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Jettero Heller was one of the best looking guys around but there was more to this than that。 This was all out of my depth。 It could be very dangerous。
I had a bright idea。 〃Well；〃 I said； 〃if he can speed…learn as fast as that； we'll just take the player and strips to my room and he can study there。〃
〃No！〃 She shouted it。 Then she said； very quietly； 〃There's a regulation that equipment can't leave here。〃 That was a lame one。 I took stuff in and out of here all the time。
He had done four strips。 I stood up and tapped him on the shoulder。 〃That's all for today；〃 I said。 〃We've got other appointments。 e on！〃 And I dragged him out of there。 I don't like things I don't understand。
Chapter 5
We took a tube to the topmost tower of Spiteos。 It was after sunset and also because there is a partial roof there we couldn't be seen in case of overflights。 The star…pierced desert sky stretched like a jewelled dome from horizon to horizon。 The lights of Camp Endurance winked below us。 Oh； it is good to get a breath of clean air after a day spent down in the stench of Spiteos！
〃Heller；〃 I said； after we had settled ourselves in an embrasure； 〃I've got to talk to you。〃 I could see the desert wind rumpling his hair； but I could not make out his eyes in the starlight。 I seemed to have his attention。
〃Mission Earth；〃 I continued； 〃is of vital importance。 I must not take any chances in failing to carry out my orders。〃 Needless to say； I did not tell him those orders involved making him fail。 But strangely enough； I had a sort of brotherly feeling for him and what I had to tell him is the sort of thing one junior officer has to tell another whether it is appreciated or not。
〃You are new to this espionage special agent game。 I am your handler。 You know what that means。 I am the one that guides your actions。〃 He seemed to be giving me his attention。 So I dropped the bombload on him。 〃That female you met this afternoon is trouble。 Trouble with a capital crash！〃 Heller didn't say anything。 〃Brother officers；〃 I said； 〃have to tell their brother officers these things every now and then。 I know you may not like it but it has to be done。
〃It is true she was a Countess once。 But that is the only thing true about her。 Do you remember the name 'Lissus Moam'？ The one that was in the news so much about three years ago？〃 He didn't speak； so I went on。 〃She was arrested and tried and sentenced to death。 Forty…three children were also sentenced and executed。 It all happened on the Planet Manco。 She is a genius at training。 And she used her position in the Division of Education to recruit and train youngsters as bank robbers。 She taught them to open any vault； to bypass any alarm system。 They raked in millions。
〃Now； there is some question about the next part as it is said that the Assistant Lord of Education for Manco did it…at least she said so at her trial。 But those children were taught to murder and at every job they murdered every guard； some of them pretty horribly。
〃The Domestic Police turned her over secretly to the Apparatus： that's how these things work。 And she has been here at Spiteos for nearly three years。〃 It was all right to give him details。 If I got him to Blito…P3； by the time he returned here everything would be changed anyway。 〃In those three years； she has murdered three guards。 The first simply reached for her hair； probably to stroke it。 She had a whip in her hand： she took the butt of it and jammed it straight through his heart。
〃A few months later； one of the toughest beasts in Spiteos whispered something in her ear…nobody knows what。 She seized him around the back； put her head under his chin and pulled。 His back snapped in three places and it took him about four days to die。
〃Just two months ago； right down there in the training area； she was teaching one of our toughest special agents a new twist on hand…to…hand bat。 Probably in a teasing movement； but not even that； most likely； he made an improper gesture。 You know； she wears those thigh boots and jacket but nothing else…factually I don't think she has anything else except some work coveralls she wears to handle big lizards that have scrapey skins。 Witnesses say he didn't even touch her and others say he did reach her crotch。 Heller； just using the edge of her hand； she broke his arm！ Then he called her a stinking whore。 They say that； without the faintest trace of emotion； she said； 'I am a virgin and you will apologize' and without waiting for any answer； she broke his jaw。 And that isn't the worst of it。 She stamped him！ She just stamped him on and on。 Heller； there wasn't an unbroken bone left in that fellow's body！ I didn't see the others； but I did see this fellow afterwards and he looked like red paste！
〃The only one that can hit her and get away with it is Lombar Hisst。〃 Heller showed his first interest。 〃You mean the Chief Executive of the Apparatus has hit her？〃
〃We're all terrified of him and with very ample reason。 After all； he's 。。。〃 I checked myself。 I had almost said 〃The most powerful official in the Voltarian Confederacy〃 but that wasn't quite true yet and would give things away。 So I said； 〃。。。 too dangerous。〃 Heller seemed to be very thoughtful now。 So I really drove it home。 〃Jettero…and I can call you Jettero； can't I？ I am a brother officer and have a personal feeling； too。 I have got to get you off this planet alive。 I have got to do my duty with regard to Mission Earth。 And listen； Jettero； you go fooling around with the Countess Krak； making remarks like you did today； getting funny ideas about her and； well； I don't care how good you are with hand…to…hand； you will be one very dead Jettero Heller。
〃You steer clear of the Countess Krak！ There may be others that don't want this mission to succeed； but this afternoon they took the rear seat。 The primary danger you're courting right this moment consists of making passes at that female。 Now； I know it is lonely in space and that you're just back from a long trip and all that。 But the Countess Krak is death incarnate！ Stay away！〃 I laughed a bit to take the sting out of the order。 〃After all； it will be hard enough to get you off this planet without that！ Now we won't say any more about it。〃 Heller sat there for a while。 I could see he was thinking about something very hard。 I respected his silence。 It was obvious he had a problem now for I could see him gnawing at it。
〃There's one thing I can't remember；〃 said Jettero。
I was all attention； inviting his confidence。
He looked at me searchingly。 I could see he was deeply troubled； even perplexed。 〃Would you say her eyes were gray？ Or are they pale blue？〃 I gave it up in disgust。 I got him back to the room。 I had other important things to do anyway。
Chapter 6
Lombar always said that when you let an underling get away with something and did not punish him severely； you yourself would shortly be in trouble。 I considered this very wise。
I could sense that I myself was walking on a very thin crust and； without any doubt whatever； I was headed for trouble。 Therefore； it was obvious that I had not properly handled underlings。 Before things got further out of hand； I knew I had to punis