"Did you know this was a nine planet system?"

"Why ... sure, Trav. But what--"

"And did you take the trouble to examine their astrology?"

"Certainly. What the heck--"

"And you call it luck." Travis sighed, then broke into a radiant grin.
"Why there's your bloomin' answer, you sad silly dreamin'--there's
your bloomin' answer!" He sailed over to a drawer, grabbed a batch of
fresh contracts, then flashed toward the door.

"Hold the fort," he bawled over his shoulder, "break out a big bottle
and small glasses! We got a contract, lad, we got a contract!"

He vanished triumphantly into the night.

* * * * *

Old 29 was homing. Travis felt the great soft peace of deep space
close over him. All was right with the world. A clean and sparkling
Navel, well-bathed now and almost frighteningly beautiful, sat
worshipfully at his feet dressed in a pair of Dahlinger's pajamas.
Both Trippe and Dahlinger were regarding him with wonder and delight,
and as he sat gazing down at them fondly he recalled with pleasure the
outraged faces of the men from Unico, that robber outfit.

"Pat Travis," he chuckled, patting the fat contract in his pocket,
"the luckless Pat Travis rides again." He turned an eye on the staring
Trippe.

"My boy," he said paternally, "speaks me no speaks about luck, from
this day forth. All the material was in your hands, there was no luck
involved. All you had to do was use it."

"But Trav, I still don't get it. I've been thinkin' all night, all the
while you were gone...."

"The planet Pluto," Travis said evenly, "was discovered by Earthmen,
finally, in the year 1930. At that time we were approximately 300
years ahead, technologically, of the people of Mert. A similar case
exists for Neptune, which was not discovered, although adequate
telescopes had long been in use, until 1846." He paused and gazed
happily around. "Does the light dawn?"

"Holy cow!"

"Exactly. Diomed is a nine planet system. For which 'fack' thank old
Ed Horton, who returned a favor done many years ago. Luck? Only if
doing favors for people is lucky. Which I suppose you could make a
case for. But in the astrology of Diomed III--an astrology I took
great pains to understand--how many planets are considered? Let us
examine. Rym, Fors, Lyndal, Bonken, Huck, Weepen, and Sharb. And then
there are also the two 'lights,' that is, the sun and the moon. But
how many _planets_ are there? Counting Mert as o