people I’ve asked. While I remember, incidentally: I saw Patricia over lunch and you are both coming.’
A great guy, Jacky. I gave him a smile and apologized for having to dash off, using Tinescu’s impending departure as my excuse.
The chief was indeed still in his office, but he wasn’t alone. I hesitated on the threshold, even though he’d told me to come in via the annunciator.
‘Oh, don’t stand there dithering!’ he rapped. ‘Roald, this is Inspector Klabund of the World Police, Pacific Coast District. Just as well you turned up – I gather he wants to talk to you.’
Me? What on earth for? But I moved forward obediently and took a chair to which Tinescu waved me. The inspector was a big man with short brown hair and deep-set brown eyes. I judged him to be eight or ten years older than myself.
‘Now, before the inspector starts on you, I’d like to put some questions to you myself. I gather the Tau Cetians gotsafely to the Ark, so that’s all right, but there’s this almost hysterical message I had from the port director, Rattray…’
He broke off, perhaps reading my expression.
‘Hysterical be damned,’ I said shortly. ‘Those three young men deliberately rammed our truck. I’m sure of it.’
Tinescu shut his eyes and sighed. ‘I’ll save my questions, then,’ he said tiredly. ‘That’s what Inspector Klabund is here about.’
I gave the policeman a startled glance. ‘But we’re not in the Pacific Coast police district!’ I objected.
‘Correct,’ Klabund said heavily. ‘I’m in charge of the inquiry into last night’s rocket crash.’
Several things clicked together with extreme abruptness in my mind. I leaned forward. ‘Was it you who brought Anovel here?’
Klabund hid a flicker of surprise. ‘The Regulan?’ he parried. ‘Why – yes, that’s so.’
‘Then I’m beginning to catch on. Do you suspect that that rocket was sabotaged?’
‘You have a remarkably swift mind, Mr Vincent,’ Klabund answered slowly. ‘As a matter of fact, I’m relying chiefly on Anovel’s evidence at this stage. He maintains that just before the engines exploded – perhaps a tenth of a second earlier – he heard a sharp noise distinct from the roar of the rockets. I brought him here to confirm that his hearing was sensitive enough to make such fine judgements. He passed one hundred per cent.’
‘He would. Regulans are very amazing creatures. But —’ I hesitated, then plunged on: ‘But are you saying that someone would wreck a rocket just to try and kill an alien? Why, anyone should know that a Regulan can stand damage that would mash a man to jelly!’
‘Someone insanely convinced of the “natural superiority of human beings” might conveniently overlook that,’ Klabund countered.
The idea was horrible, but I had to utter it. I said, ‘You mean we’re up against fanatics that won’t object to murdering men and women if they can wipe out a few aliens?’
‘I daren’t go that far. But it looks terrifyingly like it.’ Klabund glanced at a small notebook on his lap. ‘Now, Mr Vincent! I gather you found in your office this morning a leaflet issued by the Stars Are For Men League?’
I nodded. ‘I was so annoyed I called the chief to complain. He said to stuff it in the destructor and forget it – the police had checked on the League three years ago and rated them as negligible.’
‘That was true – then. Lately, someone has been pumping money into their organization.’ Klabund scowled. ‘Was that the first you’d heard of the League, Mr Vincent?’
‘As far as I recall. But not the last. The men who rammed our alien wagon at the port today had a pile of their literature in the
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