The Space Patrolman was grousing before he'd even climbed into Nat's rocket. It's all in a day's work, Nat reminded himself. The mug doesn't gotta to be entertaining so long as the client pays.
Though to look at him, Ray Noble should have been entertaining as all get out. Space Patrolmen always seemed to be tall heroic types - sometimes Nat wondered if they were all raised on the same secret island - but this guy seemed to be set on spoiling the effect.
"Oh, no, " Noble was saying, "Whatever you do, do not pursue those space pirates, Noble. What you need to do is to come back here to Earth. We have dangerous brain thieves here. Break off your pursuit and come down here immediately. "
He turned to Nat. It was almost like Nat was part of the conversation. "I've been following that blasted ship for weeks, and I nearly had 'em. As nasty a gang of yeggs as you can find in the whole Asteroid Belt - and I just about had 'em. But no, Noble, somebody down here remembered how to steal something, and we need you back here right away. "
Nat grunted in what could have been a sympathetic sort of way, just in case Noble was listening.
The Bel Geddes Neurological Institute was still quite a ways off. Nat increased the throttle, gradually piling on the speed. No need to advertise just how much he wanted this trip to be over.
Ray Noble paused for a moment and looked over the side. "This little bucket of yours can move, citizen. I'll grant you that.
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