The Galaxy Primes

e, sipping coffee and smoking. During a pause in the

ch with United Worlds you, as captain of the ship and director of the project,

d/or review when we get back to Base. In practice, I d

o, either, but Belle fed me o

do you want it? Full formal

xplore it first. As of right no

urse w

letter. We're so far away and our chance of getting back is so s

he stared back, her eyes as c

lies in full and exactly or not at all. My ruling is that the Code applies, strictly, until I declare the state of Ultimate

t quite,

r no,

N

he Code, then.

ith Belle and she

d. He had no reason

refinger across his forehead, "-with making so-called love to a woman who can never

or of permanence. Thus, legally or logically, there is no obligation. Morally, however, there is always some obligation. Hence, as a matter of urbanity, in cases where no injury exists except as concerns chastity, the

about ignoring Prime

rsisted very long in her refusal. As a matter of infor

oulders. "It was pure chance. Y

hat you are one of the bes

want to!" She stamped her foot. "Can't yo

ll give you-orally, at least-the benefit of the doubt. The

ught that mutual consent would be better, bu

ch more to the sexual relation than merely releasing the biological

not off the cuff. Evasions. Flat lies. Something very unfunny here-as queer as a nine-credit bill. In sum, indefensible actions based upon unwarranted conclu

flared. "W

s interruption, Garlock frowned in thoug

ave you been consciously aw

course not. S

," Belle sneered. "You'd better t

ed-at least, didn't consider carefully enough-your

, Chief?" James asked. "You

whole operation; working under a

kids," Belle said. "Listen to him, if

eally love each other," Lola argued

lped it along; and she's all set to take every p

ected. "Why, she wouldn't even co

t long enough to put you both under obligation to her. There would have, also,

e in viciously, "if you were the only

pairings would give her two lines of attack on me, to

d. "He doesn't think I'

diamond. Second, to work on you two, with no holds barred, to form a three-unit tea

let her work on me

will happen. Nor am I going to let her confuse the real issue. Bell

de my posi

Jim and Lola, de

n. You can no

ll. If you make any kind of a pass at Jim James from no

eathed. "Besides, you could

on it," h

of casual friendliness. "Why not let this one drop right here, Belle? I can marry

rm, Jim. You two are really serious, aren't you? Marriage, declarations, registratio

putting his arm around Lola's waist

me Operator is. Especially you can't know what Cleander Simmsworth Garlock really is-he's an out-and-out tiger on wheels. The three of us could have smacked him bow-le

p of everything into the tablecloth and a heave

in that you want the full

arlock read the brief bu

d to Garlock with a quizzical smile. "Are y

But seriously, I'd like it immensely and we fit like Grace and Poise. Look at that

d a while ago-if you were really the only man left, I would-but

ding,' yes. 'Final,' I

oor will be locked from now on. Good n

In view of the Code, locking your door is a meaningless gesture. Mine will remain unlocked. I invite you to com

closed the door with a firmness just sho

ast, James followed Garlock in

you.... I don't want

to l

ll,

ut Browni

ed you immensely. Admire

the rest. But this thing about Brownie...." He reached out; two hard hands met in

s it. I've done without for months at a stretch,

... she's go

te, she hasn't. She told you, I suppose, when explaini

, bu

perfect young women of her race. Her face is beautiful. Her body is an artist's dream. Her mind is one of

ng out of her ears. She's so stuffed with it that she's going to pair with you, ideals and virginity be damned, even if it kills her; even though she's shaking, clear down to her shoes-scared yellow. Also, she is and always will be scared half to death of you-she thinks

mes broke in savagely. "Even wit

'd be in love with her, too. So let's see if you can use your brain instead of your outraged sensi

But that's such an ungodly cockeyed picture, Clee.... But if that's actually your picture

el

hat iceberg? That egomaniac? That Jezebel? She'

the Women's Army Corps. She's got the spine and the bottom and the drive. So just imagine her thawed out and really shoveling on the coal-blasting wide open on all forty torches. Back to back with you

r, you're as hard as she is-even harder. You've got more of what it takes. Maybe you can make a Christian out of her. If so, you might have s

you can have

u had anything like that in your chilled

For one of the very few times in his life, he was at a loss for words. He thrust his hands into his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. "Hell, I don't want to

hat's

You. One man in six thousand million. Okay; how many w

you nuts. And you can't stand 'stupidity'; which, by defini

t out. To pin my ears back flat against my skull whenever she thinks I'm off the beam. Do it with skill and precision and nicety, with p

ches! You think I'm

be. I'd have to give, too, of course-maybe we can make Christians out of each other. It's quite a

e in love with her right now-except that if you were, you couldn't possibly dissect he

id. In fact, you make a case for its validity. I never have, and don't now ... but under

, brother! This is a thing I'm going

ew nights, she did not lock it. Then, one night, she left it ajar.

door open l

ow yo

el

it? And put me on a tape for willful inurbanity?

well, Clee Garlock, I wouldn't pul

ed at her, his face hard in thought. "As you probably know, I have had very little to do with women. That little has

of me," she snee

e eno

toonist what's-his-name is using

've guesse

ps up the corridor, then back. "You say my log

develop one t

you don't have to be proving it all the time." She laughed suddenly, her face softening markedly. "Listen, you big lug. Why do

or am afraid to. Anyway, I'm not r

only man I ever met that I couldn't make fall for me like a rock falling do

cted. The second is chem

ee, I really expected you to come in, last night, and there really wasn't any b

our decision as a fact. By the same reasoning-however invalid-if I ask you again you wil

a tiny pressure against her side; under whi

face was unreadable; her mental block was at its f

brute force. Not enough to affect a tape, but enough

is enough. Just

d his neck. His right arm went into action with his left

opened his door. He gathered her up and, lips st

skin, instead of the usual bright, clear cobalt blue, was dull and tending toward gray. The o

ged thoughts with anyone. You see, nobody has visited this planet-Groobe,

rlock asked sharp

ely the Ozobes. The world itself was scarcely harmed at all. Rehabilitation wil

nything about the rock and dirt of a planet? It's the people that count

soothed. "He's an Arpalone, you kno

iness, they say. But while you are physically human, mentally you are not. You're all too ... too ... I can't p

we come from, most hum

of such a thing. Wh

tic travel. "You are willing, then, to fight side by side with us Arpalones a

rtainl

ll you please give me enough of your mental pattern, Doctor

u're going to get an S.O

re always several planets attacked at very nearly the same time. We wer

.. kill all the p

on how many fighters the planet has, and how

the other solar systems in this

anets within about six light-years o

e these

picture of a creature somewhat like the flying tigers of Hodell, except that the color was black, shading o

? Besides, they couldn't find anybody to lay their eggs in out there. No, sir, I think they live right here on Groobe somewhere, may

rom the lonesome Inspector a

out. "Like wasps-only worse-people aren't bugs! Why don't all the planets get

any bones in it for me

neer as soon as we land," Lola said

enjoying contact with solid ground. The Head Engineer was an Arpalone, too-Engineers were not a separate race, but dwellers on a planet of

le-or might, except for the rehab crew. No, he didn't know what would hatch out-he'd never let one live that long, but what the hell else could hatch except Ozobes?

ce. If they did come from space, the adult form would have to be something able to get ba

a damn, either. It was none of

k to the shi

h engineers-top ones. We know definitely that a one-hundred-percent clean-up on such a job as this-millions-simply c

d, myself, at how I could get 'em all, but I always do-every ti

es; something so different they don't even recognize it. Something ab

ll Brownie-she

h three brain cells working and give 'em an earful." Then, to the Engineer,

, the stuff weathers down in a few years-wonderful soil it makes-what makes it slow is that you have to w

ve got a call-we have

planet, Clamer, was being invaded by the Oz

leiades was at t

is Clamer?"

ted a thought; all

o, Jim.

r eyes were almost shooting sparks as she turned to the o

to be protecting?" she demanded viciously, the thought boring in and twisting, "or are yo

James was surprised and shocked. This woman blowin

t only shocked, but injured and abused. "If there's any

elementary biology! You should have exterminated these Ozobe vermin ages ago. All you have to do is find out what its life cycle is. How many

enough to und

hought may be th

o find out whose business it wou

be quite famous for suggesting it.

James. "This loss of human life is so appallingly unnecessary! This

set up for it, pe

ak. Punch it! This time the ship's going to Clamer, if we h

id not even whistle. Belle, however, did; with ear-shattering volume. Garlock's

ons so long and so intensely that recognition of a

ner, had already checked

! They are being invaded by Ozobes and they did call for help and they didn't think we could possibly get he

studied the entire situation. Then he drove a probe through the me

k commanding, reporting for duty in resp

was, dropped all other business. "

bases are on the far side of your moon. They're brin

're coming in from all di

d almost absolute zero cold. Question: if we destroy all their transport, say in three hou

-tem Garlock, in command of Space Operations, and will refer to you

ese not-human beings were, how or if they knew so much, and so on; but he forced them out of his mind and we

o learn this bombing bus

All you have to do is

people," it did not occur to her that she had alread

uch to her surprise, she

port, when filled to the bursting-point with as-yet-docile cargo, darted away; swinging around to approach Clamer from some previously-assigned direction. It did not, however, approach the planet's surface. At

la were getting into their scanners. "Wouldn't

ut no use being too fussy

was firing blast for blast with the others. No more loaded transport vessels left the moon. No empty one, returning toward the

id, as James dropped the starship down to

ty could be seen by eye, nor anything unusual. Even the immense trap-doors, all closed now, matched exactly

where!" Lola exclaimed. "I thought t

ght, it's plain enough. Their job done, the

, they had hands and brains. Just

" James asked. "Run a

guess, before we c

ve to fine-tooth it. Around the periphery first, then spiral into the center. This moon isn't

enty of stuff in our Op field and plenty of hydride for the engines. The horses

believe me.... Ready

It was very easy to tell where she had been; the sharply-cut, evenly-spaced, symmetrical pits left by the Gala

you can hold and get some sleep. Come back in three

aved a tremendous sigh of

too intensely busy to think of anythin

wnie. Okay, Belle, you c

declared. "Go you

a damn fool than you h

ouldn't. I'm ju

f physical reserves. Jim and I have more to draw on for the long shifts than you have. So

op in her characteristic gesture of defiance; but after hold

d thanks for t

red and the

ld scarcely think, the job was done and checked. Clamer

ace-down on a davenport, sobbing uncontrollably. James s

ing, sweetheart, and the

ouldn't, Jim,

id, and followed with her eyes as Jim picked

t I never realized until this minute just how much this has taken out of me and I'd better start puttin

et her work that way, but ... you knew I was s

I know what you mean. Fighting something you don't know anything about, and can't guess wh

ink she had it in h

. It'll take her a week

lse ... but she did a job, and she's so sweet and fine...

that Belle jumped. "If you'd just let yourself be,

er, but I love it.... Oh, I don't k

yours, too, a

ing light, and

of mushrooms fried in butter; French fries, french dips, salad, and

fter a quarter of it was gone, "I am hungry, at that-simply r

I knew I could, and fi

wship; chatting on a wide variety of subjects as they ate. Neither was aware of the fact that this was the first tim

" Garlock said then, lighting two cigarettes and giving B

capacity of containers is exceeded only by your good looks and by the size of your f

ked together to their doors. Belle put up a solid block and pau

der ... if...." He

and million women, but in that many planets full of women. What it takes, you very definitely and very abundantly have got. And you aren't the only one that's pooped. I don

Do the same for me.

been holding her, opened her door, closed it after h

Bellamy, you ought to be kicked from here to Tellus...." Then she threw back her head, drove a hard little fist into a pillow, and spoke aloud through cle

oon-a little before Garlock did, but not much. When she went into his room

nches, but if we don't eat pretty quick we'll get only one

e did,

an kiss me, then," and she

to the alcove. James and Lola, the latter looking terribly strained and worn, h

urse," Garlock said. "

as well as information. And we managed to pry ourselves loose without waking you two trumpet-of

s me the nerve to spring a thing on you that I've bee

around again, Brownie. If that character there said what I he

too much power and no control whate

e pitcher," B

ave to stand with his back to the plate and pitch the bal

e've made except this last one. Every time we've taken off, none of us has had his shield really up. You, Jim, were concentrating on the drive, and so were wide open to it. The rest of us were at least thinking about it, and so were more or less open to it. Not one of us has

nd it's the first time-here's the crux, as I see it-that any of us has been concentrating on any destination at the moment of firing the charge. Brownie was willi

ushing with all my might," came from t

ng the damn t

at we hit this planet by chance against odds of almost infinity to one. So I've been looking for a reason. I found one. It goes against my grain-against eve

you're insisting that

It was Brownie who got us here. Nothin

you, the hardest-boiled skeptic that ever went unhung, can feed yourself the

r the drive. I'm sure now that the drive is simply mechanical teleportation. If you tried t

't. You wouldn't move, because it wouldn't be teleportati

conditioned to it all your life. This t

orn baby," Lo

it-too many bones in it. Pure luck, eve

them had spoken. "Just suppose that a man had four minds instead

ly whistled; the girl

. Fotheringham was wrong. However, I missed the point that if control is possible, the controller must be a m

s easy to test and the results

ld you t

stinations for each set-up; near, medium, and far. Except Tellus, of course; we'd better save that shot until we learn all we can find out. E

by now be so far away that no possible effort could

work on the possible number of shades of the color green. Lola, on how