The Rings of Tantalus Read Free Page B

of his friends took over a fully laden jumbo passenger rocket at Kennedy. They threatened to lift off and come down with a bump on the U.N. building if aid to North African countries was not increased by several billion solars. Fortunately, that kind of gambit had been anticipated. Three C.I.A. agents were already aboard. There was a shoot-out, and the Arabs were chopped before they could blow the rocket. All the C.I.A. men died, and so did all the Arabs except Khelad.” He gave a grim smile. “An American matron threw herself on him before he could trigger the charges.”
    “So,” said Kwango, almost gaily, “we are left with the following range of possibilities—in descending order of absurdity. One, all four of our chilled comrades are saboteurs; two, none of our chilled comrades are saboteurs; three, one or more are saboteurs.”
    Conrad shrugged. “I’m afraid that is about it.”
    “What are you going to do?” asked Indira.
    “As Kurt would say: let us consider the options. One, we keep them all in the cooler and try to prove the planet ourselves. Two, we bring them out of S.A. and proceed as if we had not a care in the world. Three, we get them up and caution them that one may be a saboteur. That forewarns the joker, of course—if there is a joker—but it also forewarns the others.”
    “There is a fourth option, Boss.” Kwango smiled. “It may have escaped your notice because your I.Q. is somewhat less than mine.”
    Conrad let out a sigh. “Kurt, don’t let yourself get fined one booze ration for insubordination so early in the game. Now, what is the fourth option?”
    “We only take three out. We don’t tell them anything; but we ensure that one of us is always working with one of them. That way, if there are any ‘accidents’ we will know who the naughty boy or girl is.”
    Indira said: “It’s the best suggestion yet.”
    Conrad was silent for a while. “It’s probably the best form of insurance that can be devised,” he said. “But it won’t work for long. There will be far too much to do for the three of us.”
    “I know that, Commander,” said Kwango. “We can work out a shift system with, at certain times, one of us supervising two or maybe all three simultaneously. If there is a sabotage merchant with us, I’m betting it won’t be too long before the action starts. Also, the stress factor may become apparent before he or she presses the button.” A thought seemed to strike him. “I suppose it has to be a kami-haze job?”
    Conrad nodded. “I think so. If one survivor managed to get back to Terra in the Santa Maria , he’d get the polygraph treatment, truth drugs—the lot. And then the whole thing would be blown.”
    Kwango brightened. “Good. That makes it easier. Someone who knows he is under sentence of death has to be pretty damn good not to lose his cool.”
    “What about us?” asked Indira. “The stress factor may cause one of us to crack too.”
    Kwango shrugged. “It may,” he conceded. “But this is not our first mission. We have had it rough before and we haven’t cracked. Also, we only think we may get smashed. If there is a saboteur, he knows he is heading for de big dark. There’s a difference.”
    Conrad said: “Supposing I do accept your suggestion, Kurt. There’s still the problem of who we leave in the cooler, and how we explain this decision to the others.”
    Kwango laughed. “No problem, Massa Boss.”
    “Cut the Uncle Tom stuff,” said Conrad gently, “or I’ll pound your hard black head into a jelly.”
    “Kindly note, Lieutenant,” said Kwango, “dat de good Commander shows signs of being de fust to crack. Mebbe he is de bad man we bin lookin’ for.”
    Conrad raised his prosthetic arm menacingly.
    “Sorry, Boss,” said Kwango hastily. “My sense of humour runs away with me at times… The choice obviously lies between Pushkin and Khelad. Logically, we have to bring out Zonis and Uhlmann.”
    “Why?” enquired Lieutenant