Saucer

treetops and landed in front of Egg's hangar in central Missouri.

He had reentered the atmosphere over the Southwest — which had probably made lights flash and bells ring all over the country — but he had flown the last two hours at a couple hundred knots and less than a thousand feet in altitude. A half hour ago he had run out of water, so he had slowed to the speed the antigravity unit could give him, which was about a hundred knots.

Just now Rip couldn't see anything through the canopy. He was afraid to use the landing lights, so when the computer said they had arrived, he told it to land. That was literally an act of blind faith. still, he was wound as tight as a banjo string until he felt the landing gear touch something solid, and all motion ceased. A warm flood of relief brought tears to his eyes.

Charley was asleep on a reclining couch. The side of her head was heavily bruised where Rigby had kicked her, and her right arm was numb, partially paralyzed. She probably had some cracked ribs too. The G's of acceleration over Australia had made her faint. He should have thought of her injuries before he told the computer to goose the throttle.

He stood in the darkness of the saucer's cabin thinking about all that had transpired in the last few days.

Ah, me! Ramming a screwdriver into that maniac's neck… Charley shooting him eight or nine times…

Was the saucer worth it?

He opened the hatch and dropped through.

The warm, moist air smelling of the earth enveloped him. Reeling, he climbed the gentle grade toward Egg's house.

His uncle would be sleeping with an open window. Rip stood outside the window and called his name.

'Is that you, Rip?'

'Yeah, Uncle. It's me. I need some help.'

I'll get dressed. Be right down.'

'Come down to the hangar.'

'Okay.'

Together they woke Charley Pine and assisted her up the hill and into a bed. It was the same bed where Rip spent his summers growing up. Egg didn't turn on any lights. They got her into bed and Rip held onto her hand.

'No use letting the neighbors know I have visitors,' Egg said. 'I'll get you to a doctor in the morning,' he told Charley.

'Is the press still camped out at your front gate?' Rip asked.

'Yeah, but I'll have her lie down in the front of the truck where they can't see her. The sheriff keeps them back a bit.'

'Sorry to do this to you.'

'Glad to help,' Egg said and left the bedroom.

'Still holding Charley's hand, Rip knelt by the bed.

'Thanks for everything,' he whispered.

'You could have flown the saucer out of there any time,' she said. 'You weren't going without me, were you?'

'I sorta thought we should leave together.'

She squeezed his hand.

I'll see you in a few weeks,' he whispered. 'You get well.'

'You could kiss me good-bye, if you wanted to.'

He wanted to.

Egg was making a pot of coffee in the kitchen when Rip came downstairs. He had the lights on. Rip opened the refrigerator and stared in. For the first time in his life he wasn't hungry. He sat down at the table.

'There was a guy in the saucer when we got in. He tried to kick Charley to death, then tried to strangle her. She shot him six or eight times and I stabbed him with a screwdriver.' He wiped the sweat from his face as the memory swept over him. 'There's blood all over the floor of the cockpit.'

'It'll wash off,' Egg said calmly. 'Why don't you tell me the rest of it?'

Rip had finished his third cup of coffee when he ran out of words.

'Seems to me you didn't have any choice about stabbing that guy,' Egg said.

'Charley shot those men, boom, boom, boom.'

'Does that bother you?'

'Maybe I should have let the bastards have the saucer, got Charley out of there somehow.'

Egg snorted. 'You can't go through life as a doormat, kid. You did the right thing.'

'So tell me about what's been happening here.'

'Rip, I don't even know where to start. The saucer is still a media event. The television only does three or four hours of coverage a day now, the soaps and talk shows are back on, but the whole country is buzzing. The media is hunting desperately for you and Charley. This is your fifteen minutes of fame.'

'They can have it. I don't do interviews.'

'You may ultimately have to. You own the saucer.'

Rip gaped at Egg. 'You mean legally?'

'Wellstar Petroleum has given you a bill of sale for the saucer in return for an interest in the propulsion technology. Tomorrow morning — no, this morning — your Uncle Olie is filing a lawsuit in federal court in Washington. We're asking the court for a temporary injunction against the federal government, a cease-and-desist order. Of course, there are no guarantees, but Olie thinks we have a good chance.'

Rip whistled softly.

'I'd like to take Charley to Washington with me in a few days, whenever they schedule the hearing. She'll make a great witness.'

'She needs rest.'

'I understand. I'll take care of her. For the next few weeks you must keep the saucer hidden where no one can find it. And you stay out of sight.'

After a moment's thought Rip said, I'll go home. The hired men won't tell anyone I'm there. They've worked for us over twenty years, have lived in tenant houses on the place ever since Dad died. They're loyal friends.'

'Hide the saucer so it can't be found.'

'I've been thinking about that.'

Egg stood. 'Can you fly out of here before the sun comes up?'

'I just talk to the computer, and it does the flying.'

'We'd better get you on your way. Every minute that ship sits here is another chance for the wrong people to find it.'

'Thanks, Egg.'

I'll take care of Charley, Rip. And Olie will take care of the government. You stay hidden.'

Rip hugged his uncle. 'I love you, Egg.'

'I love you too, Ripper. Now come on. I'll help you fill up the saucer.'

'Do you have a pocket knife I can borrow?'

Egg handed him the one from his pocket.

'Some fishhooks and matches?'

'In the hangar. Take what you want.'

They were standing with hands in their pockets listening to water running into the saucer's tank when Rip asked, 'You said Wellstar retained an interest in the propulsion technology. Does that mean we have to keep the saucer?'

Egg hesitated before answering. 'Not necessarily. Why do you ask?'

'I helped kill a man because of the saucer. He got what he deserved and I'm not sorry I did it, but I don't want to have to do it again.'

'What do you suggest?'

'I want the saucer, yet I don't want to have to kill people to keep it. I don't want it that much.'

'You risked your life to get it back from Hedrick.'