“You tell them about the TP charges?” I asked. “I didn’t get to that part,” Dr. Schein sighed. He fell into glowering silence as we began our drive back to camp. Halfway there I said, “What are we going to do now?”

“We’ll go to GGC 1145591 and find that asteroid vault.”

“Despite Galaxy Central?”

“Despite Galaxy Central,” Dr. Schein said. “There’s no turning back for us now.” He sounded grim.

Over the next couple of days Dr. Schein, Dr. Horkkk, and Pilazinool were locked in almost constant conferences, and Dr. Schein made several more trips to town to talk things over via TP with Galaxy Central. Almost no information on any of this filtered down to us underlings. Sometimes Dr. Schein let a few words slip to his chauffeur, sometimes not. Meanwhile we went on digging, dating, playing the globe, and otherwise carrying on business as usual. This was the mixture of fact and rumor that we put together:

?Pilazinool is overwhelmingly in favor of going to 1145591 no matter what the consequences.

? Dr. Horkkk has had second thoughts about his professional reputation and now would like to remain on Higby V for the duration of our grants.

?Dr. Schein is wavering between the two positions, but generally feels that we have already compromised ourselves beyond repair and might as well go through with the voyage.

Also:

?That all our grants are being cancelled and we are being ordered back to Galaxy Central for a roasting. (This has been denied by Dr. Schein.)

?That Galaxy Central insists that we go on digging here, but is sending a separate expedition to 1145591. (This is still circulating, unverified.)

?That we have been cut off from our financial sup port, but Dr. Schein is trying to raise private funds for an immediate expedition to 1145591. (Confirmed by Dr. Horkkk and denied by Dr. Schein on the same day. Who’s lying?)

The only thing we know for sure, and we aren’t very sure of it, is what I said at the beginning of this letter: we leave here next week for 1145591. An official order has been posted in the lab to that effect. We’re supposed to stop excavations tomorrow, begin backfilling the site, and pack.

All is confusion.

A day later, and confusion has been replaced by catastrophe. At least for yours truly.

All three bosses went into town after breakfast and spent the whole morning in TP communication with Galaxy Central. The rest of us started, in a halfhearted and uncertain way, the shutting down of operations. Most of us expected to be told later in the day that we weren’t going anywhere and better open up the excavation again, so we didn’t put much effort into the shutdown.

A little past noon our leaders returned. For the first time since the beginning of the crisis they looked reasonably calm. Dr. Schein was actually smiling. As they got out of the runabout, Dr. Horkkk said, “Everything is settled. We have Galaxy Central’s permission, and we are departing on schedule for GGC 1145591.”

That was all. They disappeared into the lab. A little while later they summoned Saul Shahmoon and Leroy Chang to a conference. Secrecy prevailed.

At dinnertime this notice was posted in our quarters:

MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION:

Agreement has been reached with Galaxy Central for suspension of operations on Higby V and for immediate transfer of activities to the solar system of the black dwarf star GGC 1145591. An ultraspace cruiser making a regular run will pick us up here on October 21. The following members of the expedition will depart for GGC 1145591 at that time:

Dr. Schein

Pilazinool

408b

Professor Chang

Kelly Watchman

Mirrik

Jan Mortenson

Steen Steen

The following members of the expedition will remain on Higby V until October 27, at which time a second ultraspace cruiser will pick them up and convey them to Galaxy Central, where they are to deliver the globe and other artifacts, and report on our findings thus far:

Dr. Horkkk

Professor Shahmoon

Tom Rice

It is hoped that these individuals will be able to rejoin the expedition at a later date.

I read the notice six times, and still didn’t believe it. How could they do this to me? Ship me back to Galaxy Central? Cut me out of the expedition at its most exciting point?

Is it fair? I’m the one who found the globe. I’m the one who thought up the way we could have the location of the asteroid traced. And now — packed off to Galaxy Central while the others go on into the unknown-While Jan goes —

I staggered across to the other dorm and found her. “Have you seen the notice?” I asked, though I could tell without asking that she had.

She nodded. “Isn’t it awful?”

“Jan, how could this be happening?”

“It’s a dirty deal, that’s what it is!”

“What is this business about sending the globe back to Galaxy Central? I thought we decided not to do that. And to make me go with it — instead — instead—”

Jan said, “I’ve asked Pilazinool about that. He says it’s Galaxy Central’s pound of flesh.”

“I don’t follow that.”

“Galaxy Central is furious with us for walking off Higby V, after so much effort went into planning this expedition.”

“I know, but—”

“The bosses had to calm them down somehow. There were all sorts of negotiations, Pilazinool said, and finally they mentioned the globe. Galaxy Central wants that globe. We agreed to ship it to them if they’d let us hunt for the asteroid.”

“All right,” I said, “so it’s politics. I don’t mind that. But why me? I found the globe, didn’t I? I’ve got a right to see that vault! I — I—”

“Calm down,” Jan murmured. “It’s no use shouting at me, chimpo! I’m on your side already. You’ve got to talk to Dr. Schein and show him how unfair this is. Maybe he didn’t even stop to think about it — just picked you to go at random. Go to him now. We’ll all back you up, Tom. We’ll sign a petition or something.” She gave me a little kiss on the cheek, nothing passionate, a we’re-for-you kind of kiss. Then she turned me around and pointed me toward the lab.

I went numbly over there and peered in. Dr. Horkkk and 408b were conferring. Somehow I didn’t feel like asking aliens for mercy, so I said, “Is Dr. Schein around?”

“Went back to town,” Dr. Horkkk said sharply. “What is it?”

“Pilazinool, perhaps—?”

“Went with Dr. Schein.” More sharply, this.

“Well,” I said weakly, “I just wanted to ask a question. About the three people taking the globe back to Galaxy Central. If it’s possible, Dr. Horkkk, I’d like to be excused from that assignment. That is, if I have to go to Galaxy Central it means I’ll miss close to a year of the expedition, and—”

Dr. Horkkk brusquely waved a couple of arms at me. “Take it up with someone else,” he snapped. “These procedural matters are not my concern.”

Dismissed. Zog out, Rice, I’ve got no time for you.

Dr. Schein and Pilazinool didn’t get back to camp until late tonight, about an hour ago as I dictate this. They went straight to the lab and they’re still there. I don’t know what this is all about, Lorie. But I don’t mean to let them sposh me like this without a fight. I’ve earned a place on this expedition!

October 16

I waited up half the night for Dr. Schein to come to the dorm, but he didn’t show, and finally I fell asleep. In the morning, as we got breakfast, I went over to him and said tentatively, “Dr. Schein, if I could trouble you about a certain aspect of the notice that was posted yesterday—”