"I haven't got a navigator," Meek said, quietly. The mechanic stared at him, eyes popping. "You mean you brought it in alone? No one with you?" Meek gulped and nodded. "Dead reckoning," he said. The mechanic glowed with sudden admiration. "I don't know who you are, mister," he declared, "but whoever you are, you're the best damn pilot that ever took to space." "Really I'm not," said Meek. "I haven't done much piloting, you see. Up until just a while ago, I never had left Earth. Bookkeeper for Lunar Exports." "Bookkeeper!" yelped the mechanic. "How come a bookkeeper can handle a ship like that?" "I learned it," said Meek. "You learned it?" "Sure, from a book. I saved my money and I studied. I always wanted to see the Solar System and here I am." Dazedly, the mechanic took off his greasy cap, laid it carefully on the desk, reached out for a spacesuit that hung from a wall hook. "Afraid this job might take a while," he said. "Especially if we have to wait for parts. Have to get them in from Titan City. Why don't you go over to the _Inn_. Tell Moe I sent you. They'll treat you right." "Thank you," said Meek, "but there's something else I'm wondering about. There was another sign out there. Something about educated bugs." "Oh, them," said the mechanic. "They belong to Gus Hamilton. Maybe belong ain't the right word because they were on the rock before Gus took over. Anyhow, Gus is mighty proud of them, although at times they sure run him ragged. First year they almost drove him loopy trying to figure out what kind of game they were playing." "Game?" asked Meek, wondering if he was being hoaxed. "Sure, game. Like checkers. Only it ain't. Not chess, neither. Even worse than that. Bugs dig themselves a batch of holes, then choose up sides and play for hours. About the time Gus would think he had it figured out, they'd change the rules and throw him off again." "That doesn't make sense," protested Meek. "Stranger," declared the mechanic, solemnly, "there ain't nothing about them bugs that make sense. Gus' rock is the only one they're on. Gus thinks maybe the rock don't even belong to the Solar system. Thinks maybe it's a hunk of stone from some other solar system. Figures maybe it crossed space somehow and was captured by Saturn, sucked into the Ring. That would explain why it's the only one that has the bugs. They come along with it, see." "This Gus Hamilton," said Meek. "I'd like to see him. Where could I find him?" "Go over to the _Inn_ and wait around," advised the mechanic. "He'll come in sooner or later. Drops around regular, except when his rheumatism bothers him, to pick up a bundle of papers. Subscribes to a daily paper, he does. Only man out here that does any reading. But all he reads is the sports section. Nuts about sports, Gus is." II