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intentionally brief so as not to invite further questions.
    “Ah, yes.” Jeret nodded, glancing downward. “I see you were there only last December.”
    “Last January.” Daniel Hark corrected automatically. Eric was impressed with the thoroughness of Sammy’s preparation. As the responses had obviously not been recorded in succession, to move smoothly from one to the next quite a feat.
    “Are you aware of the ban Tau Ceti has placed on the importation of drugs otherwise allowed in The Union?”
    “On Bromitzen and Quibzen, yes. I have neither aboard.”
    “What is the anticipated credit transference relating to your cargo?”
    “Fifty-five thousand, approximately.”
    “When was Excalibur ’s last inspection?”
    “Last week. It’s there in your records.”
    “So it is. How many passengers have you aboard?”
    Sammy lost his slouch, suddenly sitting up. “We’ve got a problem,” he said quickly.
    “Five,” the holograph answered.
    “Their names, please?” Jeret asked.
    “What is it?” Strem demanded.
    “I am not obligated to supply you with their names.”
    “Agreed, but we would prefer it if you would. For our records, you understand.”
    “He’ll want to see us,” Sammy said. “We’ll have to go on manual and improvise.”
    “Oh, no. Don’t,” Strem groaned. Cleo jumped to her feet and her carefully crafted tough image stayed seated. Jeanie’s opants appeared to overload and went blank. Eric felt his heart rate double and his self-confidence slashed in half. If they had to pause to think what to advise the holograph to say, even for a couple of seconds, Central Control would get suspicious. Eric moved closer to Sammy and his console.
    “I don’t understand,” Uncle Dan retorted. “Their identity is confidential under Section A of Senate Amendment Twenty-seven. We are in free space.”
    Jeret nodded with a trace of impatience. “We are aware of the law. Still, the request is not unreasonable. We simply want to make sure your passengers are comfortable. May we at least see them?”
    “We cannot give another stall,” Sammy said with grave certainty. Laws and amendments aside, Jeret could haul them in if he felt like it. Eric acted without thinking, which often worked better for him.
    “Go to manual!” he ordered Sammy. “Say, he’d have to wake us.”
    Sammy did not hesitate. He activated his mike and said, “I’d have to wake them.”
    “I’d have to wake them,” Uncle Dan said.
    “All of them?” Jeret asked.
    Eric crowded Sammy aside. “Let me see,” he said directly into the mike.
    “Let me see,” Uncle Dan said.
    “Very well,” Jeret nodded.
    Eric disengaged the mike. “Have him walk away!”
    “No problem,” Sammy said, typing vigorously on the computer keyboard. The holograph strolled out of its cubical area and vanished. As far as Jeret was concerned, Daniel Hark had just left the bridge.
    “Now what?” Strem said. “Why did you tell Jeret that?”
    “I was buying us time,” Eric said.
    “For what?” Strem demanded.
    “What would you have done?” Eric yelled back.
    “Don’t fight!” Jeanie pleaded.
    “Can we tell them it was all just a joke?” Cleo asked in a small voice.
    “Let’s have less talk and more thought,” Sammy said, and even though he sounded slightly exasperated. “We have at most a minute to figure out what to do next.”
    “You’re the genius!” Strem told Sammy. “You do the thinking!”
    “We could have Daniel Hark tell him that none of us will get up,” Sammy muttered.
    “That would make Jeret suspicious,” Eric said, frowning in concentration, feeling the seconds slip away. Time – it was always there except when you needed it.
    “We could be on weak ground,” Sammy agreed.
    “Could your aunt also represent me?” Strem asked Cleo.
    Eric looked at Sammy, into his brilliant bloodshot eyes, and saw no magic solution forthcoming. On the screen Jeret had turned to the side and was talking to someone they couldn’t