ed Wallace, "and I know what a thousand times that
much will buy too!"

Suddenly Simms turned and looked his partner in the eye. "What do you
say we quit now, Gus? I mean it. We got plenty."

"You sound like you been exposed to too many cosmic rays!" said Wallace,
tapping his head with one finger. "We've got the biggest secret in the
system, the adjustable light-key plus an airtight hide-out, and you want
to quit!"

"It ain't that," whined Simms. "It's the other deal. I don't mind going
out and blasting a few freighters, but to try to--"

"Lissen," interrupted Wallace, "I'd rather try it and take the licking
if we mess it up, than not try it and take that licking. I know which
side of the space lane I'd better be on when the time comes!"

Simms hesitated and then sighed, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Come on. Let's listen to that story spool again."

"Oh, no," moaned Simms. "I know that spool by heart! We've heard it at
least fifty times!"

"One slip-up," said Wallace, sticking his finger in Simms' face, "just
one slip-up and we're finished! We've got to be sure!"

With a reluctant shrug of his shoulders, Simms poured another cup of
coffee and sat on the side of his bunk while Wallace inserted the story
spool in the audio playback.

They settled themselves and listened as a deep voice began to speak in a
loud whisper.

"... The operation will take place on the night of October twenty-ninth
at exactly twenty-one hundred hours. You will make your approach from
section eleven, M quadrant--"

Simms jumped up abruptly and switched off the playback. Turning to
Wallace, he pleaded, "I can't listen to it again! I know it by heart.
Instructions on how to get to the time capsule; instructions on what to
take, and how to build an adjustable light-key after we get the plans;
instructions on how to hijack the first ship and what to take. Orders,
information, instructions! I'm sick of listening. If you want to, go
ahead, but I'm going to work on the ship!"

"O.K., O.K.," said Wallace, getting up. "Don't blow your jets. I hate
the thing as much as you do. Wait a minute and I'll go with you."

The two men began climbing into space suits. In a few minutes they were
dressed in black plastic suits with small round clear plastic helmets.
They stepped into the air lock on one side of the room and closed a
heavy door. Wallace adjusted the valve in the chamber and watched the
needle drop until it showed zero.

"O.K.," sai