Gavin was searched and then hustled up the ladder into the officer's
mess. As he was propelled through the door, conversation died in the
messroom, and four pairs of eyes turned on him curiously.
Gavin controlled his surprise. Villanowski was there, ironed to his
chair, his homely features taut with strain. At the table to the left
of Villanowski sat the emaciated factor. He wasn't ironed. Neither was
Nadia Petrovna. She had changed into crisp shorts and was leaning
forward, lips parted in surprise.
But it was the fourth man who drew the T.I.S. agent's attention.
He sat between Nadia Petrovna and the factor, lolling back in his chair
indolently, a sheaf of papers spread on the table before him. His face
was like a death mask in which the coloring, the lines had been painted
by a machine. It was perfect, but without life.
Then Gavin realized that it was a mask. The man's whole face was a lie,
even to the realistic mole on his chin.
He leaned across the table. "Who's this?" he asked in a strong harsh
voice.
"He says his name's Murdock. Claims he was third assistant-engineer. We
found him down in the engine room. He's killed Peters and dumped all
the fuel."
Nadia drew in her breath sharply, looked frightened. The factor's
fleshless features blackened with rage. Even Villanowski glanced up, a
look of surprise and dawning hope in his eyes. Only the man in the mask
didn't change expression.
"Go back to your post," he ordered Gavin's captors. "We'll take care of
Mr. Murdock." Then, when they had left, he said, "You were contacted
by my--ah--co-worker on Venus, Murdock. Mr. X, he called himself." He
chuckled, the noise issuing from between unsmiling painted lips like
the voice of an automaton. "For the sake of convenience, you can term
me Mr. Y."
Gavin didn't say anything.
"You have presented us with a problem," Mr. Y went on.
"Where's Cabot?" Gavin interrupted.
"Dead."
"The chief astrogator, the crew?"
"All dead. In fact, we thought we'd wiped the slate clean."
The factor suddenly slammed the table with his bony fist. "What are you
playing with him for, Y? I've sacrificed everything. The cantonment,
the slaves. I demand that he be done away with before he can contrive
any more damage."
* * * * *
Y regarded the factor with venomous amber eyes, the only living
features in his death mask. "Has it occurred to you to wonder _why_ Mr.
Murdock dumped the _Nova's_ fuel?"
The factor started.
"Mr. Murdock," said Y, turning back to Gavin, "what persuaded you to
ground the _Nova_?"
Gavin's lips thinned. He didn't say anything. Y continued to regard
him a moment. Then he asked Nadia, "I believe you suspected Murdock of
being an agent of United Spaceways, Miss Petrovna?"
Before the girl could answer the factor broke in again. "Why can't we
use the _Nova's_ special space drive?"
"You're referring to the machinery of the little death," rejoined Y.
"But I thought you knew. It can't operate until the _Nova_ has attained
a certain velocity. That much we've ascertained from Mr. Villanowski."
"Then we're trapped!" The factor leaped to his feet. His agility in the
increased gravity was amazing. Gavin realized that the long years the
factor had spent on Jupiter had trained his muscles as well as wrung
every ounce of extra flesh from his spare frame.
"I see that you've comprehended our position at last," said Y grimly.
"What about the emergency fuel tanks at the cantonment?"
"Gone. Your damned shelling exploded them."
Y nodded. "Just as I thought. If Murdock drained the _Nova's_ tanks, he
must be expecting help. It will have considerable bearing on any course
we plan to take, just who these aids are, how many they'll be, and when
to expect them."
He returned to Gavin. "You'll spare yourself a painful experience,
Murdock, if you talk now. You can't gain anything by forcing us to
wring the information from you. We won't hesitate to stoop to torture."
"No," Gavin agreed. "I suppose not." He hesitated. United Spaceways and
Tri-World were the two corporations most likely to want the _Nova's_
space drive. Nadia suspected that he was an agent of United Spaceways.
Therefore ... he moistened his lips. "My work's done, anyway. I'm a
Tri-World agent."
"But that's impossible!" Nadia burst out in sudden protest. "We...."
She paused, looking confused as she realized she'd been tricked.
Y said, "That was very clever, Murdock. Yes. I'm working for
Tri-World. Miss Petrovna and my good friend, the factor, have supplied
us with valuable information and help for a price. But the knowledge
won't be of any earthly use to you."
Gavin felt no triumph at the confirmation of his suspicions. What
Y said was true. As soon as they had squeezed him dry, he would be
silenced.
The door opened. A Terran appeared. "The slaves have all been unloaded
and dispersed, sir. The bodies of the crew are buried. We're ship-shape
and ready to take off."
Y put a forefinger to the chin of his death mask, rubbed the plastic
gently. "Establish radio contact with the _Comet_."
"Yes sir," replied the man. "The message, sir?"
"Rendezvous cancelled. Emergency. Proceed to us at once prepared to
divide fuel."
"Yes, sir." The man went out, closing the door softly behind him.