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ies and any pools of light； I could not help but think how much Apparatus work was always done like this： skulking； silent； dangerous； like beasts of prey。
Lombar Hisst was looking at each ship for a set of numbers and letters。 He was muttering them over and over as he prowled along。 It seemed to me he must have eyes like a lepertige for I could not make out the numbers on the sterns of the innumerable craft and； Devils forbid； we would show no light。
Suddenly； he stopped； moved closer to a towering stern to verify and then whispered； 〃That's it！ B…44…A…539…G。 This is the ship that made the Earth run！〃 He held a whispered conference with the squad leader。 Seconds later they had picked the lock of the patrol craft airlock。 Like shadows； fifteen men of the 2nd Death Battalion had melted aboard。 It scared me。 What were they going to do？ Pirate a ship of the Royal Fleet？
A last flurry of whispers with the squad leader； ending with； 〃。。。 and hide yourselves well until they're in flight。〃 Then Lombar turned to me and said in a voice he forgot to guard； 〃Why can't you attend to these things； you （bleep）？〃 He didn't want any answer。 As long as I knew Lombar Hisst； he never waited for any answer from anyone about anything。 He did all the talking。 Suddenly we were running； crouched over； back along the field edge toward the waiting trucks。
We moved under their unlighted bulk and Lombar spat out a name。 The starlight and some reflection from the nearby barracks showed me a small figure crawling down from a cab。 I did not recognize the face。 He was dressed in the duty uniform of a Fleet orderly…red spats； red belt； red cap； white blouse； white pants…unmistakable。 But I knew it was no Fleet spaceman： it would be a member of what we called the Knife Section； dressed in a stolen uniform。
Lombar pushed an envelope into his hand。 Two Apparatus mechanics pulled a speedwheeler out of the back of a lorry。 Lombar checked and then smeared some mud over its side numbers。
〃Don't give that envelope over；〃 snarled Lombar。 〃Just show it！〃 He snapped his stinger at the bogus orderly and the speedwheeler went whispering off toward the barracks。
We waited； crouching in the dark beside the black lorries。 Five minutes went by。 Then six。 Then ten。 Lorn…bar was getting restless。 He had just risen to his feet to take some other action when the furthest barrack's doors flashed open。 A set of floodlights went on。 Three personnel carriers shot out of a garage and drew up before the doors。 About twenty Fleet spacemen threw themselves into the transport and even at that considerable distance one could hear their excitement。 They roared off down the field to the ship we had just left。
Lombar stood there； watching through a pair of light magnifiers； grunting from time to time as he checked off expected actions。
The lights of B…44…A…539…G flared up。 Its chargers began to whine。 The personnel carriers drew back。 The patrol craft leaped like a lightning flash and was gone into the sky。
The speedwheeler whispered back and the member of the Knife Section got off。 He pushed the vehicle at the waiting mechanics to reload and then sauntered over to Lombar。
〃Took it like babies；〃 said the bogus messenger with an evil grin。 He handed over the envelope。 I took it because Lombar was busy scanning the sky。 It said； Fleet Orders。 Very Secret。 Very Urgent。
Lombar had the light magnifiers on the heavens。 〃They spoke to no one。〃 It was a statement； not a question。
〃No one；〃 said Knife Section。
〃They were all there；〃 said Lombar。 Another statement。
〃All there；〃 said Knife Section。 〃The craftleader called the roll。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Lombar； seeing something in the sky； 〃they've turned。 In less than an hour they'll all be safe in Spiteos and B…44…A…539…G will be found in a day or two burned to a crisp in the Great Desert。〃 It seemed to give him a lot of satisfaction。 My blood was running cold。 Conditioned as I was to operations of the Apparatus； the kidnapping of a Royal Fleet crew and wanton destruction of an expensive long…range star patrol craft was a bit wide even for that lawless organization。 And forging some admiral's signature could bring a death sentence。 I was still holding the envelope the Knife Section had handed me and I hastily put it in my blouse； just in case。
Lombar took another look at the sky。 〃Good！ So far； good！ Now we're going over to the officers' club and pick up that （bleep）； （bleep）； （bleep） Jettero Heller！ Load up！〃
Chapter 4
It is one thing to dispose of an Apparatus ranker： you just shoot him； it is quite another to illegally do away with a Royal officer。 But Lombar Hisst was going about it like it was something one did every day； without a second thought。
The officers' club was a brilliant blare of light and sound。 It was a high…roofed series of buildings…dining rooms； bars； acmodations for single officers and an enclosed sports arena。 It was built to house around forty thousand。 It stood in an inset valley； backed by towering mountain peaks。
A second moon had risen now and it was far too light for fort。 Lombar found shelter for the trucks under the shoulder of a hill…he had a talent for locating darkness…and we proceeded on foot； keeping to shadows and out of sight； with two squads of the 2nd Death Battalion。
The bulk of the sound was ing from the sports arena。 All around； outside its exits； there were many flowering shrubs and the air was heavy with their night perfume。 They furnished shadow and concealment and Lombar； with silent flicks of his stinger； inserted a cordon of guards into strategic places so that they made a hidden half…moon with the arena's main exit at the center。 With their black uniforms； one would never know that thirty deadly Apparatus troops formed a trap。
Lombar shoved me forward and we went to a barred window near the exit and peered in。
A game of bullet ball was in progress。 The spectator seats were a mass of color and； just as we looked； a roar of applause was enough to make the door tremble。 Somebody had scored。
You know bullet ball； of course。 The wide floor of the arena is divided up into precise white circles； each about ten feet in diameter and fifty feet； one from another。 Each contestant has a bag of forty…two balls。 In the civilian and professional version of the game； these are quite soft； about three inches in diameter and covered with black chalk。 The players； in the civilian version； are dressed in white and number four。 But this is the Fleet version。
Young officers being young officers； in the Fleet version the balls are very hard； like true missiles。 They are chalked bright red。 And the players strip to white pants； leaving their chests bare。 The Fleet version increases the individual players to six and that can be very dangerous indeed。
The object； of course； is for each single player to try to take out all the other players。 A hit must be on the torso； above the belt and below the chin。 If one steps out of his circle in his efforts to dodge； he is； of course； out of the game。
It is a great test of skill and agility not only to throw accurately but also to dodge the 〃bullets〃 of the other players。
One of those balls can travel an