The Colors of Space

"You know my name," Bart said, "but who are you?"

Suspicion came back into the dark eyes. "Does that Mentorian cloak

mean--you've lost your memories, too?"

"No," said Bart, "it's simpler than that. I'm not Rupert Steele.

I'm--" his voice caught--"I'm his son."

The man looked startled and shocked. "I suppose that means Rupert is

dead. Dead! It came a little before he expected it, then. So you're

Bart." He sighed. "My name's Montano. This is Hedrick, and I suppose you

recognize Raynor Two."

Bart blinked. It was the same face, but it was not grim like Raynor

One's, nor expressive and kindly like that of Raynor Three. This one

just looked dangerous.

"But sit down," Montano said with a wave of his hand, "make yourself

comfortable."

Hedrick relieved Bart of his cloak; Raynor Two put a cup of some

steaming drink in his hand, passed him a tray of small hot fried things

that tasted crisp and delicious. Bart relaxed, answering questions. How

old? Only seventeen? And you came all alone on a Lhari ship, working

your way as Astrogator? I must say you've got guts, kid! It was

dangerously like the fantasy he had invented. But Montano interrupted at

last.

"All right, this isn't a party and we haven't all night. I don't suppose

Bart has either. Enough time wasted. Since you walked into this, young

Steele, I take it you know what our plans are, after this?"

Bart shook his head. "No. Raynor Three sent me to call off your plans,

because of my father--"

"That sounds like Three," interrupted Raynor Two. "Entirely too

squeamish!"

Montano said irritably, "We couldn't have done anything without a man on

the Swiftwing, and you know it. We still can't. Bart, I suppose you

know about Lharillis."

"Not by that name."

"Your next stop. The planetoid of the captive sun. That little hunk of

bare rock out there is the first spot the Lhari visited in this

galaxy--even before Mentor. It's an inferno of light from that little

blue-white sun, so of course they love it--it's just like home to them.

When they found that the inner planets of Antares were inhabited, they

built their spaceport here, so they'd have a better chance at trade."

Montano scowled fiercely.

"But they wanted that little worldlet. So we went all over it to be sure

there were no rare minerals there, and finally leased it to them, a

century at a time. They mine the place for some kind of powdered

lubricant that's better than graphite--it's all done by robot machinery,

no one's stationed there. Every time a Lhari ship comes through this

system they stop there, even though there's nothing on Lharillis except

a landing field and some concrete bunkers filled with robot mining

machinery. They'll stop there on the way out of this system--and that's

where you come in. We need you on board, to put the radiation counter

out of commission."