Starman Jones

22 THE TOMAHAWK

Max liked this time of day, this time of year. He was lying in the grass on the little rise west of the barn, with his head propped up so that he could see to the northwest. If he kept his eyes there, on the exit ring of the C.S.&E. Ring Road, he would be able, any instant now, to see the _Tomahawk_ plunge out and shoot across the gap in free trajectory. At the moment he was not reading, no work was pushing him, he was just being lazy and enjoying the summer evening.

A squirrel sat up near by, stared at him, decided he was harmless and went about its business. A bird swooped past.

There was a breathless hush, then suddenly a silver projectile burst out of the exit ring, plunged across the draw and entered the ring on the far side--just as the sound hit him.

"Boy, oh boy!" he said softly. "It never looks like they'd make it."

It was all that he had climbed the rise to see, but he did not get up at once. Instead he pulled a letter from his pocket and reread the ending: "... I guess Daddy was glad to get me back in one piece because he finally relented. Putzie and I were married a week ago-- and oh Max, I'm so _happy!_ You must visit us the next time you hit dirt at Hespera." She had added, "P.S. Mr. Chips sends her love--and so do I."

Quite a gal, Ellie. She usually got her own way, one way or another. He felt a bit sorry for Putzie. Now if they had all stayed on Charity ...

Never mind--an astrogator ought not to get married. Fondly he fingered the sunburst on his chest. Too bad he had not been able to stay with the _Asgard_-- but of course they were right; he could not ship as assistant in a ship where he had once been skipper. And assistant astrogator of the _Elizabeth Regina_ was a good billet, too; everybody said the _Lizzie_ was a taut ship.

Besides that, not every young A.A. had a new congruency to his credit, even now being surveyed. He had nothing to kick about. He didn't even mind the whopping big fine the Council of the Guilds had slapped on him, nor the official admonition that had been entered in his record. They had let him stay in space, which was the important thing, and the admonition appeared right along with the official credit for the "Hendrix" congruency.

And, while he didn't argue the justice of the punishment--he'd been in the wrong and he knew it--nevertheless the guilds were set up wrong; the rules ought to give everybody a chance. Some day he'd be senior enough to do a little politicking on that point.

In the meantime, if he didn't get moving, he'd have to buy that taxi. Max got up and started down the slope. The helicab was parked in front of the house and the driver was standing near it, looking out over the great raw gash of the Missouri-Arkansas Power Project. The fields Max once had worked were gone, the cut reached clear into the barn yard. The house was still standing but the door hung by one hinge and some kid had broken all the windows. Max looked at the house and wondered where Maw and the man she had married were now?--not that he really cared and no one around Clyde's Corners seemed to know. They had told him at the courthouse that Maw had collected her half of the government-condemnation money and the pair of them had left town.

Probably their money was gone by now--Max's half of the money was gone completely, it hadn't quite paid his fine. If they were broke, maybe Montgomery was having to do some honest work, for Maw wasn't the woman to let a man loaf when she was needing. The thought pleased Max; he felt he had a score to settle with Montgomery, but Maw was probably settling it for him.

The driver turned toward him. "Be a big thing when they get this finished. You ready to go, sir?"

Max took a last glance around. "Yes. I'm all through here."

They climbed into the cabin. "Where to? Back to the Corners?"

Max thought about it. He really ought to save money--but shucks, he would save plenty this next trip. "No, fly me over to Springfield and drop me at the southbound ring road station. I'd like to make it in time to catch the _Javelin_."

That would put him in Earthport before morning.