The Gripping Hand Read Online Free PDF Page B

faceplate."
     
     

    "I've had this nightmare twice myself, I've heard it so often. Bury, it would have served you right if you'd grabbed the wrong air tank."
     
     

    "It was not the worst of my fears. The faceplate smashed and a score of Watchmaker class Moties blew out and thrashed in the vacuum, and with them came a tumbling head. That was how they got past the Marines. And I would have taken that air tank past Lenin 's Marines."
     
     

    "Maybe."
     
     

    "And maybe I was not the only one. Two Able Spacers were on Mote Prime. We all saw how useful Watchmakers were when properly used by the Engineer class of Moties. Did one of them find yet another way to conceal Watchmakers? Or Engineers or Masters ?"
     
     

    "It's hard to disprove, Bury, but you really don't have any reason for thinking so. By the way, don't tell that story to anyone else."
     
     

    Bury glared. "I haven't told you for twenty-five years. Kevin, we do have something useful. If this three-hand way of thinking spread because there are Moties around—of whatever class—then I know who is guilty. The Governor says that he and his companion spread that. He would be lying, covering up."
     
     

    "Maybe not. He might really believe—"
     
     

    "Kevin—"
     
     

    "Or maybe it was Weiss. All right, all right. We still don't know about the money flow. We don't know where the cargoes went when Captain Fox used his flinger. We need to find out."
     
     

    "You must report to the Navy first. In case we should disappear."
     
     

    "Right. And then I'll find a way to chase Outies, and you find a way to chase Moties, and I'll be in Scotland before ye. Now I'm going to bed. When I was in the sauna, I swore I'd go to bed sober."
     
     

    ". . . Yes."
     
     
3: The Maguey Worm
Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love.

     

    —Shakespeare, As You Like It , Act 4, Scene 1

     

     
     
     

    Ruth Cohen led the way downstairs into the cellar of Government House. Two Marines were seated at the far end of a long, blank-walled corridor. One stood to attention. The other remained at his console.
     
     

    "Identity, Commander, please." He waited as Ruth stared into a retinal pattern reader and put her hand on the Identiplate.
     
     

    "Ruth Cohen. Lieutenant Commander, Imperial Navy. Unrestricted access to security systems," the box said.
     
     

    "Now you, sir."
     
     

    "It won't know me," Renner said.
     
     

    "Sir . . ."
     
     

    "I know the drill, Sergeant." Renner looked into the box. A red light danced about in his eyes.
     
     

    "Pattern recorded. Subject unknown," the box said.
     
     

    The Marine touched buttons on his console. A door swung open to reveal a small antechamber that looked much like an airlock. As Renner and Cohen entered the antechamber, the Marine dictated, "Lieutenant Commander Cohen and subject identified as Kevin Renner, civilian, Imperial Autonetics, entered security rooms . . ."
     
     

    The inner door opened when the outer door was closed and locked. Renner couldn't help thinking of the weapons the Marines could use on them while they were locked into the comfortably furnished suite. There was a conference table, good chairs, and a couch, all identical to security rooms Renner had seen on a dozen planets. "Seems like home," he said.
     
     

    Ruth Cohen held herself stiffly. She set her recorder on the table and wiped her palms on her skirt. Renner read her nervousness. "You all right?"
     
     

    "Maybe I don't interview captains all that often."
     
     

    Renner grinned. "Don't look like one, do I? There's a price for this, you know."
     
     

    "What?"
     
     

    "You'll have dinner with me tonight."
     
     

    "Captain . . ."
     
     

    "What are they going to do, fire me?" Renner demanded. He made faces at the recorder, which wasn't on. "That for you. And no report until Commander Cohen agrees to go out with me."
     
     

    "Suppose I refuse?"
     
     

    Renner stared. "Then I