"I know both of them," Cooms said. "Boltan works highjacking crews out
of Orado. Quillan operates there occasionally."
"Pappy Boltan's an old business associate," Quillan agreed. "Reliable
sort of a guy. Doesn't mind taking a few chances either."
Velladon's protruding blue eyes measured him a moment. "We can check
on those two, you know--"
"Check away," Quillan said.
Velladon nodded. "We will." He was silent for a second or two, then
glanced over at Cooms. "There've been no leaks on our side," he
remarked. "And they must have known about this for weeks! Of all the
inept, bungling--"
"Ah, don't be too hard on the Brotherhood, commodore," Quillan said.
"Leaks happen. You ought to know."
"What do you mean?" Velladon snapped.
"From what we heard, the Brotherhood's pulling you out of a hole here.
You should feel rather kindly toward them."
The commodore stared at him reflectively. Then he grinned. "Could be I
should," he said, "Did you come here alone?"
"Yes."
The commodore nodded. "If you're bluffing, God help you. If you're
not, your group's in. Twenty per. No time for haggling--we can raise
Yaco's price to cover it." He stood up, and Ryter stood up with him.
"Marras," the commodore went on, "tell him what's happened. If he's
half as hot as he sounds, he's the boy to put on that job. Let him get
in on a little of the work for the twenty per cent. Ryter, come on.
We--"
"One moment, sir," Quillan interrupted. He took Orca's gun by the
muzzle from his pocket, held it out to Velladon. "One of your men lost
this thing. The one outside the door. If you don't mind--he might pout
if he doesn't get it back."
* * * * *
The fifth level of the Executive Block appeared to be, as Heraga had
said, quite small. The tiny entry hall, on which two walk-in portals
opened, led directly into the large room where the two Pendrake rest
cubicles had been placed. One of the cubicles now stood open. To right
and left, a narrow passage stretched away from the room, ending
apparently in smaller rooms.
Baldy Perk was perspiring profusely.
"Now right here," he said in a low voice, "was where I was standing.
Movaine was over there, on the right of the cubicle, and Cooms was
beside him. Rubero was a little behind me, hanging on to the
punk--that Kinmarten. An' the Duke"--he nodded back at the wide
doorspace to the hall--"was standing back there.
"All right. The punk's opened the cubicle a crack, looking like he's
about to pass out while he's doin' it. This bearded guy, Eltak, stands
in front of the cubicle, holding the gadget he controls the thing
with--"
"Where's the gadget now?" Quillan asked.
"Marras Cooms' got it."
"How does it work?"
Baldy shook his head. "We can't figure it out. It's got all kinds of
little knobs and dials on it. Push this one an' it squeaks, turn that
one an' it buzzes. Like that."