The detective laid his hand on my arm. "I said I didn't think this
transaction was going through." He turned to the colonizer. "You'd
better switch things back to the way they were."
"No," I said, pressing the gun through my coat pocket into the belly of
the detective, "don't pay any attention to this character." I crossed
over with my other hand and withdrew the money.
"Take this," I said to the colonizer, "and get out of here. Fast as you
can!"
He was confused but not on basic things. He took his money and
virtually ran.
Ten minutes to nine.
They were closing up the passenger airlock, removing the ramp.
"You know," said the detective very quietly, "my buddy is coming. He
won't understand this embrace we're in. I'm quite sure he won't like it
one bit."
The last of the animals were being led into the livestock hold. The
ranchers were dispersing. The colonizers were all aboard. We stood
virtually alone beside the ship.
"I am prepared to be killed," I said, "and to take you with me in the
process."
A police car hovered in the air beside us.
"Say!" yelled its pilot. "They've found the Sponsor car over next to
the Asteroid surveyor!" He pointed across the field. "They're searching
the ship. We've got to help. Hop on!"