Plague Ship

the Queen, retreated into the nearest cabin doorway as t

native come to an abrupt halt before one of the most important doors in the spacer-the portal of the hydro garden w

d back over his shoulder at Dane with an inquiry to which was added something of a

t him in th

contact with the natives. Mura did not even nod, but squeezed by the Salarik and pressed the lock. There was a sign of

that smell. Then he moved with the silent, uncanny speed which was the heritage of

e put the cat down. The Salarik had found what he was seeking. He stood on tiptoe to sniff at a plant, hi

o interested

tni

him, but Mura had a habit of picking up strange p

planation as he moved down the aisle toward the alien.

could distinguish no new odor. But the young Salarik swung around to face the steward his eyes wide, his nose que

opening wedge. Dane

ke a leaf or two

. To a cat it is like heemel s

duced in human beings. He carefully broke off a small stem supporting three leaves and presented it to the Salari

ng sure of escape with his precious find. But the Cargo-master apprentic

the catnip

ow more. A small portion of the herb goes a long way with this one," he put the cat down in the corrid

the Koros trade? And yet it was to be summed up in five plants and a fe

d there were definite signs of displeasure to be read by those who knew Van Rycke well. He heard Dane out and then got to his feet. Tol

was left standing just within the door, very sure now that instead of being commended for his discover

plant Mura grows in the hyd

ter-of-fact. In addition Tau's hobby was "magic," the hidden knowledge possessed and used by witch doctors and medicine men on alien worlds. He had a library of recordings, odd scraps of information, of certified results of certain very pecul

ite a marked influence on cats. Frank's been trying to keep him anchored to the ship by al

e Queen tonight. Some of the scent of the plant had clung to Sinbad's fur

ug?" Van Ry

made of the dried leaves. It has no great medicinal properties. To felines it is a stimulation-a

manner of speaking, fe

Salariki have discove

go-master apprentice made his report. When he was done V

uld catnip have

of an off-world plant on alien metabolism. What if he had introduced to the natives of Sargol a dangerous dr

nd's hesitation, his emergency medical

the cub is-what c

r, was forced to answer in th

Van Rycke, ignorin

ne of the storm priests who handles their medical work. But I wasn't

Dane. "I suggest that you keep to quarters,

of his rash action and the Company would have them up before the Board to be stripped of all their rights in the Service. Just because of his own stupidity-his pride in being able to break through where Van Rycke and the Captain had faced a stone wall. And, worse than the future which could face the

know how long he lay there forcing his mind to consider his stupid action, making himself face that in t

s self-imposed nightmare. But he refused to

traight, still unable to meet Rip's eyes. Shannon was just one of those he had let down so badly. But t

s startled out of his own gloomy thoughts. Rip's brown face was one

kets," he urged, "or Van

ening had come to Sargol but the scene immediately below was not in darkness. Blazing torches advanced in lines fro

leaders milled a throng of lesser Salariki. Yes, there was at least one carrying chair-and also an orgel from the back of which a veiled noblewoman was be

veiled by a handkerchief. Under the folds of fabric their hands touched. The bargaining was in the first stages. And it was important enough

technical analysis of the gems-that they were, as the amber of Terra, the fossilized resin exuded by ancient plants (maybe the ancestors of the grass trees) long buried in the saline deposits of the shallow seas where chemical changes had taken place to produce the wonder jewels. In color they shaded from a rosy apricot to a rich mauv

wrinkled brownish leaves. Dane moved as unobtrusively as he could to his proper place at such a trading session, behind Van Rycke. More Salarik

l garb of those about them, instead they were all clad alike in muffling, sleeved robes of a drab green-the storm priests-their robes denoting the color of the Sargolian sky just before the onslaught of their wor

given much to have been free to cross and ask Tau a question or two. Was all this assembly the result of the discovery in the hydro? But

dried leaves into a box-" he poi

ol and dropped them in a heap before Van Rycke, who transferred them to a strong box resting between his feet. Paft arose-but he had hardly

pen, their utilitarian Trade tunics made a drab blot as they threaded their way in a co

swaggered straight to the bargaining point. The chatter of Salariki voices was stilled, the Sargolians withdrew a little, letting one

s jeer was a paean of triumph. "Code Three-Article six

he Service. The words flashed into his mind as the auto-learner ha

g, food, or drink from off world, until such a subst

the world did Van Rycke sit there trading, condoning the error and making it into a crime

two," he quoted with the genial air of one

r trade must be examined by a committee of trained medic

vanish. "Well," he challenged,

priests. "Will you ask your colleague to be so kind

came across the clearing. Van Rycke and Jellico both arose and inclined their hea

he many voweled titles of the Sargolian, "may I bring before your face

l gray in the light. His eyes, of that startling blue

was one who believed in getti

d among your people a powerful drug which will bring much evil,"

countered the storm priest. "In wh

rallied quickly. "It has not been tested-yo

er of life secrets and ours. There is no harm in it-rather it is a good thing, to be highly prized-so highly that we shall give thanks

st ask you to withdraw. Under the rules of Trad

"You haven't heard the last of this. A tape

nning to mutter impatiently. Kallee glanced around, heard those mutters, and made the only m

the question which had been burning in

ned-about t

of the serious expr

They tested and approved it. And I can't see that it has any ill effe

sir," he confessed. "I'm

off-fire our tubes at times,"

mplete that warning a

to be a next time l