mouth
that could get tough when necessary. Rip wondered a little at his size.
Big men usually didn't go to space; they were too subject to space
sickness. Koa must be a special case.

Rip slid to the floor next to the sergeant-major and stuck out his hand.
He sensed the strength in Koa's big fist as it closed over his.

Koa said, "Sir, that was the best _fleedle_ I've ever seen an earthling
make. You been on Venus?"

Rip eyed him suspiciously, wondering if the big Planeteer was laughing at
him. Koa was grinning, but it was a friendly grin. "What is a _fleedle_?"
Rip demanded. "I've never been on Venus."

"It's the way the water-hole people fight," Koa explained. "They're like a
bunch of rubber balls when they get to fighting. They ram each other with
their heads."

Rip searched his memory for data on Venus. He couldn't recall any mention
of _fleedling_. Venusians, if his memory was right, had a sort of blowgun
as a main weapon. He told Koa so.

The sergeant-major nodded. "That's when they mean business, Lieutenant.
_Fleedling_ is more like us fighting with our fists. Sort of a sport.
Great Cosmos! The way they dive at each other is something to see."

Rip grinned. "I didn't know I was going to _fleedle_ those officers. It
isn't the way I usually enter a cruiser." He hadn't entered many. He
added, "I suppose I ought to report to someone."

Koa shook his head. "No use, sir. You can't walk around very well until
the ship reaches brennschluss. Besides, you won't find any space officers
who'll talk to you."

Rip stared. "Why not?"

"Because we're Planeteers. They'll give us the treatment. They always do.
When the commander of this bucket gets good and ready, he'll send for you.
Until then, we might as well take it easy." He pulled a bar of Venusian
_chru_ from his pocket. "Have some. It will make breathing easier."

The terrific acceleration made breathing a little uncomfortable, but it
was not too bad. The chief effect was to make Rip feel as though a ton of
invisible feathers were crushing him against the vertical brace. He
accepted a bite of the bittersweet vegetable candy and munched
thoughtfully. Koa seemed to take it for granted that the spacemen would
give them a rough time.

He asked, "Aren't there any spacemen who get along with the Special Order
Squadrons?"

"Never met one." Koa chewed _chru_. "And I was on the _Icarus_ when the
whole thing started."

Rip looked at him in surprise. Koa didn't seem