d--was different from the two
interstellar journeys Maril had made with him. She occupied the
sleeping-cabin during two of the six watches of each ship-day. She
operated the food-readier, which was almost completely emptied of its
original store of food;--confiscated by the government of Dara. That
amount of food would make no difference to the planet, but it was wise
for everyone on Dara to be equally ill-fed.

On the sixth day out from Dara, the sun of Weald had a magnitude of
minus five-tenths.[A] The electron telescope could detect its larger
planets, especially a gas-giant fifth-orbit world of high albedo.
Calhoun had his four students estimate its distance again, pointing out
the difference that could be made in breakout position if the Med Ship
were mis-aimed by as much as one second of arc.

[A] Earth's sun, from Earth, is of magnitude roughly minus thirty-six.

"That does it," Calhoun announced cheerfully. "That's the last order
I'll give you. You're graduate pilots from here on! Relax and have some
coffee."

* * * * *

"And now," said Calhoun, "I suppose you'll tell me the truth about those
boxes you brought on board. You said they were rations, but they haven't
been opened in six days. I have an idea what they mean, but you tell
me."

The four looked uncomfortable. There was a long pause.

"They could be," said Calhoun detachedly, "cultures to be dumped on
Weald. Weald is making plans to wipe out Dara. So some fool has decided
to get Weald too busy fighting a plague of its own to bother with you.
Is that right?"

The young men stirred uneasily. "Well--l--l, sir," said one of them,
unhappily, "that's what we were ordered to do."

"I object," said Calhoun. "It wouldn't work. I just left Weald a little
while back, remember. They've been telling themselves that some day Dara
would try that. They've made preparations to fight any imaginable
contagion you could drop on them. Every so often somebody claims it's
happening. It wouldn't work."

"But--"

"In fact," said Calhoun, "I will not permit you to do anything of the
kind."

One of the young men, staring at Calhoun, nodded suddenly. His eyes
closed. He jerked his head erect and looked bewildered. A second sank
heavily into a chair. He said remotely, "Thish sfunny!" and abruptly
went to sleep. The third found his knees giving away. He paid elaborate
attention to them, stiffening them. But they yielded like rubber and