The Colors of Space

Bart gulped. For the first time he noted the energon-ray shockers at the

belts of the four Lhari. He'd heard about those. They could stun--or

they could kill, and quite horribly. He said, "This is my father. You

want my cards, too?" He hauled out his identity papers. "My name's Bart

Steele."

The Lhari, with a gesture of disgust, handed them back. "Go, then,

father and son," he said, not unkindly.

"Let's get going, Son," said the little bald man. His hand shook on

Bart's, and Bart thought, If we're lucky, we can get out of the port

before he faints dead away. He said "I'll get a copter," and then,

feeling sorry for the stranger, gave him his arm to lean on. He didn't

know whether he was worried or scared. Where was his father? Why did

this man have his dad's papers? Was his father hiding inside the Lhari

ship? He wanted to run, to burst away from the imposter, but the guy was

shaking so hard Bart couldn't just leave him standing there. If the

Lhari got him, he was a dead duck.

A copter swooped down, the pilot signaling. The little man said

hoarsely, "No. Robotcab."

Bart waved the copter away, getting a dirty look from the pilot, and

punched a button at the stand for one of the unmanned robotcabs. It

swung down, hovered motionless. Bart boosted the fat man in. Inside, the

man collapsed on the seat, leaning back, puffing, his hand pressed hard

to his chest.

"Punch a combo for Denver," he said hoarsely.

Bart obeyed, automatically. Then he turned on the man.

"It's your game, mister! Now tell me what's going on? Where's my

father?"

The man's eyes were half-shut. He said, gasping, "Don't ask me any

questions for a minute." He thumbed a tablet into his mouth, and

presently his breathing quieted.

"We're safe--for the minute. Those Lhari would have cut us down."

"You, maybe. I haven't done anything. Look, you," Bart said in sudden

rage, "you owe me some explanations. For all I know, you're a criminal

and the Lhari have every right to chase you! Why have you got my

father's papers? Did you steal them to get away from the Lhari? Where's

my father?"

"It's your father they were looking for, you young fool," said the man,

gasping hard. "Lucky they had only a description and not a name--but

they've probably got that by now, uncoded. We've only confused them for

a little while. But if you hadn't played along, they'd have had you

watched, and when they get hold of the name Steele--they will, sooner or

later, the people in the Procyon system--"