“The Service does not reveal its sources of information.”

“Humph!” He pondered a little while, asked “Suppose I volunteer, what follows?”

“We’ll send you to a school. It runs a special course that is fast and tough— and takes six to eight weeks. ‘You’ll be crammed to the gills with everything likely to be useful to you: weapons, explosives, sabotage, psychological warfare, map reading, compass reading, camouflage, judo, radio techniques and maybe a dozen other subjects. By the time they’ve finished with you, you’ll be fully qualified to function as a complete and absolute pain-in-the-neck.”

“And after that?”

“You will be dropped surreptitiously upon a Sirian held planet and be left to make yourself as awkward as possible.”

There was a lengthy silence at the end of which Mowry gave begrudgingly, “Once when my father was thoroughly aggravated he said, “Son, you were born a fool and you’ll die a fool.” He let go a long, deep sigh. “The old man was dead right. I hereby volunteer.”

“We knew you would,” said Wolf, imperturbably.

He saw Wolf again, that being two days after he had finished the arduous course and passed with satisfactory marks. Wolf arrived at the school, visited him in his room.

“What was it like?”

“Sheer sadism,” said Mowry, pulling a face. “So almighty tough that I’m beaten up in mind and body. I feel like a half stunned cripple.”

You’ll have plenty of time to get over that. The journey will take long enough. You’re leaving Thursday.”

“For where?”

“Sorry, I can’t tell you. Your pilot carries sealed orders to be opened only on the last lap. In case of accident or successful interception he destroys them unread.”

“What’s the likelihood of us being grabbed on the way there?”

“Not great. Your ship will be. considerably faster than anything the enemy possesses. But even the best of vessels can get into trouble once in a while. We’re taking no chances. You know the stinking reputation of the Sirian Security Police, the Kaitempi. They can make a slab of granite grovel and confess its sins. If they snatch you en route and learn your intended destination they’ll take counter-measures and try to trap your successor on arrival.”