"Can't you get some plant here on Aurora to hand tool one for you?" asked Tee.

"No, that's just it," replied Jenner. "It's a special alloy. The owners of the process wouldn't give us any details on the manufacture. Anyway, even if we knew how, we couldn't duplicate it without their special machine tools."

"Does that mean—"

"I'm afraid so. The ship won't be ready for a month, now."

"A month! I can't wait a month."

"You can't wait a month? We've got four million tied up in that ship and you tell me you can't wait a month."

"Look, Mr. Jenner, I'll test it without the unit."

"That's impossible. The ship would vibrate into a billion pieces as soon as it went into subspace. No! We'll just have to wait."

"I can't wait," cried Tee. "You'll have to get another pilot."

"Just a minute! You can't walk out on your contract. If it's a matter of credits—"

Tee shook his head. "That's not it at all. I just can't stay that long."

Jenner looked at him angrily. [137] "Well, your contract isn't up till the end of the week anyway. We'll see what we can do about a replacement then."

[137]

After Jenner had left, Tee sat smoking in the darkness. He placed his elbow on the couch arm and cupped his chin in his palm. Then restlessly, he snuffed out his cigarette and rubbed his hands together. They felt moist and clammy. He jerked nervously as a click sounded out in the hall. Only a door opening across the way. He bit the fleshy part of his middle finger and then began to worry his ring with his teeth. He lit another cigarette and dropped it into the disposal almost immediately.

He got up and began to pace the room. Six steps forward. Turn. Six steps back. Turn. Six steps forward—or was it five this time? The walls seemed to be closing in, constricting. His head felt light and his tongue and palate grew dry. He tried to swallow, and a feeling of nausea came over him. His throat grew tight and he felt as though he were choking. Rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand it came away wet with perspiration. He rushed to the window and struggled futilely 

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