Accidental Flight

ly nurtured shrubbery that was supposed to give the illusion of Earth. If the plants f

Docchi. "That No

mechanical marvel," he agreed. "But we c

Normally, it was never dark in the inhabited parts of the asteroid; a modulated twilight was considered more conducive to the slumber of th

omed solidly in front of them. "I hope Nona was able

out and the great slab moved easily aside in its groo

ng with a frown

ed Jordan. "We'd better get wel

s face to become faintly luminescent, the one part of his altered metabol

ht. Enough light so that he'd be noticed, not so

volume of profanity. Docchi flashed his face once

eps stoppe

ttle light bulb out f

ltogether friendly. "I know it's you

ome go out. The entrance was open

pilot moved closer. The deadly little toaster was in his hand. "You can't

apon. "What happened?

te. "Well, I see you're getting smart. You should do that all the time. You look b

him. "Not like a pair of legs and a spinal

e about it, eh? Maybe that's not your

Docchi deliberately. "I'm not

are working and you know it. Now get out of here

s," declared Docchi reproac

sn't an imitation hand, made of plastic. It was flesh and blood. That was why the

ure on his back came over his he

or

" said

ll held. Effortlessly he tore it away and used the butt with just enough force to knock the pilot unconscious without s

sn't

, laughing, and there was, a feeble,

assive, powerful arms and shoulders. His body ended at his

i looked down

heartbeat. "Nah," he said. "I remembered in

as something coiled around his leg. His reacti

an, looking around. "The

ff involuntarily and th

Jordan. "He's offering to fix

ntrivance and stared at the

ned a small hole in the little wheeled monster. Tentacles emerged from the side of the machine and felt puzzledly

d laid it gently on the top flat surface. Another tentacle reached out to investigate the body of the pilot. Jordan w

he sliced through the control case and removed a circular section. He reached inside and ripped out circuits. "No further self-repair," he said cheerfully. "Now I'm going to need your help. From

s help the proper sequence was implante

eck, but Jordan made no effort to climb up onto his back. For a panic moment Docchi knew how the pilot felt w

rom his mind. "Get on

ry me any farther." His fingers worked swiftly and the carrying

stened. "

rdan. "Now get

I get there? You'l

hing out when the ti

said Docchi stubbor

fiercely. "Together we were a better man than the pilot-your legs and my arms. I

g to prove anyth

hrough the darkness and sw

patiently, he hitched himself a

you goin

th no legs, that'

mber in his great hands, and in th

," warne

e lacy structure. It wasn't completely dark; the lights were getting ne

ed against them. Docchi settled into a long stride, avoiding the low-slung repair r

of the oncoming gen

ype="