ilder tone。
〃Look； you must understand what has happened。 You just can't feed all those carbon and hydrogen atoms into a sun and get away with it。 The thing has gone nova； and I hear that they didn't manage to evacuate some bases on the inner
planets pletely 。 。 。〃 〃Refuse removal is not without its occupational hazards。 At least they died in the service of mankind。〃
〃Well； yes； that's easy for you to say。 What's done is done。 But you have to stop your Flying Saucer operationat once！〃
〃Why？〃 Inspector Jeyes asked。 〃I'll admit this little matter of a nova was unexpected； but it's over now and there is not much we can do about it。 And you heard Basurero say that he has doubled the output rate here； we'll be into our backlog soon 。 。 。〃
〃Why do you think your rate doubled？〃 the astronomer snarled。 〃You've got that star so unstable that it is consuming everything and is ready to turn into a supernova that will not only wipe out all the planets there but may reach as far as Helior and…this sun。 Stop your infernal machine at once！〃
The inspector sighed； then waved his hand in a tired yet final fashion。 〃Turn it off； Basurero 。 。 。 I should have known it was too good to last 。 。 。 〃
〃But； sir；〃 the big engineer was wringing his hands in despair。 〃We'll be back where we started； it'll begin to pile up again…〃
〃Do as you are ordered！〃
With a resigned sigh Basurero dragged over to the control board and threw a master switch。 The clanging and rattling of the conveyors died away； and whining generators moaned down into silence。 All about the room the sanitation men stood in huddled； depressed groups while the astronomers crawled back to consciousness and helped one another from the room。 As the last one left he turned and； baring his teeth； spat out the words 〃Garbage men！〃 A hurled wrench clanged against the closed door and defeat was plete。
〃Well； you can't win them all；〃 Inspector Jeyes said energetically； though his words had a… hollow ring。 〃Anyway； I've brought you some fresh blood； Basurero。 This is Bill； a young fellow with bright ideas for your research staff。〃
〃A pleasure；〃 Basurero said； and swamped Bill's hands in one of his large paws。 He was a big man； wide and fat and tall with olive skin and jet black hair that he wore almost …to his shoulders。 〃C'mon； we're going to knock off for chow now； you e with me； and I'll sorta put you in the picture here and you tell me about yourself。〃
They walked the pristine halls of the D of S while Bill filled his new boss in on his background。 Basurero was so interested that he took a wrong turning and opened a door without looking。 A torrent of plastic trays and beakers rushed out and reached up to his knees before he and Bill could force it shut again。
〃Do you see？〃 he asked with barely restrained rage。 〃We're swamped。 All the available storage space used and still the stuff piles up。 I swear to Krishna I don't know what's going to happen； we just don't have any more place to put it。〃 He pulled a silver whistle from his pocket and blew fiercely on it。 It made no sound at all。 Bill slid over a bit； looking at him suspiciously； and Basurero scowled in return。
〃Don't look so damned frightened…I haven't stripped my gears。 This is a Supersonic Robot Whistle； too high…pitched for the human ear； though the robots can hear it well enoughsee？〃 With a humming of wheels a rubbish robot…a rubbot…rolled up and with quick motions of its pick…up arms began loading the plastic rubbish into its container。
〃That's a great idea； the whistle I mean；〃 Bill said。 〃Call a robot just like that whenever you want one。 Do you think I could get one； now that I'm a G…man like you and all the rest？〃
〃They're kind of special；〃 Basurero told him； pushing through the correct door into the canteen。 〃Hard to get； if you know what I mean。〃
〃No I don't know what you mean。 Do I get one or don't I？〃
Basurero ignored him； peering closely at the menu； then dialing a number。 The quick…frozen redi…meal slid out； and he pushed it into the radar heater。
〃Well？〃 Bill said。
〃If you must know；〃 Basurero said； a little embarrassed； 〃we get them out of breakfast…cereal boxes。 They're really doggie whistles for the kiddies。 I'll show you where the box dump is； and you can look for one for yourself。〃
〃I'll do that； I want to call robots too。〃
They took their heated meals to one of the tables； and between forkfuls Basurero scowled at the plastic tray he was eating out of； then stabbed it spitefully。 〃See that；〃 he said。 〃We contribute to our own downfall。 Wait until you see how these mount up now with the matter transmitter turned off。〃
〃Have you tried dumping them in the ocean？〃
〃Project Big Splash is working on that。 I can't tell you much； since the whole thing is classified。 You gotta realize that the oceans on this damned planet are covered over like everything else； and they're pretty grim by now； I tell you。 We dumped into them as long as we could； until we raised the water level so high that waves came out of the inspection hatches at high tide。 We're still dumping； but at a much reduced rate。〃
〃How could you possibly？〃 Bill gaped。
Basurero looked around carefully； then leaned across the table； laid his index finger beside his nose； winked； smiled； and said shhhh in a hushed whisper。
〃Is it a secret？〃 Bill asked。
〃You guessed it。 Meteorology would be on us in a second if they found out。 What we do is evaporate and collect the sea water and dump the salt back into the ocean。 Then we have secretly converted certain waste pipes to run the other way！ As soon as we hear it is raining topside we pump our water up and let it spill out with the rain。 We got Meteorology going half nuts。 Every year since we started Project Big Splash the annual rainfall in the temperate zones has increased by three inches； and snowfall is so heavy at the poles that some of the top levels are collapsing under the weight。 But Roll on the Refusel we keep dumping all the time！ You won't say anything about this； classified you know。〃
〃Not a word。 It sure is a great idea。〃
Smiling pridefully； Basurero cleaned his tray and reached over and pushed it into a disposal slot in the wall； but when he did this fourteen other trays came cascading out over the table。 〃See！〃 He grated his teeth； depressed in an instant。 〃This is where the buck ends。 We're the bottom level and everything dumped on every level up above ends up here； and we're being swamped with no place to store it and no way to get rid of it。 I gotta run now。 We'll have to put Emergency Plan Big Flea into action at once。〃 He rose； and Bill followed him out the door。
〃Is Big Flea classified too？〃
〃It won't be once it hits the fan。 We've got a Health Department inspector bribed to find evidence of insect infestation in one of the dormitory blocks…one of the big ones； a mile high； a mile wide； a mile thick。 Just think of that； 147；725；952；000 cubic feet of rubbish dump going to waste。 They clean everyone out to fumigate the place and before they can get back in we fill it up with plastic trays。〃
〃Don't they plain？〃
〃Of course they plain； but what good does it do them？ We just blame it on departmental error and tell them to send the plaint through channels； and channels on this planet really means something。 You figure a ten… to twentyyear wait on most paper work。 Here's your office。〃 He pointed to an open doorway。 〃You settle down and study the records and see if you can e up with any ideas by the next shift。〃 He hurried away。
It was a small office； but Bill was proud of it。 He closed the door and admired the files； the desk； the swivel chair； the lamp； all made from a variety of discarded bottles； cans； boxes； casters； coasters； and such。 But there would be plenty of time to appreciate it； now he had to get to work： He hauled open the top drawer in the file cabinet and stared at the blackclothed； mat…bearded； pasty…faced corpse that was jammed in there。 He slammed the drawer shut and retreated quickly。
〃Here； here；〃 he told himself firmly。 〃You've seen enough bodies before； trooper； there's no need to get nervous over this one。〃 He walked back and hauled the file open again and the corpse open