Though the other listeners had betrayed interest in the story, the senior
officers made no comments. Now Jellico turned to his Cargo-master.
"How about it, Van?"
"What's done is done--"
Dane's elation vanished as if ripped away by a Sargolian storm wind. The
Cargo-master didn't approve. So there must have been another way to
achieve their ends--one the younger members of the crew had been too
inexperienced or too dense to see--
"If we blasted off today we might just make cargo contract."
Dane started. That was it! The point they had lost sight of during their
struggles to get aid. There was no possible chance of upping the ship
today--probably not for days to come--or ever, if the case went against
them. So they had broken contract--and the Board would be down on them
for that. Dane shivered inside. He could try to fight back against the
Patrol--there had always been a slight feeling of rivalry between the
Free Traders and the space police. But you couldn't buck the Board--and
keep your license and so have a means of staying in space. A broken
contract could cut one off from the stars forever.
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