human
He looked hard at Orrin. Then he turned to me adding,
gpt
And goes on down. _How_ can you account for a missing sub-space energizer, especially one as large and powerful as the ones we use? And one gravity generator?
human
Huh? said Orrin, seeming to come out of a daze.
gpt
What's missing?
human
One gravity generator and one sub-space energizer, Mr. Orrin. One each of these items is used for each vaporizing process. And you have one too few vaporizing projects on record. And one each gravity generator and energizer unsigned for, completely unaccounted for--so far.
gpt
What do you mean, 'so far'? I asked.
human
Have you any idea how we can account for these two items?
gpt
I have indeed,
human
I don't understand, said Orrin in a helpless tone.
gpt
How could anyone lose or misplace anything as big as those? It doesn't make sense.
human
Precisely, said Goil.
gpt
I don't believe someone did misplace or lose those items. I believe someone took them for a purpose.
human
That's ridiculous! snapped Orrin.
gpt
Out here in space? For what?
human
Maybe we'll learn soon, said Goil.
gpt
One William Maloon should be on his way here right now to do some explaining.
human
What has Willy to do with this, Mr. Goil? Willy is one of our best men, completely trustworthy.
gpt
A hard worker and really ambitious,
human
No doubt, Goil said acidly.
gpt
Ambitious to his own ends. I've checked Mr. Maloon's personnel records and I found some interesting things. Mr. Maloon is not any sort of qualified engineer. Or even an expert technician. Why, he's not even a good journeyman of any trade. His only approach to some sort of claim to formal training is a single correspondence course!
human
He's a good hard-working technician!
gpt
Sure, said Goil.
human
He learned the hard way. Through experience, he added sarcastically.
gpt
Can you tell me, Mr. Orrin, exactly what is Mr. Maloon's job here?
human
He's an engineer fill-in, said Orrin with a trace of doubt in his voice.
gpt
He's on call and handy for just about any job around here.
human
In a limited capacity, no doubt, Goil said dryly.
gpt
And he apparently does a lot of jobs around here he's not expected to do. A check of your tool cribs and equipment storage shows that Maloon has had his hands on just about everything you have available at one time or another since he has been here. Mr. Maloon is a very busy man during his off-duty hours, it seems.
human
What has this to do with calling Willy in about the missing energizer and generator?
gpt
Part of a suspicion, Goil said.
human
Maloon's use of company tools and equipment increased just before the disappearance of those two pieces of equipment. It may be significant or it may not. What is significant is this: everybody having access to supply and equipment was out participating in one way or another in the operation the other day. It seems that everybody can be accounted for but Maloon. He could easily have had time to get unauthorized items out of supply.
gpt
This is fantastic!