V. E. Thiessen

“ Master Miners! Pell was one of these. Sam kept the planes of his face wooden. "What must I do to become one of this society of yours?"
"You must submit to questioning to prove you are worthy. You must swear loyalty to all our other brother miners. You must agree to be guided by our laws, as supreme here, as long as you are in the Asteroid Belt."
"Very well, I agree."
They took a small space-dory to the largest ship in the mining fleet, the governing ship, White Lark. Sam wondered if he were being wise. If they had the latest mind-probe, all the truth would come out in the examination. ”

“ Pell looked at Sam. "What have you to say?"
"Would you believe a wild tale like that? Hearsay testimony from a dead man? It's simply an invention."
"Invention?" It was one of the Master Miners. "Why, Hawkins proposed you for your membership."
Ned Hawkins said raspingly, "If it is all hearsay, I suppose you won't object to a search of your ship. The Asteroid jewel that was stolen is probably there."
The pattern was too clear to Sam. It was of course a frame, a perfect frame, if the jewel had been planted aboard the Wanderer. They would find other interesting things, too. ”

“ Sam said, "I am going to burn the penicillin. You people can't keep away from the drug. It's either burn the drug or one of you." He pointed the dis-gun at the medicine cabinet in the corner.
"I'll talk—give me the drug—I'll talk!" Ned began to babble in confession.
Sam said mercilessly, "The proof. Where is proof of what you say?"
"On the Aeries. There is a false compartment under the control seat. All the stolen goods except the one asteroid jewel are there."
Sam lowered the gun. "Give him the drug quickly, and you will save him for Miner's justice." ”

“ The voice of Pell pronounced. "You are now one of us." Men gathered around Sam, shaking his hand and clapping him on the back.
"Stop the ceremony!" It was a beautifully timed entrance, an actor's entrance. Hawkins stood just inside the room, still in his space-suit, holding the helmet in his hand. He came forward now, his magnetic boots clanking on the steel floor of the White Lark.
Pell frowned at him. "If you have objections, you are too late. After all, you were the one who proposed his membership. Miner Knox is one of us now."
"Then he is subject to our law. He is no miner—he is a thief." ”

“ Old Joe on the Miner II lost an asteroid jewel worth ten thousand credits. Somebody beat him, slipped him chloroform, and made off with it. Been several cases like it."
Ned's dark suspicious eyes were on them. Sam crossed and picked up Pell's picture. "Relative of yours?" he asked casually.
Hawkins slammed the flat of his hand against a bulkhead. "That does it! What kind of miner are you that you don't know the Master Miners?" He whirled to the old man and the girl. "Tell him nothing more."
Sam said simply, "This is my first season. How am I to know anything with everyone so suspicious? ”

“ Sam knew it was not that when Pell opened the door of the dory. His voice was curt. "I have extra food and fuel. The ship Sol Shine is passing between Mars and the outer planets. You should be able to contact here at these co-ordinates at the time noted." He handed Sam a sheet of astrographic calculations.
Nancy caught at his arm. "Why bring us this?" she asked. "Is it because of me?"
Pell smiled at her. "No, my dear. It was not because of you—or perhaps it was. Perhaps a woman's heart is surer judge than a jury of Miners."
He raised keen eyes to Sam. ”

“ But perhaps—PERHAPS—there was wealth and fortune. Here might be the dream come true. Here by the luck of space, might lie one of the rare jewels of the asteroids, spawned in some once-fiery sun, and flung into space in the heart of a fragment. ”

“ Knox as a Miner of our Order?"
There were none. Pell said, "You will take the oath of fealty tomorrow, here. There will be many who want to meet you." He walked with Sam to the lock, to the small space-dory in which they had come.
Sam thought, I can take him now. I can slip a dis-gun into his ribs, and take him now. The reaction of the other miners was unpredictable, but with speed and skill he could make it. And once aboard the Wanderer no mining ship could approach his super-drive. ”

“ He picked up his space-suit and went into the lock.
Nancy came quickly into the lock after him. She said in a low voice, "Thanks for everything. You must forgive Ned. He is jealous."
Sam held the helmet to his space-suit in his hands. "If I had a claim on you," he said swiftly, "I should be jealous, too. Not man nor devil should take you from me." He put the helmet on and turned to the lock.
Once back in the Wanderer, he considered what he had learned. Pell was here, so much had been established, and he had at last a foothold of acquaintance among these people. That should help. ”

“ For this the eternal hope of man yearned, and men spent their lives fishing and mining here. For this they risked the swift and horrible infections of life in the Asteroid Belt.
The visaphone sprang into life. Sam recognized the voice as that of a woman.... "Fleetblast calling Aeries...."
The Fleetblast lay some fifty miles ahead, a speck of light, where the chase of her net had led her. Just to her right, closer, lay the only near ship, the Aeries. ”