〃I told you； everyone is out to screw me out of something。 Drop dead。〃
〃Please。〃
〃I'll do it…for twenty…five bucks； cash in advance； and only as long as I'm eating。〃
〃Done！〃 Bill slapped the money down； whipped under the table； and； sitting cross…legged； began to flip furiously through the volume； writing down travel instructions as fast as he could plot a course。 Above him the fat man continued to eat and groan； and whenever he hit a particularly bad mouthful he would jerk the chain and make Bill lose his place。 Bill had charted a route almost halfway to the haven of the Transit Ranker's Center before the man pulled the book away and stamped out。
When Odysseus returned from his terror…haunted voyage he spared Penelope's ears the incredible details of his journey。 When Richard Lion…Heart； freed finally from his dungeon； came home from the danger…filled years of the Crusades； he did 。not assault Queen Berengaria's sensibilities with horrorfull anecdotes； he simply greeted her and unlocked her chastity belt。 Neither will I； gentle reader； profane your hearing with the dangers and despairs of Bill's journeyings； for they are beyond imagining。 Suffice to say he did it。 He reached the T。R。C。
Through red…rimmed eyes he blinked at the sign； TRANSIT RANKERS' CENTER it said； then had to lean against the wall as relief made his knees weak。 He had done it！ He had only overstayed his leave by eight days； and that couldn't matter too much。 Soon now he would be back in the friendly arms of the troopers again； away from the endless miles of metal corridors； the constantly rushing crowds； the slipways； slideways； gravdrops； hellavators； suctionlifts； and all the rest。 He would get stinking drunk with his buddies and let the alcohol dissolve the memories of his terrible travels； try to forget the endless horror of those days of wandering without food or water or sound of human voice； endlessly stumbling through the。 Stygian stacks in the Carbon Paper Levels。 It was all behind 。him now。 He dusted his scruffy uniform； shamefully aware of the rips； crumplings； and missing buttons that defaced it。 If he could get into the barracks without being stopped he would change uniforms before reporting to the orderly room。
A few heads turned his way； but he made it all right through the day room and into the barracks。 Only his mattress was rolled up； his blankets were… gone and his locker empty。 It was beginning to look as though he was in trouble； and
trouble in the troopers is never a simple thing。 Repressing a cold feeling of despair he washed up a bit in the latrine； took a stiffening drink from the cold tap； then dragged his feet to the orderly room。 The first sergeant was at his desk； a giant； powerful； sadistic…looking man with dark skin the same color as that of his old buddy Tembo。 He held a plastic doll dressed in a captain's uniform in one hand； and was pushing straightened…out paper clips into it with the other。 Without turning his head he roiled his eyes toward Bill and scowled。
〃You're in bad trouble； trooper； ing into the orderly room out of uniform like that。〃
〃I'm in worse trouble than you think； Sarge；〃 Bill said leaning weakly on the desk。 The sergeant stared at Bill's mismatched hands； his eyes flickering back and forth quickly from one to the other。
〃Where did you get that hand； trooper？ Speak up！ I know that hand。〃
〃It belonged to a buddy of mine； and I have the arm that goes with it too。〃
Anxious to get onto any subject other than his military crimes； Bill held the hand out for the sergeant to look at。 But he was horrified when the fingers tensed into a rockhard fist； the muscles bunched on his arm and the fist flew forward to catch the first sergeant square on the jaw and knocked him backward off his chair ass over applecart。 〃Sergeant！〃 Bill screamed； and grabbed the rebellious hand with his other and forced it； not without a struggle； back to his side。
The sergeant rose slowly； and Bill backed away； shuddering。 He could not believe it when the sergeant reseated himself and Bill saw that he saw smiling。
〃Thought I knew that hand； belongs to my old buddy Tembo。 We always joked like that。 You take good care of that arm； you hear？ Is there any more of Tembo around？〃 and when Bill said no； he knocked out a quick tom…tom beat on
the edge of the desk。 〃Well； he's gone to the Big Ju…ju Rite in the Sky。〃 The smile vanished and the snarl reappeared。 〃You're in bad trouble； trooper。 Let's see your ID card。〃
He whipped it from Bill's nerveless fingers and shoved it into a slot in the desk。 Lights flickered； the mechanism hummed and vibrated and a screen lit up。 The first sergeant read the message there； and as he did the snarl faded from
his face and was replaced by an expression of cold anger。 When he turned back to Bill his eyes were narrowed slits that pinned him with a gaze that could curdle milk in an instant or destroy minor life forms like rodents or cockroaches。 It chilled Bill's blood in his veins and sent a shiver through his body that made it sway like a tree in the wind。
〃Where did you steal this ID card？ Who are you？〃
On the third try Bill managed to force words between his paralyzed lips。 〃It's me 。 。 。 that's my card 。 。 。 I'm me； Fuse Tender First Class Bill 。 。 。〃
〃You are a liar。〃 A fingernail uniquely designed for ripping out jugular veins flicked at the card。 〃This card must be stolen； because First Class Fuse Tender Bil shipped out of here eight days ago。 That is what the record says； and records do not lie。 You've had it； Bowb。〃 He depressed a red button labeled MILITARY POLICE； and an alarm bell could be heard ringing angrily in the distance。 Bill shuffled his feet； and his eyes rolled； searching for some way to escape。 〃Hold him there； Tembo；〃 the sergeant snapped； 〃I want to get to the bottom of this。〃
Bill's left…right arm grabbed the edge of the desk； and he couldn't pry it lose。 He was still struggling with it when heavy boots thudded up behind him。
〃What's up？〃 a familiar voice growled。
〃Impersonation of a non…missioned officer plus lesser charges that don't matter because the first charge alone calls for electro…arc lobectomy and thirty lashes。〃
〃Oh； sir；〃 Bill laughed； spinning about and feasting his eyes on a long…loathed figure。 〃Deathwish Drangi Tell them you know me。〃
One of the two men was the usual red…hatted； clubbed； gunned； and polished brute in human form。 But the other one could only be Deathwish。
〃Do you know the prisoner？〃 the first sergeant asked。
Deathwish squinted； rolling his eyes the length of Bill's body。 〃I knew a Sixth…class fuse…fingerer named Bill； but both his hands matched。 Something very strange here。 We'll rough him up a bit in the guardhouse and let you know what he confesses。〃
〃Affirm。 But watch out for that left hand。 It belongs to a friend of mine。〃
〃Won't lay a finger on it。〃
〃But I am Billl〃 Bill shouted。 〃That's me； my card； I can prove it。〃
〃An imposter；〃 the sergeant said； and pointed to the controls on his desk。
〃The records say that First Class Fuse Tender Bil shipped out of here eight days ago。 And records don't lie。〃 '
〃Records can't lie； or there would be no order in the universe；〃 Deathwish said； grinding his club deep into Bill's gut and shoving him toward the door。
〃Did those back…ordered thumbscrews e in yet？〃 he asked the other MP。
It could only have been fatigue that caused Bill to do what he did then。 Fatigue； desperation； and fear bined and overpowered him； for at heart he was a good trooper and had learned to be Brave and Clean and Reverent arid Heterosexual and all the rest。 But every man has his breaking point； and Bill had reached his。 He had faith in the impartial working of justice…never having learned any better…but it was the thought of torture that bugged him。 When his fear…crazed eyes saw the sign on the wall that read LAUNDRY； a synapse closed without conscious awareness on his part； and he leaped forward； his sudden desperate action breaking the grip on his arm。 Escapel Behind that flap on the wall must lie a laundry chute with a pile of nice soft sheets and towels at the bottom that would ease his fall。 He could get awayl Ignoring the harsh； beastlike cries of t