“NO EARTH FOOD ABOARD,” said the major. “One spacesuit missing. Handweapons missing. Two emergency survival kits and two medical kits missing. And—most important of all—the courier boat is missing.” He bit at his lower lip for a moment, then went on. “Outer air lock door left unlocked. Three Kerothi shot—after the explosion that ruined the A-A drive, and before the fifty-gee acceleration.” He looked at the sergeant. “What do you think happened?”
“He got away,” the tough-looking noncom said grimly. “Took the courier boat and scooted away from here.”
“Why did he set the timer on the drive, then? What was the purpose of that fifty-gee blast?”
“To distract us, I’d say, sir. While we were chasing this thing, he hightailed it out.”
“He might have, at that,” the major said musingly. “A one-ma
