Home is the SpacemanSmith, George O. (George Oliver)
Science
Home is the Spaceman
Smith, George O. (George Oliver)
Human-alien encounters -- Fiction; Science fiction; Short stories; Space travelers -- Fiction
The driver greeted him with a grin. "Glad to see you back, Captain." He
held out a hand which Enright shook firmly. "How was it--out There?"
The other man in the car frowned and snapped, "Captain Enright, do not
answer! Mister Forrester, you will open and show me your right hand!"
Enright grunted. He knew the other man and so he said, "Look, Tom, I'm
not playing any games. Or should I address you as Executive Horne? I
did not pass Ed Forrester any notes, data, or pictures. I was merely
shaking hands."
"We're all under orders," said Horne. "And your orders are to say
nothing to anybody. Even me."
"Call me Captain Clam," said Billy Enright. "Is there any ruling
against you passing me a cigarette?"
"Er--Mister Forrester, you will witness this. I have been asked for a
cigarette. I am going to comply. However, you will note carefully that
Captain Enright did light this cigarette and smoke it, thus burning its
contents and obviating any possible exchange of information from me to
him. Agreed?"
Enright blurted: "What the hell am I, a prisoner of war?"
"No comment. Please follow your orders," said Executive Horne. He did
hold out a lighter for Enright, who puffed deeply with appreciation.
The car delivered them to the Administration Building of Mojave
Spaceport by the time Enright finished his smoke. He snubbed the butt
carefully and handed it to the driver, along with a small pile of gray
ash. "Preserve these remains, Mister Forrester. At least until I have
been paroled. Affirmed, Executive Horne?"
"Affirmed. Now, come along, Captain."
He led Billy Enright into the building and upstairs, along a corridor
and into a large conference room. Enright looked at a long table,
around which were most of the big gold braid of Mojave Spaceport, a
couple of space admirals from his project--Operation Interstellar--and
three men in conservative business dress. The man at the head of the
table was Space Admiral Meldrum, who had been the first man to set a
foot on the Moon some forty years ago.
"Gentlemen, this is Captain William Enright, test pilot of the
Interstellar Spacecraft One, Operation Interstellar. Captain Enright,
the Board of Inquiry." The admiral named them around the table. The
only one Billy knew was Commodore Hogan; the rest he only recognized
by name, other than the top brass of his own project. He nodded
affably, then Billy frowned and asked:
"This looks formidably formal, sir. Am I to be represented by someone
appointed in my favor?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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