Tales of the Flying Mountains by Poul Anderson

the full balloons, and even couple them on.”
    Janichevski’s fears had vanished once he made his decision, but now a certain doubt registered. “That’s a pretty skilled job.”
    â€œThese are pretty skilled men. It isn’t much of a maneuver, not like making a Jovian sky dive.”
    â€œWell, okay, I’ll take your word for their ability. But suppose the Altair spots those boats moving around?”
    â€œShe’s already several hundred kilometers off, and getting farther away, running a search curve which I’m betting my liberty—and my honor; I certainly don’t want to hurt my own country’s Navy—I’m betting that search curve is guaranteed not to find the missile in time. They’ll spot the Pallas as you depart—oh, yes, our people will be aboard as per orders—but no finer detail will show in so casual an observation.”
    â€œAgain I’ll take your word. What else can I do to help?”
    â€œNothing you weren’t doing before. Leave the piratics to us. I’d better get back.” Blades extended his hand. “I haven’t got the words to thank you, Adam.”
    Janichevski accepted the shake. “No reason for thanks. You dragooned me.” A grin crossed his face. “I must confess, though, I’m not sorry you did.”
    Blades left. He found his gang in the terminal, two dozen engineers and rockjacks clumped tautly together.
    â€œWhat’s the word?” Carlos Odónoju shouted.
    â€œClear track,” Blades said. “Go right aboard.”
    â€œGood. Fine. I always wanted to do something vicious and destructive,” Odónoju laughed.
    â€œThe idea is to prevent destruction,” Blades reminded him, and proceeded toward the office.
    Avis met him in Corridor Four. Her freckled countenance was distorted by a scowl. “Hey, Mike, wait a minute,” she said, low and hurriedly. “Have you seen La Ziska?”
    â€œThe leftenant? Why, no. I left her with you, remember, hoping you could calm her down.”
    â€œUh-huh. She was incandescent mad. Called us a pack of bandits and—but then she started crying. Seemed to break down completely. I took her to your cabin and went back to help Jimmy. Only, when I checked there a minute ago, she was gone.”
    â€œWhat? Where?”
    â€œHow should I know? But that she-devil’s capable of anything to wreck our chances.”
    â€œYou’re not being fair to her. She’s got an oath to keep.”
    â€œAll right,” said Avis sweetly. “Far be it from me to prevent her fulfilling her obligations. Afterward she may even write you an occasional letter. I’m sure that’ll brighten your Rehab cell no end.”
    â€œWhat can she do?” Blades argued, with an uneasy sense of whistling in the dark. “She can’t get off the asteroid without a scooter, and I’ve already got Sam’s gang working on all the scooters.”
    â€œIs there no other possibility? The radio shack?”
    â€œWith a man on duty there. That’s out.” Blades patted the girl’s arm.
    â€œOkay, I’ll get back to work. But … I’ll be so glad when this is over, Mike!”
    Looking into the desperate brown eyes, Blades felt a sudden impulse to kiss their owner. But no, there was too much else to do. Later, perhaps. He cocked a thumb upward. “Carry on.”
    Too bad about Ellen , he thought as he continued toward his office. What an awful waste, to make a permanent enemy of someone with her kind of looks. And personality — Come off that stick, you clabberhead! She’s probably the marryin’ type anyway .
    In her shoes, though, what would I do? Not much; they’d pinch my feet. But — damnation, Avis is right. She’s not safe to have running around loose. The radio shack? Sparks is not one of the few who’ve been told the whole story and coopted into the plan. She could