"Look, Kitten. I've been dragged through this once before. Government secrecy or no, dammit, this time I'd like to know what I'm getting into before it up and smacks me in the chops."

"Okay, we're looking for ... you remember our late friend Rose?"

"I'm afraid so. What about him?"

"I never saw him without that case of bloodhype on the AAnns' island. He never put it down or let go of it for a second. I'd guess he slept chained to it." She was staring straight ahead, speaking softly. "I think it's safe to assume it'll still be with him."

"Sure ... wherever the body is. You should pardon the sentiment, 'so what?' Are you so concerned about collecting evidence for a posthumous prosecution? If the case is still intact and unbroken, it'll stay put. The government can recover it anytime," he concluded.

"Don't you remember what Peot said?" she continued. "About the monster not being affected by energy weapons? What about biological ones?"

"You're kidding. The thing is utterly alien. And too big.,,

"As far as we know, bloodhype's nearly a universal drug. And as far as the thing's size is concerned you know what a milligram of that powder can do. What about a few kilos? According to the reports, the monster ingests its food and expels practically nothing in the way of -waste products. It's a super-efficient metabolic factory ... Hitting or shooting the creature with the powder could have several effects. Open, it might be absorbed immediately. That would be ideal, of course, since the powder would go into the thing's digestive system rapidly. Or the powder might be ingested first, without the case."

"Or," interrupted Mal, "the monster might ignore it entirely. In that case the effort wouldn't be just useless, it'd be suicidal, because the thing's sure to notice the shooters. And if the powder were released at the wrong time, we'd be likely to get a pretty good whiff ourselves."

"I still think it's worth a try. Chances are we won't be able to dig the case out anyway."

"Agreed. But I'm beginning to see that no one's going to leave this planet until that thing is destroyed.

And I've about as much confidence in the peaceforce at Repler City doing that as I do of finding that case."

"Then why let it upset you?" Kitten smiled.

Mal was staring hard out the glassite port. He moved to a swivel-mounted viewer, stared a moment longer. "I think we'll have to revise our guess about everyone in the Enclave being killed."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Unless this viewer is badly scratched, I believe our case, with friend Rose still attached, is coming to meet us. Yes, without doubt."

"Damn the man!" She actually stomped her foot. "How is it that such people are always the ones who manage to survive?"

"Carrion-eaters grow tough with age, Kitten. Hardly a new revelation. He'll pass as portside soon." He cut off and grabbed for a chair as Kitten threw the raft into a screaming turn. Clouds of spray flew meters high as the fans hit the water at an angle, threatening to turn them over.

"We'll catch him," she said grimly. "We're faster than he is. Where does he think he's heading, anyway?

We'll be in city waters in five minutes. Doesn't he know he can be shot on sight?"

"He knows where he's heading. If he's still got that case of powder with him and if the wind's right, he could try and blackmail the Governor this time. Once it gets in the air there's no way to fight the stuff.

You couldn't treat the whole population soon enough any more than you could get them all into pressure suits in time. The city couldn't take that kind of epidemic. Let me see if I can raise him on 'cast."

Mal made a few adjustments on the transceiver. "Waveskimmer, waveskimmer. Hoveraft behind you.

We are closing. Please respond, you bastard." No answer. "Doesn't the old idiot know the Vern is around here somewhere? There are easier ways of committing suicide."

No picture, no response. "You're in a maximum danger area, Rose! Wake up!"

Static; scratchy voice. "I know, Hammurabi." The onboard computer matched frequencies and the voice cleared. "I'm bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, to use an archaism better suited to your Tolian tagalong.

Tain't dangerous for me! I know what I'm about."

"Crazy," Mal whispered to Kitten.

"Not by half, boy! I seem to keep running into you lately. Bad luck for -both of us. Klashing Karmas.

You alone?"

"Lieutenant Kai-sung is with me."

"Call me that once more," she murmured, "and I'll break your head."

"Listen, you touchy ... !"

"My, my, dissension, dissension!" Rose's tone was mocking. "I am in desperate straits, I see clearly.

Why not wise up and try a profitable, predictable life in subtle evasion of accepted convention, Hammurabi?"

"And be secure in my old age, like you? Huh-uh, Rose."

"Have you got the drug with you?" interrupted Kitten, unable to hold off any longer.

"My life-insurance? You must be joking."

"We want it," said Mal. "We want you, too, but I'd be willing to pass over that if you turn the stuff over."

"I've already had one offer pulled back on me. I don't think I'm ready to try the same again so soon. Let me think on it a mite. I've always been a gambler. I've still got a few chips left."

"Convince him! You're supposed to be the salesman!" Kitten whispered. "We're getting too close to the city." The computer indicated the shrinking distance between themselves and the island of Will's Landing, on which Repler City had been built.

"I've no time to argue with you, Rose. Turn about and hand the drug over and I'll see . . . "

"No good, Hammurabi. Sorry, lad. If this works out and you change your mind about me, I night give you a job as a taskmaster."

"Taskmaster?" Mal whispered to Kitten. "He is crazy!"

"See, lad, I know a good bit more about this monster than you think I know. I even know more than you think I know you know. I believe some sort of agreement wherein I supply, oh, locations of certain storehouses, general information, military advice and so forth might work out to mutual benefit. This thing has wants. I don't know how well it reads minds yet, or when."

"Listen, old man, you're asking for a quicker death than any you'd get from your own kind. There's more at stake here than your life. Or ours. Turn the drug over and forget any insane ideas you've got about trying to ally yourself with the alien. You won't even make a decent-sized snack."

"You haven't got another choice," Kitten added.

"How kind of you to be so solicitous of my health, little bird." He paused. "Your urgency intrigues me.

You want the drug but are willing to let me go. What are you going to do, go into business for yourself?"

he sneered.

"We think it might have some effect on the monster," she pleaded. Mal looked at her approvingly. This was a new act. It had appeal.

Rose only found it amusing. Or perhaps he found everything funny now. He laughed openly.

"You -ascribe too much power even to jaster! Now if you were to personally guarantee my safety ...

off-planet transportation ... immunity from prosecution ... why, I might, just might, consider it."

"I ... I can't. Not with you. With what you've done. I can't promise that for others."