The Stars My Destination ( Tiger! Tiger! ) by Alfred Bester

Author:Alfred Bester [Bester, Alfred]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sf_epic, sf_social

«Jiz McQueen-a friend of mine who's dead now-once told me to find out why I was left to rot. That would be the answer to who gave the order. So I started buying information about 'Vorga.' Any information.»

«What's that to do with my mother?»

«Just listen. Information was tough to buy. The 'Vorga' records were removed from the Bo'ness amp; Uig files. I managed to locate three names .

three out of a standard crew of four officers and twelve men. Nobody knew anything or nobody would talk. And I found this.» Foyle took a silver locket from his pocket and handed it to Robin. «It was pawned by some spaceman off the 'Vorga.' That's all I could find out.»

Robin uttered a cry and opened the locket with trembling fingers. Inside was her picture and the pictures of two other girls. As the locket was opened, the 3D photos smiled and whispered: «Love from Robin, Mama . . . Love from Holly, Mama . . . Love from Wendy, Mama …”

«It is my mother's,» Robin wept. «It . . . She . . . For pity's sake, where is she? What happened?»

«I don't know,» Foyle said steadily. «But I can guess. I think your mother got out of that concentration camp . . . one way or another.»

«And my sisters too. She'd never leave them.»

«Maybe your sisters too. I think 'Vorga' was running refugees out of Callisto. Your family paid with money and jewelry to get aboard and be taken to the Inner Planets. That's how a spaceman off the 'Vorga' came to pawn this locket.»

«Then where are they?»

«I don't know. Maybe they were dumped on Mars or Venus. Most probably they were sold to a labor camp on the Moon, which is why they haven't been able to get in touch with you. I don't know where they are, but 'Vorga' can tell us.»

«Are you lying? Tricking me?»

«Is that locket a lie? I'm telling the truth . . . all the truth I know. I want to find out why they left me to die, and who gave the order. The man who gave the order will know where your mother and sisters are. He'll tell you . . . before I kill him. He'll have plenty of time. He'll be a long time dying.»

Robin looked at him in horror. The passion that gripped him was making his face once again show the scarlet stigmata. He looked like a tiger closing in for the kill.

«I've got a fortune to spend . . . never mind how I got it. I've got three months to finish the job. I've learned enough maths to compute the probabilities. Three months is the outside before they figure that Fourmyle of Ceres is Gully Foyle. Ninety days. From New Year's to All Fools. Will you join me?»

«You?» Robin cried with loathing. «Join you?»

«All this Four Mile Circus is camouflage. Nobody ever suspects a clown. But I've been studying, learning, preparing for the finish. All I need now is you,»

«Why?»

«I don't know where the hunt is going to lead me .

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