"It isn't that," said Kielgaard. "I'm thinking how I'd feel in your
place. These Truthians don't have any give in their system. Right's
right, and wrong's wrong, and they hand out rewards and punishments
irrespective of persons."
There was a sharp rap at the door.
Dan tried to sit up, but he was still too weak.
Kielgaard said sadly, "I tried to reason with them, but I might as well
have talked to a wall."
"Listen," said Dan, becoming alarmed. "What's wrong?"
"I don't have the heart to tell you," said Kielgaard.
* * * * *
Picking up a large briefcase, he said, "Do what you think best. I might
mention that we're giving you a bonus, though I suppose that's no
consolation."
The rap at the door was repeated and there were sounds of arguments
outside.
"What's in that briefcase?" said Dan.
"A big version of the kind of mataform transceiver you used. There's a
dreadnaught of ours orbiting the planet with another transceiver like
this on board. The key word, in case you should have use for it, is
'Krakior.'"
The door burst open and three men came in, arguing with a man in a
white jacket.
"That doesn't matter," said the first man, a familiar-looking
individual who was opening a square case with carrying handle. "The
only question is, was it or was it not an unauthorized kill, and is
this the man? We have our checker set up to answer this question
and that's all there is to it." He glanced at Dan. "Hold out your
fingertips, please, and touch those plates. Purely a routine check."
Behind the man with the case were two men with armbands and shields.
One glanced disinterestedly at Dan and cocked his gun.
Dan looked at the head of A Section and said fervently, "Thank you,
Kielgaard."
The doctor in the white jacket was arguing to no visible effect as the
tube was held to Dan's eyes, snapped back into the case, and the case
clapped shut, to give its loud alarm clang.
The assassin with the gun calmly leveled it at Dan and fired.
All he hit was a suddenly empty bed.
Dan had said the key word.