As soon as Limila had Kranz and Lombard on the screen. Barton said, "Here's where we split up, it looks Hke. I have to follow this trail at max. Lombard, you ease back just enough not to lose Kranz-okay?"

Kranz said, "I warned you about Thirteen, didn't I?"

"No problem," said Barton. "If it had been the fastest, Tarieton would probably have made it number One.

"All right-we'll still be in talk range for a while, in case there's anything to say. When we lose touch-well, you know the plans. Good luck."

275.

By Barton's next "morning," Ship One had opened a sizable lead over the other two. The current rate of separation was nearly one light-second per hour, and increasing-

The "trail" was stronger-Eeshta, who had the comm- watch, showed Barton the numerical readouts. ^'They're getting stronger, faster," he said. "I wonder what the curve is." He began to punch the data into the computer input.

"I've done that," said Abdul, from the pilot's seat, "but of course you may wish to recheck." Barton shook his head and hit "Cancel."

"It's an exponential, Barton. Of low order, but still indicating a good rate of overhaul."

"Good. Eeshta, are we getting good enough definition yet, to try to match detection patterns? These readings, against the pattern Vertan gave us for Hishtoo's ship?"

"I do not know, Barton. No one has shown me how to do that." Mistake number "leventy-leven," Barton thought. When do we run into the one that kills us?

"Hmm-I've seen Myra do it, on a dry run. Let's see if I can remember how it goes." He turned the- de- tectors, ranged for max gain allowable by the noise level, and switched the pattern onto the screen. It was clear, and reasonably steady. "Strong enough, all right."

Then he punched the computer code for Hishtoo's pattern and fed that, also, to the screen.

Visual gibberish. "Well, either it isn't Hishtoo, or else I wasn't watching close enough when Myra did it."

"Myra remembered to put both feeds through parallel chopper circuits, and alternate the phases," said Myra.

"It works better that way."

"Oh, hi! Didn't see you come in. Okay-would you take over, and show all of us how to do it right?"

"Sure. You have it all, except-here, the chopper, to alternate the two feeds." On the screen appeared a fast, steady blinking. "Now, just run the computer signal slowly around the phase circle-that's right. If the blink- ing stops-"

A clear pattern showed. It wavered, as Barton over- ran the setting, then steadied. He took a deep breath. "It looks as if we have the right party, friends."

"It does indeed," said Abdul. "Myra, can you-"

"I'm doing it. Just give me a minute." Her hands were an over the board; Barton couldn't begin to follow

276.

her actions, but he saw her repeating some steps and guessed she was rechecking. She turned to him. "We've cut his original lead by better than half. But we're also slightly more than halfway to Sisshain. See, here on the readout? It's going to be close."

"I-" he began.

She cut him off. "I want to confirm these figures with Chindra while we're still within range, and get from her an optimum turnover point based on max accel and decel all the way. Sorry, Barton-you were going to say?"

"You just said it, Myra; I'll get out of here and let you do your job. Coming, Eeshta? You were relieved five minutes ago."

"I will stay. Barton. Perhaps, Myra, you will later have time to show me things I have not learned, and should know to perform my watch correctly?"

"Sure, Eeshta. Why don't you sit here, alongside me?"

Cheng arrived to relieve Abdul, so Barton had com- pany on his way to the galley. They found Umila and Alene chatting over the remains of breakfast- Barton said his hellos.

"Hi, Barton. Hello, Abdul," said Alene. "Excuse me."

She drained her cup, rose, and left the galley.

Barton raised eyebrows to Limila. "Anything wrong?"

"No new thing."

"Oh- Well-have you heard the news? Of course not -we just got here with it. That ship up ahead-it's Hishtoo, all right, and on course for Sisshain. And we're catching up-maybe fast enough, maybe not." He gave her the numbers of it. "Say, why don't you go tell Alene?

It might cheer her up."

"Firsthand news is better, Barton-you tell her. Abdul can keep me company-if you're not busy, Abdul?"

"No, not at all. This is a time to relax. And there are many more questions I would ask, about Tilara."

"Okay," said Barton, "I'll get out from underfoot."

Alene answered his knock. "Come on in, I guess.

What's up?"

He told her.

"Well," she said, "at least now we can see some action ahead. I suppose that calls for a celebration. All 1 have is beer, I'm afraid."

"Not quite all, Alene." He reached out. First she tried to pull back; then she let him hold her. He made no

277.

further move, until she kissed him. And then, gently, she

pushed him away.

"That wasn't charity. Barton; I can tell. But, no, thanks." Puzzled, he waited, until she said, "You know, I don't need sex, as such. I love it, mind you, but I don't need it, physically, the way men seem to. I never have

to-well, never mind...."

For a few seconds, she frowned. "What I've always needed was to be close to a man, and I guess I've never known any other way to get that closeness. Am I con- tradicting myself?"

"No, I don't think so. Uh-you said something about

beer?"

"Oh, sure." She got out one for each of them,'and sat.

"What I'm trying to say is, you told me I had to stand on my own feet. I've been working at it, and now I think