Big Unse put his face down close to the serf's, said, "Don't cry out,
or by the star on my forehead, I'll skin you alive."
The serf's eyes rolled. He nodded vigorously trying to convey his
absolute willingness to cooperate.
There was a faint amused gleam in Cosmo's eyes. He paused before the
office, then slid the panel back.
Mia and the Blue Venus, still manacled, stumbled to their feet. Llana,
the slave woman jerked around from the windows, her jaw dropping. Then
she bit her lip, glanced at the button on the glassite desk.
"Stay away from the desk, Llana," Cosmo admonished her. He stood aside,
allowed his men to file into the office. They deposited Bemmelman on
the sofa. Cosmo saw that Natal was safely inside, shut the door. At his
nod, Big Unse unlocked both the girls.
Mia said: "But ... but...." Then a look of fright wiped away the relief
on her wide gray eyes. "The Security Patrol! Cosmo, they'll be here any
moment! Please Cosmo, don't let them catch you!"
The buzzer on the telecast began to sound.
"It's too late." Cosmo smiled grimly. "I've a hunch that's the Security
Patrol now." He turned to the Terran slave girl, said: "Llana, string
along with me, and I'll promise that both you and your daughter are
provided with passage to Earth."
The telecast continued to buzz impatiently.
"My daughter!" The slave girl clapped her hand to her mouth. "You know."
"I've suspected," he corrected her. "There's a resemblance. So Sofi
really is your daughter."
Mia looked from the Blue Venus to Llana in bewilderment. There didn't
seem to be over five years difference in their ages. "It's ... it's
impossible!" she blurted out.
The Blue Venus smiled enigmatically.
Cosmo said: "I thought, Llana, that Sofi was the hold Bemmelman had
over you."
At mention of the planter's name Llana stiffened. "He'll kill Sofi if I
betray him!"
Cosmo shook his head.
"You haven't any evidence against him," she insisted. "Even if you had,
they wouldn't believe the Renegade."
"Exactly," said Cosmo. "Answer the telecast, Llana."
Her face set. She went to the audio, switched it on.
"The Security Patrol is here," came Rabaul's voice. "What shall I do
with them?"
Llana glanced deadfaced at Cosmo, who said in an undertone: "Tell him
to send the Commissioner here. Have his men served with refreshments."
She repeated the orders tonelessly into the telecast.
"Right," said Rabaul. The instrument went dead.
Cosmo went behind the glassite desk, sat down. He leveled his dart gun
straight at Natal, the Martian.
"Natal," he said in a cold manner. "Bemmelman sold you down the river.
He told me you were his spy."
The Martian blanched, but his black eyes were hard as marbles. "I
should have guessed the pig would betray me."
"Get his gun, Big Unse," said Cosmo.
The Fozoql catfooted behind the Martian, relieved him of his weapon.
"Follow my lead," said Cosmo to Natal, concealing the dart gun up his
sleeve. "Because, so help me, if you don't, you're a dead Martian."
Natal nodded, stiff faced but willing.
Bemmelman groaned, sat up. He regarded the scene in disbelief. Then his
little pig eyes narrowed. He didn't say anything and Cosmo ignored him.
There was a knock on the door.
"That's the Commissioner," said Cosmo. "Let him in, Big Unse."
Mia looked wretched, frightened. "No," she said and bit her lip to
stifle the rest of the protest.
Big Unse slid back the panel.
The fat commissioner waddled inside. He was even fatter than he
appeared over the visoscreen. He bulged in his clothes like a sausage.
"Well, Hal," he began in a hearty voice, "you lucky dog. The fifty
thou...." The words stuck in his throat. He stared at the hard faced
green eyed man behind the desk, at Bemmelman in irons. He revolved
slowly, taking in the silent men about the walls, the three girls.
"Wh-what's this?" He sputtered, but there was a sick, frightened look
in his eyes. "Where's the Renegade?"
"There he is, Commissioner," replied Cosmo dryly. "All done up in
irons." He pointed at Bemmelman lying manacled on the sofa.