"A gangster!" Morna shrieked. She slapped Henry twice across the face, knocking his shoes loose from the magnetic deck. He flipped and fell against the net with his feet touching the ceiling.

In the confusion, Joachim broke from his terrified trance and dived through the door. "I'll get 'im!" Aziz roared and, waving his knife, followed the fleeing Second Vice-President.

As Henry struggled to regain an erect position, Morna wailed in his ear, "I thought you were good and handsome, but you're a gangster! You didn't deserve to be saved!" She slapped him again, knocking him to the deck, and began to weep wildly. Under no gravity, the tears spread in a film across her face. Surprised, she stopped crying and wiped her cheeks with her hands. A few tears flew into the air as shimmering globes.

Joachim floated into the compartment. His long chin was bruised, and he muttered, "Save the Rings!" Aziz, grinning, followed and stood on guard before the door. Morna gasped, darted to her employer, and made helpless gestures.

"All right, now," Vicenzo said. "Let's get this jaunt moving. Henry, tie these cubes up and—"

"We can't do it, Vicenzo," Henry said, staring in horror at Joachim's half-conscious body.

"What?"

Henry said, "It's the old man. His heart's bad. The acceleration would k-kill him!"

"Dat's the chance he's gotta take," Aziz sneered.

"You mean you don't care if you m-murder someone?"

"It's all in the orbit," Vicenzo said. "I told you that when you clinched with us."

"I didn't believe you," Henry said. "You can't hurt Ranjit! He saved my life!"

"Dat's what he was supposed to do, so's ya could get aboard," Aziz said.

"But he really did save me! He pulled me in on a lifeline. I would've missed the station. I wouldn't be surprised if you two tried to m-murder me! I'm checking out. The whole deal's off. Both of you get back in the ship and go! I'll give you that much of a chance. I'll stay here and take Revision, or whatever's coming 

 Prev. P 11/18 next