for more. It looks like I didn't
need this costume and its obvious inducements at all, if you're really
in a jam."

"What the devil is that supposed to mean?"

"My name is Margot Dennison, Captain Ramsey. I have managed to buy an
old starship, small and held together by spit and string and whatever
the Irwadians use for prayer--"

"They're atheists," Ramsey said a little pointlessly. It was the girl.
Darn her hide, she was beautiful! What did she expect? Looking at her,
how could a man concentrate.... "Hey!" Ramsey blurted suddenly. "Did you
say Margot Dennison? The tri-di star?"

* * * * *

Margot Dennison smiled. "That's right," she said. "Stranded five hundred
light years from nowhere, Captain Ramsey. With a ship. With money. In
need of a hyper-space pilot. That's why I'm here, or didn't you guess?"

"I'm listening."

"Isn't it clear? I'll pay you to take me away from here."

"Where to?"

"Through hyper-space to Earth. Well?"

"I've been grounded. If I take you through hyper-space, I lose my
license."

"You really don't believe that, do you? After the Irwadians grounded all
of you without warning, and grounded all ships until they can train a
few more pilots. You don't really think I.T.S. would take your license
away if you took a ship up and through hyper, do you? Under the
circumstances? Especially since you're in a jam with a totalitarian
government gone wild? Do you?"

Ramsey said abruptly: "I'm sorry. I can't take you to Sol System."

Margot Dennison smiled. It wasn't the kind of smile designed to make a
man roll over on his back and wave all fours in the breeze. Margot
Dennison didn't need that kind of smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said. "I read your mind, you see. Very well,
Captain. If you're a fugitive from Earth--I assume Ramsey isn't your
real name, by the way--you may take me through hyper to Centauri. That
will be quite satisfactory. I will make my way from Centauri. Well?"

"Give me the gun," Ramsey said.

"My goodness, of course. I'm not trying to hold you up. Here." She got
up from the bed for the first time and walked toward them. She had firm,
long legs, and used them well. She was utterly lovely and although part
of it was probably her professional know-how, she made you forget that.
She was the most attractive girl, Earth or outworld, Ramsey had seen in
years.

Ramsey took the gun. Their hands met. Ramsey leaned forward quickly and
kissed her on