his record."

"Williams, Nagle," I said loudly, "clear this passage."

* * * * *

Williams started half-heartedly to shove at the men nearest him. A fist
flashed out and snapped his head back. That was a mistake; Williams
pulled his needler, and fired a ricochet down the passage.

"'Bout twelve a you yellow-bellies git outa my way," he yelled. "I'm
comin' through."

Nagle moved close to Williams, and shouted something to him. The noise
drowned it. Kramer swung back to me, frantic to regain his sway over the
mob.

"Once I'm out of the way, there'll be a general purge," he roared. The
hubbub faded, as men turned to hear him.

"You're all marked men. He's gone mad. He won't let one of you live."
Kramer had their eyes now. "Take him now," he shouted, and seized my arm
to begin the action.

He'd rushed it a little. I hit him across the face with the back of my
hand. No one jumped to his assistance. I drew my 2mm. "If you ever lay a
hand on your Commanding Officer again, I'll burn you where you stand,
Kramer."

Then a voice came from behind me. "You're not killing anybody without a
trial, Captain." Joyce stood there with two of the crew chiefs, needler
in hand. Fine and Taylor were not in sight.

I pushed Kramer out of my way and walked up to Joyce.

"Hand me that weapon, Junior, butt first," I said. I looked him in the
eye with all the glare I had. He stepped back a pace.

"Why don't you jump him," he called to the crowd.

The wall annunciator hummed and spoke.

"Captain Greylorn, please report to the bridge. Unidentified body on
main scope."

Every man stopped in his tracks, listening. The annunciator continued.
"Looks like it's decelerating, Captain."

I holstered my pistol, pushed past Joyce, and trotted for the lift. The
mob behind me broke up, talking, as men under long habit ran for action
stations.

Clay was operating calmly under pressure. He sat at the main screen, and
studied the blip, making tiny crayon marks.

"She's too far out for a reliable scanner track, Captain," he said, "but
I'm pretty sure she's braking."

If that were true, this might be the break we'd been living for. Only
manned or controlled bodies decelerated in deep space.

"How did you spot it, Clay?" I asked. Picking up a tiny mass like this
was a delicate job, even when you knew its coordinates.

"Just happened to catch my eye, Captain," he said. "I always make a
general check every watch