No wonder that signal stabbed out into the
icy void. For it was a ship of hate and evil,
and ISP patrolman Steve Coran trusted only
one person--after strapping her in her bunk!
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories Summer 1949.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
On the high metallic wall across the street was a big sign: VENUS
TRANSPORT and a smaller sign which read CONTAMINATION AREA--KEEP OUT!
Steve Coran turned away from the window and faced the ISP official
across the desk.
"From the time you leave this office, you'll be in deadly danger," the
official said. "We aren't dealing with sporadic cases of space piracy.
This is a well-organized group of saboteurs, pirates and assassins
backed by a ring of powerful and unscrupulous men, some of them in
high places. They have more on their minds than mere looting. They
have certain political objectives--and will stop at nothing to cause
unrest, even war or revolution, to gain their ends. Fishers in troubled
waters...."
Coran laughed harshly. "Doesn't sound like a rest cure. Why'd you pick
me for the job?"
The official opened a file drawer and riffled the cards. "You were
recommended by the Ministry of Transport. I confess that I was dubious,
because of your record. However, you were transferred from the
Mars-Jupiter sector for the one reason that you're not known here. Any
of our regular security agents or the ISP men would be recognized at
once. Our original idea was to place you aboard a rocket transport as
a crewman to spy out the weak links in our defensive measures. But a
matter of graver importance has come up. The assignments will overlap,
but we can no longer give you official backing."
"You'd better bring me up to date," Coran said bluntly.
"The pattern is usually the same. Barratry. Three of the Venus
transports have been deliberately wrecked and looted. Of plutonium,
for the most part. Members of this criminal group have infiltrated
the crew. Even trusted officers have been forced, by blackmail or
other methods, to aid the plotters. We can trust no one, not even the
captain."
"I see. What is this other matter you spoke about?"
"Two days ago we arrested a man. The charge was barratry. We had
no name, only a heliophoto from Venus. In his possession we found
documents relating to political matters of vital importance. Release of
the information contained in his portfolio would be disastrous at this
time. It could cause chaos, perhaps even war."