Mal was staring hard out the glassite port. He moved to a swivel-mounted viewer, stared a moment longer. “I think we’ll have to revise our guess about everyone in the Enclave being killed.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“Unless this viewer is badly scratched, I believe our case, with friend Rose still attached, is coming to meet us. Yes, without doubt.”

“Damn the man!” She actually stomped her foot. “How is it that such people are always the ones who manage to survive?”

“Carrion-eaters grow tough with age, Kitten. Hardly a new revelation. He’ll pass us portside soon.” He cut off and grabbed for a chair as Kitten threw the raft into a screaming turn. Clouds of spray flew meters high as the fans hit the water at an angle, threatening to turn them over.

“We’ll catch him,” she said grimly. “We’re faster than he is. Where does he think he’s heading, anyway? We’ll be in city waters in five minutes. Doesn’t he know he can be shot on sight?”

“He knows where he’s heading. If he’s still got that case of powder with him and if the wind’s right, he could try and blackmail the Governor this time. Once it gets in the air there’s no way to fight the stuff. You couldn’t treat the whole population soon enough any more than you could get them all into pressure suits in time. The city couldn’t take that kind of epidemic. Let me see if I can raise him on ‘cast.”

Mal made a few adjustments on the transceiver. “Waveskimmer, waveskimmer. Hoveraft behind you. We are closing. Please respond, you bastard.” No answer. “Doesn’t the old idiot know the Vom is around here somewhere? There are easier ways of committing suicide.”

No picture, no response. “You’re in a maximum danger area, Rose! Wake up!”

Static; scratchy voice. “I know, Hammurabi.” The onboard computer matched frequencies and the voice cleared. “I’m bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, to use an archaism better suited to your Tolian tagalong. Tain’t dangerous for me! I know what I’m about.”

“Crazy,” Mal whispered to Kitten.

“Not by half, boy! I seem to keep running into you lately. Bad luck for both of us. Klashing Karmas. You alone?”

“Lieutenant Kai-sung is with me.”

“Call me that once more,” she murmured, “and I’ll break your head.”

“Listen, you touchy . . .!”

“My, my, dissension, dissension!” Rose’s tone was mocking. “I am in desperate straits, I see clearly. Why not wise up and try a profitable, predictable life in subtle evasion of accepted convention, Hammurabi?”

“And be secure in my old age, like you? Huh-uh, Rose.”

“Have you got the drug with you?” interrupted Kitten, unable to hold off any longer.

“My life-insurance? You must be joking.”

“We want it,” said Mal. “We want you, too, but I’d be willing to pass over that if you turn the stuff over.”

“I’ve already had one offer pulled back on me. I don’t think I’m ready to try the same again so soon. Let me think on it a mite. I’ve always been a gambler. I’ve still got a few chips left.”