All were sweating, all uncomfortable, but all grateful for the twenty
credits a flight they would earn, whatever the cargo turned out to be.
"What do you think?" Pandit asked Sria.
"I think I've never been so hot in my life. I feel like I'm being
broiled alive."
"Here comes the Denebian now."
They had been driven into the Empty Places in a sand sled. The trip had
taken two days but because the sled was air-conditioned no one had
objected. When they saw the half dozen jets they knew why a sled had
taken them into the wilderness. The jets were small cargo-carriers with
room for pilot, co-pilot and perhaps a ton of cargo in each. Whatever it
was the Denebians wanted exported, it didn't take up much room.
Orkap of Deneb walked toward them past the first of the jets. He began
without preamble: "Your cargo is packed and ready to be moved in an
underground vault five hundred yards from here. You will break up into
pairs, a pilot and co-pilot for each jet." Sria Krishna and Pandit had
already paired themselves together. "You work on your own time, getting
the cargo with trundle-sleds, loading it, taking off, delivering it to
the Denebian freighter at the spaceport. When you are finished, you
collect your pay."
"Where do we sleep?" someone asked.
* * * * *
Orkap smiled. "You didn't come out here to sleep. There is only a
limited amount of cargo. The jets are swift. You will be paid according
to the amount of work you do. Any other questions?"
"What about food?" a plump young Ophiuchan asked.
"You will be given energy tablets, as many as you wish. Any other
questions? No? Good. I have two additional things to say. First, you are
not to examine your cargo under any circumstances, either here, or in
transit, or on the spacefield. There are televid pick-up units in each
jet, so you will be watched at all times. Second--" Orkap paused and let
the silence grow and spread across the dazzling white expanse--"there is
a spy among you, wearing the body of an Ophiuchan but in reality--well,
I don't have to tell you who he is in reality." Orkap smiled grimly.
"There is only one body-changer in the galaxy, but one is quite enough."