them in the viewport, he found himself worrying
about Mentorians. They would be in cold sleep, presumably in a safe part
of the ship, behind shielding, or Montano would have made provisions for
them. Still, he wished there were a way to warn Meta.

He was not on watch when they came into the planetary field of
Lharillis, but when he came on shift, he knew at once that the trouble
had been located. The panel was pulled open, the exposed wires hanging,
and Ringg was facing old Rugel, shouting, "Listen, Baldy, I won't have
you accusing me of going light on my work! I checked those panels eight
days ago! Tell me who's going to be opening the panels in here anyhow?"

"No, no," Rugel said patiently, "I'm not accusing you of anything, only
being careless, young Ringg. You poke with those buzzing instruments and
things, maybe once you tear loose some wires."

Bart remembered he wasn't supposed to know what was going on. "What's
this all about?"

It was Rugel who answered. "The radiation counter--the planetary one,
not the one we use in space--is out of order. We don't even need it this
landing--there's no radiation on Lharillis. If it were the landing gear,
now, that would be serious. I'm just trying to tell Ringg--"

"He's trying to say I didn't check it." Ringg was not to be calmed.
"It's my professional competence--"

"Forget it," Bart said. "If Rugel isn't sore about it, and if we don't
need it for landing, why worry?" He felt like Judas.

"Just take a look at my daybook," Ringg insisted, "I checked and marked
it _service fit_! I tell you, somebody was blundering around, opening
panels where they had no business, tore it out by accident, then was too
much of a filthy sneak to report it and get it fixed!"

"Bartol was on watch alone one night," said the Second Officer, "but you
wouldn't meddle with panels, would you, Bartol?"

Bart set his teeth, steadying his breathing, as Ringg turned hopefully
to him. "Bartol, did you--by mistake, maybe? Because if you did, it
won't count against your rating, but it means a black mark against
mine!"

Bart hid his self-contempt in sudden, tense fury. "No, I didn't! You're
going to accuse everybody on the _Swiftwing_, all the way from me to
Vorongil, before _you_ can admit a mistake, aren't you? If you want
somebody to blame, look in a mirror!"

"Listen, you!" Ringg's pent-up rage exploded. He seized Bart by the
shoulder and Bart moved to throw him off, so that Ringg's outthrus