The Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz

three of the notorious Witches of the Prohibited Planet of Karres—"
    "Just like his great-uncle Threbus!" nodded Councilor Onswud gloomily. "It's in the blood, I always say!"
    " —and a justifiable suspicion of a prolonged stay on said Prohibited Planet of Karres — "
    "I never heard of that place before this trip!" shouted the captain.
    "Why don't you read your Instructions and Regu lations then?" shouted Councilor Rapport. "It's all there!"
    "Silence, please!" shouted Councilor Onswud.
    "Fifth," said the policeman quietly, "general willful and negligent actions resulting in material damage and loss to your employer to the value of eighty-two thousand maels."
    "I still have fifty-five thousand. And the stuff in the storage," the captain said, also quietly, "is worth a quarter of a million, at least!"
    "Contraband and hence legally valueless!" the policeman s aid.
    Councilor Onswud cleared his throat. "It will be impounded, of course," he said. "Should a method of resale present itself, the profits, if any, will be applied to the cancellation of your just debts. To some extent that might reduce your sentence." He paused. "There is another matter— "
    "The sixth charge," the policeman announced, "is the development and public demonstration of a new type of space drive, which should have been brought promptly and secretly to the attention of the Republic of Nikkeldepain. " They all stared at him—alertly and quite greedily. So that was it—the Sheewash Drive !
    "Your sentence may be greatly reduced, Pausert," Councilor Onswud said wheedlingly, "if you decide to be reasonable now. What have you discovered?"
    "Look out, father!" Illyla said sharply.
    "Pausert," Councilor Onswud inquired in a fading voice, "what is that in your hand?"
    "A Blythe gun," the captain said, boiling.
    There was a frozen stillness for an instant. Then the policeman's right hand made a convulsive motion.
    "Uh-uh!" said the captain warningly. Councilor Rapport started a slow step backwards. "Stay where you are," said the captain.
    "Pausert!" Councilor Onswud and Illyla cried out together.
    "Shut up!" said the captain. There was another stillness. "If you'd looked on your way over here," the captain told them, in an almost normal voice, "you'd have seen I was getting the nova gun turrets out. They're fixed on that boat of yours. The boat's lying still and keeping its yap shut. You do the same."
    He pointed a finger at the policeman. "You open the lock," he said. "Start your suit repulsors and squirt yourself back to your boat!"
    The lock groaned open. Warm air left the ship in a long, lazy wave, scattering the sheets of the Venture 's log and commercial records over the floor. The thin, cold upper atmosphere of Nikkeldepain II came eddying in.
    "You next, Onswud!" the captain said. And a moment later: "Rapport, you just turn around— "
    Young Councilor Rapport went out through the lock at a higher velocity than could be attributed reasonably to his repulsor units. The captain winced and rubbed his foot. But it had been worth it.
    "Pausert," said Illyla in justifiable apprehension, "you are stark, staring mad!"
    "Not at all, my dear," the captain said cheerfully. “You and I are now going to take off and embark on a life of crime together."
    "But, Pausert —"
    "You'll get used to it," the captain assured her, "just l ike I did. It's got Nikkeldepain beat every which way."
    "You can't escape," Illyla said, white-faced. "We told them to bring up space destroyers and revolt ships... "
    "We'll blow them out through the stratosphere," the captain said belligerently, reaching for the lock-control switch. He added, "But they won't shoot anyway while I've got you on board."
    Illyla shook her head. "You just don't understand," she said desperately. "You can't make me stay!"
    "Why not?" asked the captain.
    "Pausert," said Illyla, "I am Madame Councilor Rapport."
    "Oh!" said the captain. There was a silence. He added, crestfallen, "Since when?"
    "Five months