"A situation has come up which we feel you should study, not only in person, but also without advance information or preconceived ideas. Is it at all possible for you to come into Prime Base immediately?" "Yes, sir, eminently so. In fact, a little time right now might do me good in two ways--let me mull a job over, and let a nut mellow down to a point where maybe I can crack it. At your orders, sir!" "Not orders, Kinnison!" the old man reprimanded him sharply. "No one gives unattached Lensmen orders. We request or suggest, but you are the sole judge as to where your greatest usefulness lies." "Please believe, sir, that your requests are orders, to me," Kinnison replied in all seriousness. Then, more lightly, "Your calling me in suggests an emergency, and traveling in this miner's scow of mine is just a trifle faster than going afoot. How about sending out something with some legs to pick me up?" "The _Dauntless_, for instance?" "Oh--you've got her rebuilt already?" "Yes." "I'll bet she's a sweet clipper! She was a mighty slick stepper before; now she must have more legs than a centipede!" And so it came about that in a region of space entirely empty of all other vessels as far as ultrapowerful detectors could reach, the _Dauntless_ met Kinnison's tugboat. The two went inert and maneuvered briefly, then the immense warship engulfed her tiny companion and flashed away. "Hi, Kim, you old son-of-a-space-flea!" A general yell arose at sight of him, and irrepressible youth rioted, regardless of Regs, in this reunion of old comrades-in-arms who were yet scarcely more than boys in years. "His Nibs says for you to call 'im, Kim, when we're about an hour out from Prime Base," Commander Maitland informed his classmate irreverently, as the _Dauntless_ neared the Solarian System. "Plate or Lens?" "Didn't say--as you like, I suppose." "Plate then, I guess--don't want to butt in." In a few moments chief of staff and Gray Lensman were in image face-to-face. "How are you making out, Kinnison?" The Port Admiral studied the young man's face intently, gravely, line by line. Then, upon his Lens, "We heard about the shows you put on, clear over here on Tellus. A man can't drink and dope the way you did without suffering consequences. I've been wondering if even you can fight it off. How about it? How do you feel now?" "Some craving, of course," Kinnison replied, shrugging his shoulders. "That can't be helped--you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. However, I can assure you as a fact that it's nothing I can't lick. I've got it pretty well boiled out of my system already." "Mighty glad to hear that, son. Only Ellison and I know who Wild Bill Williams really is. You had us scared stiff for a while." Then, speaking aloud: "I would like to have you come to my office as soon as is convenient after you land." "I'll be there, chief, two minutes after we hit the bumpers," and he was.