Redline the Stars by Andre Norton

Author:Andre Norton
Language: bul
Format: epub

Redline the Stars

He frowned again as an old memory stirred. “I think she’s right, Miceal. Way back in my first year at the Pool, we had an old cracked-helmet retired Cargo-Master as an instructor. I recall his mentioning that ammonium nitrate used to be on the hazardous cargo list at one time before it was dropped for never being carried. I believe he also mentioned that it was actually used as an explosive in olden times. — Damn, I should have remembered that as soon—”

“Power down, Van,” Jellico said calmly. “Even you’re not a computer. — Here comes our host.”

Macgregory did not reclaim his chair. “Come on, space hounds. We’re about to witness an experiment.”

One of the calls the Canuchean industrialist had made was to order a transport for his party, and a large four-wheel passenger vehicle was waiting for them at the entrance of the tower building when they emerged from it a few minutes later.

It made no delay in carrying them through the crowded streets and deposited them in short order before the main entrance of the giant Caledonia, Inc., plant.

Adroo nodded to the guard stationed there and led his guests inside. “Our research quarters are this way.”

It was through the clerical portion of the huge facility that he conducted them rather than through those sections where Caledonia’s numerous products were made or assembled. Here were no coverall-clad laborers driving their minitrucks, lifters, or manipulators or commanding their banks of robots but, rather, fashionably dressed men and women seated at desks or moving in an office worker’s universal hurry along the seemingly endless hallways.

Once again, Rael was struck by the suitability of their Trade uniforms. They attracted no notice, or none beyond the inevitable interest aroused by the company in which they traveled.

She gave a wry smile. That held true only for their dress uniforms, she amended. They would not make such an appealing picture after a few hours shoving cargo around, particularly on some low-mech steam pit like Queex’s Tabor or Amazoon of Indra.

“Here’s the Research Center,” Macgregory told them at last, echoing the sign on the big double swinging doors as he pushed his way through them.

Another maze of corridors awaited them on the other side, in general appearance much the same as those they had left behind save that the people they encountered now were wearing white. Most also had their hair confined in san-nets and their hands covered by the light, supple laboratory gloves that were standard equipment in such installations throughout the Federation.

A technician whom Rael judged to be about Dane Thorson’s age approached them. “We’re all set, Mr. Macgregory.”

“Lead the way.”

In response, she opened a door on their left, this one a panel that silently slid to a tight close behind them.

They found themselves in a hall or walkway about five feet wide that completely encircled a sealed chamber walled off from them by a barrier of some colorless, transparent material. The ceiling above the enclosed place was a mass of lights and odd instruments as complex in appearance as the bridge of the Solar Queen.

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