en member planets
of UP. Possibly one hundredth of the population at one time or another,
and for varying lengths of time, managed it.

Ronny Bronston was lucky and knew it. The thing now was to pull off this
assignment and cinch the appointment for good.

He packed in a swirl of confusion. He phoned a relative who lived in the
part of town once known as Richmond, explained the situation and asked
that the other store his things and dispose of the apartment he'd been
occupying.

Luckily, the roof of his apartment building was a copter-cab pickup point
and he was able to hustle over to the shuttleport in a matter of a few
minutes.

He banged into the reservations office, hurried up to one of the windows
and said into the screen, "I've got to get to Neuve Albuquerque
immediately."

The expressionless voice said, "The next rocket leaves at sixteen hours."

"Sixteen hours! I've got to be at the spaceport by that time!"

The voice said dispassionately, "We are sorry."

The bottom fell out of everything. Ronny said, desperately, "Look, if I
miss my ship in Neuve Albuquerque, what is the next spaceliner leaving
from there for New Delos?"

"A moment, citizen." There was an agonized wait, and then the voice said,
"There is a liner leaving for New Delos on the 14th of next month. It
arrives in New Delos on the 31st, Basic Earth calendar."

The 31st! Tommy Paine could be halfway across the galaxy by that time.

A gentle voice next to him said, "Could I help, Ronny?"

He looked around at her. "Evidently, nobody can," he said disgustedly.
"There's no way of getting to Neuve Albuquerque in time to get that
cruiser to New Delos."

Tog Lee Chang Chu fished in her bag and came up with a wallet similar to
the one in which Ronny carried his Section G badge. She held it up to the
screen. "Bureau of Investigation, Section G," she said calmly. "It will be
necessary that Agent Bronston and myself be in Neuve Albuquerque within
the hour."

The metallic voice said, "Of course. Proceed to your right and through
Corridor K to Exit Four. Your rocket will be there. Identify yourself to
Lieutenant Economou who will be at the desk at Exit Four."

Tog turned to Ronny Bronston. "Shall we go?" she said demurely.

He cleared his throat, feeling foolish. "Thanks, Tog," he said.

"Not at all, Ronny. Why, this is my job."

Was there the faintest of sarcasm in her voice? It hadn't been more than a
couple of hours ago that he had been hi