Turning in at his own quarters, he strode down the empty, echoing corridor to his room; closed the door behind him. The nerve-gun lay in the top drawer, as always--sleek, grim, coldly lethal. Stiff-fingered, Boone checked the charge, then slid the weapon beneath his blouse and turned to go. But Eileen's picture on the corner stand caught him ... held him. Her picture, and the memories that went with it. He picked it up; stared at it. She was wearing her first uniform, with its student stripes, the silver comet Cartel insignia shining against the dark blue of the lapels. But even official tailoring and close-combed regulation hair-do couldn't hide her radiance. The blue eyes laughed with sheer love of living. Her lips showed soft and smiling, better styled for kisses than commands. That was the Eileen Rey whom he remembered ... the Eileen of his own student unit days, the girl who'd climbed rank after rank beside him through Interplanetary Cartels' service. Till now.... He cursed Krobis under his breath, slapped the picture back, face down on the cabinet. There was another guard at the gate to the Titan ramp. Boone bared his ID plate. But the man made no move to step aside. "Sorry, Mister Boone." "What--?" "Mister Krobis' orders, sir. You are barred from the ramp till after the ship gravs off." "Oh." For a long, long moment Boone stood very still. And then: "I see." "He might still be at his office, sir. Maybe if you was to talk to him...." "Thanks." Stiffly, Boone turned and walked back the way he'd come, past silent warehouses and noisy shops and rattling, rumbling surface carrier units. Then he was in front of the blank-faced central administration building. For the fraction of a second only, he hesitated. Then, turning in, he strode through the deserted passageways. Krobis' office. Another guard. "Mister Krobis is busy, sir. He left orders that he wasn't to be disturbed till after the Titan ship gravs off." Again, a long, long, moment of decision. Then, very gently, Boone repeated, "I want to see Krobis." "I'm sorry, sir--" * * * * * Boone brought out the nerve-gun in one swift motion, leveled it at the man's belly. "Maybe you didn't understand." The guard's eyes flicked from his face to the nerve-gun. "You're making a mistake, sir." Boone kept the nerve-gun steady, ready. "You're probably right. But anyone who tries to stop me is going to get hurt." "If that's the way you want it, sir...." The guard shrugged and stepped aside. "No." Boone shook his head. "You're going in with me, friend. Ahead of me." Wordless, the guard shrugged again and, turning, walked through the anteroom towards Krobis' door. Boone spun the nerve-gun's impact dial down to the temporary paralysis level and fired. The guard crumpled. Stepping across him, Boone tried the door handle. It was locked. Sucking in a quick breath, Boone kicked for the bolt with all his might.