'Taking the literal meaning of see, dear Jim, forces me to answer that question in the negative. I had no photo pickups operating at the time so I did not physically see what happened to it. The only information I had was the direction that it left in. That was thirty-two degrees to the right of the zero north-polar latitude.'
'There is nothing at all out there in that direction,' Steengo said. 'No settlements, no nomadic tribes. Nothing but empty plains right up the polar cap. How do you know that the artifact was taken that way?'
'I know that, mon Amiral, because this artifact emits tachyons and I was observing it with a tachyometer. Keeping count, so to speak, and most interesting it was too. It did not emit many - after all, what source does - but a few are much better than none. Let the record show that it emitted one tachyon, from the direction I have given you, just microseconds before the explosion that destroyed the equipment I was using.'
'You weren't - injured?' Madonette said.
'How sweet of you to ask! I wasn't, because I wasn't there. As soon as I could I constructed a new tachyometer, conveyed it to the site of the explosion with, unhappily, no results. Now there is just background radiation.'
'Do you know what caused the explosion?'
'Welcome to this easy give-and-take of social intercourse, friend Floyd. To answer your question - I do. It was a very powerful explosive. I can give you the chemical formula but I am sure that you would find that immensely boring. But I can tell you that this explosive was manufactured quite widely for the mining industry at one time. It is named ausbrechitite.'
'Never heard of it.'
'Understandable, Admiral, since it was found to grow unstable with the passage of time. Manufacturing was phased out and ausbrechitite was replaced by newer and more stable explosives.'
'When was this?' I asked.
'A bit over three centuries ago. Would you like the exact date?'
'That will do fine.'
We blinked at each other in silence. Not knowing what to do with this weird historical-scientific evidence. Only Madonette had the brains to ask the right question.
'Aida - do you have any theories about what happened?'
'Simply thousands my dear. But there is no point in telling you about them until I gather some more evidence. Right now you might say that we are in the early moves of a chess game with millions of possibilities for the rest of the game. But I can give you some figures. Chances of an accidental explosion: zero. Chances that the explosion was tied in with the theft: sixty-seven percent. What happens next depends upon you.'
'How?'
'Consider reality. You are mobile, cher Jim while I am, so to speak, tied down to the job. I can give advice, and accompany you in transceiver form when you leave here. But what happens next - that decision is up to you.'
'What decision?' Aida could be exasperating at times.
'I will supply a new tachyometer. If you take it in the direction I have indicated you might be able to track the artifact in this manner.'
'Thanks,' I said and reached out and turned Aida off. 'Looks like us humans have to come to a decision. Who follows the trail? Let us not all speak at once but let me speak first because I am top rat. I have the feeling that it is now time to thin our ranks. I say that Madonette does not go any further. We needed her for the music - and wonderful she was too! - but not for crawling around looking for nutcases planting century-old bombs.'
'I second Jim's motion,' Admiral Steengo said.
'I third it,' Floyd said quickly as Madonette tried to speak. 'This is really not your kind of job. Nor is it Steengo's either.'
'Isn't that for me to decide?' Steengo snarled in his best admiralish mode.
'No,' I suggested. 'If you wish to be of assistance, you can really help us by organizing the base operation from here. I declare that the motion has been seconded and passed above all objections. This is only a democracy when it suits me.'
Steengo smiled and the admiral's scowl vanished; he was too smart to argue. 'I agree. I am well past my sell-by date for fieldwork. My aching bones tell me that. Please, Madonette, give in graciously to the thrust of history. Are you nodding albeit reluctantly? Good. Above and beyond any aid given by Aida, I will see to it that the Special Corps will supply any equipment needed. Questions?' He glowered around in a circle but we were silent. He nodded with satisfaction and Madonette raised her hand.
'With that decision out of the way - may I pass on a request? In conversation I have discovered that everyone here is a true musical Rat fan so… '
'Could we do one last gig before the group breaks up? You betcha. All in agreement.'
There was a rousing cheer from all except Steengo who looked unhappy at the thought of all of his instruments reduced to a pile of particles. But Madonette, ever resourceful, had done a bit of work before she mentioned the gig.
'I've asked around among the girls. They tell me that there is a really nice chamber group here, as well as a symphony orchestra - they must have at least one instrument Steengo can play.'
'Any of them, all of them - just unleash me!' he said and now it was smiles and cheers all around.
Due to the miracles of modern medicines, curing and healing drugs, pain-killers and a large shot of booze for Steengo, we were ready to do our performance later this same day. A matinee, since night here was still a couple of our days away and not worth waiting for.
There was quite a turnout at the sports stadium. Cheers and shouts of joy greeted us and no one seemed to mind that Steengo was not only out of costume but playing from a wheelchair. If this was to be the last curtain for The Stainless Steel Rats we meant to make it a performance to remember. Leaving the more militaristic and macho songs aside for the moment we launched into a mellow blues number.
We did many an encore this day. Finished finally with the feeling of exhaustion and happiness that only comes with an artistic job well done. Sleep came easily but, unable to resist, I took one last peek at the days remaining
