that it would be impossible to be around long without some notice being taken。 Freibur shared none of these difficulties。 It had been in the league for less than two hundred years； and would be in a happily chaotic state。 A mixture of the old and new； pre…contact culture and post…contact civilization。 The perfect place for her to slip into quietly； and lose herself until she could appear with a fresh identity。
Reaching this conclusion produced a double glow of satisfaction。 This was more than a mental exercise in survival since I was now roughly in the same place Angelina had been。 The incident with the scuttling charge was a strong indication of the value the Corps put on their ships…and the low value they placed on deserters。 Freibur was a place that would suit me perfectly。 I retired happily with a slight buzz on and a scorched mouth from the dehydrated cigars。
When I dragged myself back to consciousness it was time to drop out of warpspace and plot a new course。 Except there was one thing I had to do first。 A lot of the little facts I knew had not been picked up in the Corps。 One fact…normally of interest only to warpdrive technicians…concerns the curious propagation of radiation in warpspace。 Radio waves in particular。 They just don't go anyplace。 If you broadcast on one frequency you get a strong return signal on all frequencies； as if the radio waves had been squeezed out thin and bounced right back。 Normally of no interest； this exotic phenomena is just the thing to find out if your ship is bugged。 I put nothing beyond the Special Corps； and bugging their own ships seemed a logical precaution。 A concealed radio； transmitting on a narrow band； would lead them right to me wherever I went。 This I had to find out before getting near any planets。
There was a squeal and a growl from the speaker and I cursed my former employers。 But before I wasted my time looking for a transmitter I ought to be sure one was there。 Whatever was producing the signal seemed too weak to be picked up at any distance。 Some quick work with a few sheets of shielding showed that my mysterious signal was nothing more than leaking radiation from the receiver itself。 After it was shielded the ether was quiet。 I enjoyed a sigh of justified satisfaction and dropped out of warp。
Once I had a course plotted the trip wasn't a long one。 I took the opportunity to scrounge through the ship's equipment and put together a kit for future use。 The elaborate make…up and appearance…alteration machinery begged to be used； and of course I did。 Rebuilding the working…personality of Slippery Jim was a positive pleasure。 As the nose plugs and cheek pads slipped into place and the dye seeped into my hair I sighed and relaxed with happiness； an old warhorse getting back on the job。
Then I scowled； growled at myself in the mirror and began to remove the disguise as carefully as I had assumed it。 It has always been axiomatic with me that there is no relaxation in this line of business； and anything done by rote usually leads to disaster。 Inskipp knew my old working personality only too well and they would surely be looking for me under that description as well as my normal one。 The second time around I took a little more care with the disguise and built up an entirely different appearance。 A simple one…with facial and hair changes…that would be easily maintained。 The more elaborate a job of make…up is the more time it takes to keep it accurate。 Freibur was a big question mark so far and I didn't want to be loaded with any extra responsibilities like this。 I wanted to go in relaxed； sniff around and see if I could pick up Angelina's trail。
There were still two subjective days left in warpdrive and I put these to good use making some simple gadgetry that might e in handy。 Pinhead grenades； tie…clasp pistols； ring…drills…the usual thing。 I only brushed away the scraps and cleaned the shop up when the ship signaled the end of the trip。
The only city on Freibur with a ground…controlled spaceport was at Freiburbad； which was situated on the shore of an immense lake； the only sizeable body of fresh water on the planet。 Looking at the sunlight glinting from it I had the sudden desire for a swim。 This urge must have been the genesis of my idea to drown the stolen ship。 Leave it at the bottom of a deep spot in the lake and it would always be handy if needed。
I made planetfall over a jagged mountain range and picked up not as much as a beep on the radar。 ing in over the lake after dark I detected navigation radar from the spaceport； but my ship wouldn't get too far inshore。 A rainstorm…cut through with hail…shortened visibility and removed my earlier bathing desire。 There was a deep underwater channel not too far from shore and I touched down above it while I put my kit together。 It would be foolish to carry too much； but some of the Corps gear was too valuable to leave behind。 Sealing it in a waterproof cover I strapped it to my spacesuit and opened the air lock。 Rain and darkness washed over me as I struck out for the unseen shore。 I imagined rather than heard the gurgle behind me as the ship sank gently to the bottom。
Swimming in a spacesuit is about as easy to manage as making love in free fall。 I churned my way to shore in a state of near exhaustion。 After crawling out of the suit I had a great deal of pleasure watching it burn to a cinder under the heat of three thermite bombs； I particularly enjoyed kicking the resultant hissing slag into the lake。 The rain hammered down and washed all traces of the burning away。 Apparently even the fierce light of the thermite had gone unobserved in the downpour。 Huddling under a waterproof sheet I waited damply and miserably for dawn。
Sometime during the night I dozed off without meaning to because it was already light when I woke up。 Something was very wrong； and before I could remember what had woken me the voice called again。
〃Going to Freiburbad？ Of course； where else is there to go？ I'm going there myself。 Got a boat。 Old boat but a good boat。 Beats walking。。。〃
The voice went on and on＇； but I wasn't listening。 I was cursing myself for being caught unaware by this joker with the long…playing voice。 He was riding in a small boat just off shore； the thing was low in the water with bales and bundles； and the man's head stuck above the top of everything。 While his jaw kept moving I had a chance to look at him and draw my sleep…sodden wits together。 He had a wild and bristly beard that stuck out in all directions； and tiny dark eyes hidden under the most decrepit hat I had ever seen。 Some of my startled panic ebbed away。 If this oddball wasn't a plant； the accidental meeting might be turned to my benefit。
When mattress…face stopped to drag in a long overdue breath I accepted his offer and reached for the gunwale of the boat and drew it closer。 I picked up my bundle…getting my hand on my gunbutt as I did it…and jumped in。 There didn't seem to be any need for caution。 Zug…that was his name； I plucked it out of the flowing stream of his monologue…bent over an outboard motor clamped to the stem and coaxed it to life。 It was a tired looking atomic heat exchanger； simple but efficient。 No moving parts； it simply sucked in cold lake water； heated it to a boil and shot it out through an underwater jet。 Made almost no sound while running； which was how the rig had slid up without wakening me。
Everything about Zug seemed normal…I still wasn't pletely convinced and kept the gun close to my hand…but if it was normal I had hit a piece of luck。 His cataract of words washed over me and I began to understand why。 Apparently he was a hunter； bringing his pelts to market after months of solitude and silence。 The sight of a human face had induced a sort of verbal diarrhea which I made no attempt to stop。 He was answering a lot of questions for me。
One thing that had been a worry were my clothes。 I had finally decided to wear a one…piece ship suit； done in neutral gray。 You see this kind of outfit； with minor variations； on planets right across the galaxy。 It had passed unnoticed by Zug； which wasn't really saying much since he was anything but a clothes fancier。 He m