human
Got him instantly, eh?
gpt
Hm-m-m! Kilby opened her purse, slipped the little gun which had been in the palm of her left hand into it, reached out and gripped Halder's hand for an instant.
human
You drive, Halder, she said.
gpt
I'm so nervous I could scream! I'm scared cold! What happened?
human
We were right in wondering about Dr. Atteo, he said.
gpt
Half an hour ago, he attempted to go through our home in our absence. We'll have to assume he's a Federation agent. The entry trap knocked him out, but the fat's probably in the fire now. The Federation may not have been ready to make an arrest yet, but after this there'll be no hesitation. We'll have to move fast if we intend to keep ahead of Atteo's colleagues.
human
You warned Rane and Santin?
gpt
I sent the alert signal to their apartment ComWeb in the capital. Under the circumstances, I didn't think a person-to-person call would be advisable. They'll have time to pack and get out to the ranch before we arrive. We'll give them the details then.
human
Did you reset the trap switch at the house entry?
gpt
No, he said.
human
Knocking out a few more Federation agents wouldn't give us any advantage. It'll be eight or nine hours before Atteo will be able to talk; and, with any luck at all, we'll be clear of the planet by that time.
gpt
Halder, do you think we should still go on trying to find the others now?
human
Of course. Why stop?
gpt
It took you three months to find me. Four months later, we located Rane Rellis ... and Santin, at almost the same time. Since then we've drawn one blank after another. A year and a half gone, and a year and a half left.
human
Almost twelve hundred still to find, scattered over a thousand worlds. Most of them probably in hiding, as we were. And with the Federation on our trail ... even if we get away this time, what chance is there now of contacting the whole group before time runs out?
gpt
It's not an impossibility. We've been forced to spend most of the past year and a half gathering information, studying the intricate functioning of this gigantic civilization--so many things that our mentors on Kalechi either weren't aware of or chose not to tell us. And we haven't done too badly, Kilby. We're prepared now to conduct the search for the group in a methodical manner. Nineteen hours in space, and we'll be on another world, under cover again, with new identities. Why shouldn't we continue with the plan until ...
human
Until we hear some day that billions of human beings are dying on the Federation's worlds?
gpt
It won't come to that,
human
Won't it? How can you be sure?
gpt
Well, Halder asked,
human
I've thought of it.
gpt
And be picked apart mentally and physically in the Federation's laboratories? Halder shook his head.
human
In their eyes we'd be Kalechi's creatures ... monsters. Even if we turn ourselves in, they'll think it's some trick, that we'd realized we'd get caught anyway. We couldn't expect much mercy. No, if everything fails, we'll see to it that the Federation gets adequate warning. But not, if we can avoid it, at the expense of our own lives. He glanced over at her, his eyes troubled.
gpt
We've been over this before, Kilby.
human
I know. Kilby bit her lip.
gpt
You're right, I suppose.
human
We'll be at the club in a couple of minutes, he said.
gpt
If you're too disturbed, it would be better if you stayed in the car. I'll pick up our flighthiking outfits and we can take the cab on to the city limits before we dismiss it.
human
We agreed we shouldn't change any details of the escape plan unless it was absolutely necessary. I'll straighten out. I've just let this situation shake me too much.