we can do something about it."
Holly O'Toole whacked him heartily across the back.
"I knew you'd say that, Jeff." Something of the old fight was comingback into the Irishman's eyes. "I'll admit I'm stumped, but maybe withyour help...."
* * * * *
The mammoth dome of Hope's mono terminal was glowing warmly under arainbow of fluorescent light, when Blake and O'Toole entered therotunda. Crowds jostled toward the open gates that led to the V-Gapsthat held the single-tracked mono train upright when they were at thestation docks.
They followed down the long ramp to the dock and waited. A mono trainscraped slowly around the V-Gap and stopped. On its blunt, plastic nosea single numeral was printed--6. The train was decorated in a sleekcontrast of silver and brown. Inside, porters rushed about making thetrain ready for its return trip south.
Once on board, Blake stretched out and relaxed into deep air cushions.
"It's a good feeling to have some luxury again," he admitted. He lighteda cigarette from his crushed package and O'Toole accepted another. Theywatched quietly as a few despondent looking passengers filed in and satdown. A tense undercurrent of feeling was at once evident to Blake'skeen eye. These travelers were here because of necessity. Not for theirown pleasure.
He was totally unprepared for what happened in the next ten minutes. Agirl came in. Before Blake could register surprise, she had uttered alittle cry of joy, plunked her smart little body down at his side andthrown her arms around his neck.
"Oh! Darling! This is a surprise." He felt rich, warm lips press tightlyto his own, brown eyes staring lovingly into his.
Suddenly the eyes widened in surprised horror and she stiffened. Herfingers went limp against his neck. Her lips tightened. She jumped upand sank limply into the chair opposite him.
"Oh!" She blushed profusely. "Oh! Heavens, I thought...."
Blake's face burned. Blood rushed to his cheeks and emotions he hadn'tfelt for years came rushing back into his body.
"I--I didn't expect...." he started.
The girl had collected her wits.
"I'm--I'm sorry," she said. "You look so much like someone I know...."
Blake looked her over quickly, and decided she was the most attractive,clean cut young thing he had ever seen. She was dressed in sleek browntraveling clothes. A pert, tight-fitting hat allowed the wealth ofshining brown hair to escape its edges and flow down the straight,smoothly-molded shoulders. Her lips were still slightly curved in thatattractive oval of dismay.
"Do you always kiss strange men who look like people you know," heasked, and immediately realized he was being cruel. "Forgive me, it_was_ unexpected."
A look of recognition flooded her face.
"You must be Jeff Blake!" She stood up and clasped his hand warmly. "Ifit weren't for that coat of space tan, I'd have sworn you were Wade."
"Dauna Ferrell," he said with a gasp. "Golly, but you've grown up sinceI saw you last."
Her face turned a lovely pink.
"You won't have a very nice opinion of me after what I did?"
"Forget it." He leaned forward. "I've heard you're in love with Wade. IfI was fortunate enough for only that one kiss, to take Wade's place withso beautiful a young lady, my life is one kiss richer than I deserve."
"I _do_ love Wade," she said. "But if his brother insists on throwingsuch compliments at me, I'm sure he's going to be fine for my spirit.Thank you, sir."
* * * * *
Her eyes traveled suddenly beyond him, toward the car entrance. Blaketurned and his face lighted at the sight of the tall, elderly man comingtoward them. Walter Ferrell had aged since he last saw him, but thesnow-white head, slim waist and wiry legs were the same. Ferrell cameforward, a look of cold hostility in his eyes. Then he recognized theeasy figure slouched in the chair opposite his daughter. A keen smilelighted his features.
"Jeff Blake!" His hand shot out. "My God, boy, you're good to look at."
Blake was on his feet, one hand in Ferrell's, the other on the olderman's shoulder.
"And you!" he said. "The man who went to riches while I was kickingaround as a space tramp in every port of the universe."
Dauna moved gracefully, swiftly to her father's side.
"Tell Dad how I greeted you," she blushed prettily. "Dad, I think Jeffhad better go back to the moon. He and Wade will be quarreling over meif I go on acting the same way I started out today."
Ferrell paid no attention to Dauna's outburst. Yet, the mention ofWade's name sent smouldering fires into his eyes. He changed the subjectabruptly. Drawing Blake down to the chair beside him he said.
"Tell me boy, what's happened since you left? I want to hear the wholestory."
Blake talked. As he related the story of his past ten years away fromearth, he watched O'Toole and Dauna, seated together a few seats away.They were discussing Wade, he knew. Although he talked with WalterFerrell, Blake's thoughts were with O'Toole, Wade and the girl, Dauna.
"Walter," he asked suddenly. "What's wrong with Wade? Has he been introuble?"
Ferrell tipped a tired head back against the cushion of his chair.
"Nothing," he said slowly. "At least, nothing I can put my finger on."
"Then," Blake insisted, "from what O'Toole says, you've both been prettytough on him. That is, if you're telling me the truth."
"Damn it, Blake," Ferrell exploded. "When I say nothing, I mean wehaven't caught him violating any laws. It's--well, I just never had anyadmiration for Wade. He's what the younger generation would call a creampuff. Soft, flabby and a mind that refuses to grasp any problem fittedto a man of his age."
Blake stared out the window, waiting. The mono had pulled out of Hope.Outside nothing was visible in the night except an occasional jaggedpeak outlined against a cloudy sky. Troubled by Ferrell's continuedsilence, he turned again to his friend.
* * * * *
"You haven't told me much," he protested. "O'Toole called me homebecause he thought important things were going to take place. He thinksI ought to knock Wade around a little, but I've got to know why."
Ferrell swore softly.
"O'Toole is always sticking his neck out where it gets clipped every nowand then. He's a swell Irishman, but his mountains are actually molehills."
Blake nodded and said covertly, "Someone tried to heave a knife into meat the space-port. Was that one of O'Toole's mole hills?"
Ferrell's body jerked upright, and the muscles in his face stood outtautly.
"The hell you say!"
"Truth--ask O'Toole."
Blake's voice died. His eyes turned to slits. The coach door had openedquickly and a man had stepped inside. He was dressed from head to footin skin-tight black leather. His eyes were covered with a flashing,silvery mask. Blake's gaze was on the small, ugly electro-gun in thebandit's hand.
"A visitor," Blake said laconically. At the same time he pushed his feetfar back under the chair and braced them, like bent springs.
The masked man crouched at the waist and the gun whipped around,covering the few passengers in the car.
"Stand up--all of you." He spoke harshly and with deadly precision. "Onyour feet, and make it fast."
Blake waited. A low monotone of voices protested, died out to a whisperof fear, and the passengers, including Ferrell stood with arms raised.
The electro gun came around slowly toward Blake.
"Up on your corns," the bandit spat at him. His eyes were black, diamondslits in the silver mask.
Blake's gaze never wavered. Silver Mask came toward him slowly.
"You heard me."
A scorching flame seared Blake's cheek as the electro gun exploded andpart of its force burned his skin. Blake's face whitened with rage andhe dove desperately forward. Smashing a hard fist into Silver Mask'sface, he watched the fellow's body go limp. Two swift reflex actions,one savage and murderously threatening, the other desperately defensive,had brought lig
htning developments.
Blake heard Dauna scream in terror and turned like a flash. But theheavy butt of a new electro gun swept down on his head. There was asudden sickening jolt and bright flashes of light went tearing into hisbrain. He pitched forward across the first bandit's limp body, and thecar, spinning before his eyes, went blank.
* * * * *
When Blake came around, he was stretched out full length on the floor, apillow under his head. He looked up into Dauna's eyes.
"If