He was deep in the intricacy of a deal so complicated that he was lost
after the first two moves, when he opened his eyes to see Ali at the door
panel. The Engineer-apprentice made an emphatic beckoning wave and Dane
slipped off the ear buttons.
"What is it?" His question lacked a cordial note.
"I've got to have help." Ali was terse. "Kosti's blacked out!"
"What!" Dane sat up and dropped his feet to the deck in almost one
movement.
"I can't shift him alone," Ali stated the obvious. The giant jetman was
almost double his size. "We must get him to his quarters. And I won't ask
Stotz--"
For a perfectly good reason Dane knew. An assistant--two of the
apprentices--could go sick, but their officers' continued good health
meant the most to the Queen. If some infection were aboard it would be
better for Ali and himself to be exposed, than to have Johan Stotz with
all his encyclopedic knowledge of the ship's engines contract any
disease.
They found the jetman half sitting, half lying in the short foot or so of
corridor which led to his own cubby. He had been making for his quarters
when the seizure had taken him.
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