the other one said, “May we buy you a drink?'
Horne said that was an invitation he couldn't refuse, and he and Vinson and the girls rearranged themselves on the cushions so that there was room for them to sit down.
They wanted to talk about space and spacemen. They were starry-eyed about it, but they also wanted to know how much it paid and what conditions were like on the Federation ships. After a while Vinson said, “But you people aren't in the Federation.'
'We're going to be in it,” said one of the boys. “And soon. Morivenn's going to Vega in your ship. We thought you knew that.'
'Outside of our department,” Horne said, “which is navigation, we don't know anything.'
'I remember hearing some talk of an envoy, or envoys,” Vinson said, “but we thought it might be just rumor. Who is Morivenn?'
'The leader of the Pro-Federation party here on Skereth,” said the boy. His name was Mica, and he had eyes of a darker blue than one would ever see on Earth, so dark they were almost black. “Oh, he'll get us in, all right, one way or another. They can't keep us barred off forever from the big wide universe beyond the Fringe.'
'Who's they?” asked Horne.
'The anti-Federation party,” said the other boy, and grinned. His name was Durin, or something like it, and there was nothing at all extraordinary about him. “They've had things their own way so long that they just can't bear to think of competition. But it's got to come.'
'And when it does come,” said Mica, “we'd like to get berths on a Federation ship. You see, our traders just make the same stupid little circuit around the posts out here on the Fringe, and we want to go to Vega, and Altair and the Cluster Worlds, and all the other places there are to see.'
'What are the girls like at Vega?” asked Durin.
'What kind do you want?” Vinson said with a princely gesture. “You name it, we have it.” He was Vega-born, and proud of it.
'We've just
The pale-green stuff he had been drinking was beginning to make Horne's head buzz just a trifle. The warm scented air began to be oppressive. He stretched and got up.
'Thanks for the drinks,” he said, “and good luck to you. Who knows, maybe you'll be serving with one of us on a ship sometime.” He turned to Vinson. “I'm going out for some air. I'll just remind you again that the nights are long here, and you can take it from there.'
'I'm happy right here,” said Vinson. “Now, I've got both the girls.'
The two boys jumped up. “We'll go with you. There's a place down in the Nightbirds’ Quarter. You ever been there?'
Horne said he hadn't.
'Well,” said Durin, “you can't really say you've been to Skereth if you haven't been there.” He added, “You can get plenty of fresh air on the way.'
'What's the Nightbirds’ Quarter?” Vinson wanted to know.
'Where the Nightbirds live.'
'Logical enough. Now what are Nightbirds?'
'Just what they sound like. An avian race from the far north where the nights go on forever, and they don't care much for daylight. There's a lot of them on the night shifts at the spaceport, and the pleasure spots down in their quarter really swing.'
'I'm game,” said Horne. “Let's go.'
Vinson hesitated, torn between present pleasures and the thought of being left alone while there was a party going on somewhere else. After a moment he kissed the girls good-bye and caught up with Horne and the two boys in the doorway.
The night air smelled good, fresh and cool. The gaudy streets were cheerfully noisy, populous without being crowded. The boys chattered away, pointing out this or that or making some comment on the local life and customs. The buzzing in Horne's head went away and was replaced by a buoyant sense of well-being.
'That green stuff,” he said to Vinson, “is the greatest drink in the galaxy, if you handle it right.'
Vinson smiled. They walked along a narrow street into the quarter of the Nightbirds. The lights were softer here, more subdued and blue-tinted so that the shoddiness of the buildings was concealed as though by moonlight. Strains of very odd music filtered out, through doors and louvered windows.
'It's just a little way ahead,” said Mica.
A company of creatures moved across the blue-lighted street, going with light gliding steps and a rustle of white plumage. Vinson's eyes followed them, huge with wonder, and Horne thought, I know how he feels. I still can get a lifting of the heart and a gladness that I was born now when men are not chained to one little planet but can go from star to star.
'Just there,” said Mica, pointing.
A group of men were standing in front of the place, four or five of them, talking together as though they had just come out and were wondering where to go next. Horne went to pass them, with Vinson and the boys behind him.
He found his way blocked, and one of the men had reached out and was fingering his shoulder-patch.
'Federation.'
It was a statement, not a question. Horne felt a hot twinge shoot down his spine and through his belly. “Yes,” he said, and felt all his muscles tightening against the sudden electric sense of trouble in the air.
He smiled and tried again to pass.
'Federation,” said the man again, in a louder tone, and other’ voices took it up and sent the word on into the dim recesses of the building.
'Listen,” said Mica nervously from behind Horne. “Listen, we don't want any trouble…'
More men came out of the building. Horne had already begun to move backward, his shoulder butting against Vinson's and feeling the obstinacy of it.
'Listen,” said Mica again, his voice cracking.
One of the men reached out and slapped him hard. “If you were just a little older I'd break your neck for a traitor.” He slapped him again. “Go on, run!'
Horne heard Mica's feet going away. Durin had been muttering something about anti-Federation people and bad feeling, and then Horne didn't hear Durin any more, only another pair of feet going quickly away. For him and Vinson it was far too late to run, though he would have been willing to. But the men had him penned in against the wall. Horne was astonished and shaken. There had been a lot of feeling on Skereth the last time he had been here, against and for the Federation, but nothing like this.
He said evenly, still hoping against hope, “Would you mind letting us through?'
'When we're through talking,” said the man who had spoken first. He pushed Horne gently against the wall. “If you don't want trouble, mister, then stay off of other peoples’ worlds and out of other peoples’ business.'
Vinson said, “I take it you're unhappy about the delegation going to Vega.” The answer was obvious, and nobody bothered to give it. Vinson continued, “Then why don't you take it up with them?'
'Because,” said the leader, “they're not here, and you are.'
Vinson said, “Well, in that case…” and hit him.
CHAPTER III
They made a good try at fighting their way out. Horne clearly remembered afterward that they had gotten to the middle of the street and that he had personally broken one man's jaw. He remembered that Vinson had an unexpectedly powerful left. And then something hit him from behind, a board or a bottle or a stone, and when he came round again they were all alone in the street and Vinson was trying to help him up.
No. Not Vinson. Someone else.
He saw the face close above him in the blue light, a Skereth face, clean-cut and intelligent and unmarked,
