is unsatisfactory, refuse it. Send it back!"
35 "Yes, sir!" the Engineer snapped back.
36 Later, North was mentioning the problem to The Command Deck
Officers. "There was another officer," remarked Communications,
"about a year ago that was complaining about the material we were
getting from supply. He was asking a lot of questions around The Fleet.
All of a sudden he had some trouble about his crew and was demoted. I
think he's now the Commander of a little planetary tug, on one of the
outer stations, ferrying cargo pods back and forth between their moons.
Be careful, sir! He said he had evidence that someone in supply was
diverting prime material to the private cargo fleets, and replacing the
new equipment with rebuilts."
37 "Do you think you could find him?" North asked.
38 "I know several Officers he keeps in touch with," answered
Communications. "I could probably track him down. "
39 "Do it," ordered North. "I want to talk with him!"
40 The Communications Officer turned back to his console, and started
making some calls. North stared at the view screen, which for the
moment showed nothing but empty space, and distant stars. North pressed
some buttons on his command chair and the scene changed to the pleasant
view of the planet below.
41 "I wonder what it would be like," North thought, "to live in the
water, not to be able to come out into the sun, and to breathe the air?
I wonder if there's any creatures out there somewhere that live that
way?"
42 His thoughts were interrupted by Communications. "Incoming
communications, sir, from Fleet Supply. The Officer is on the frequency
now."
43 "It didn't take them long!" thought North. "Put it through here,"
North told the Officer. A moment later the screen on his command chair
lit, and the face of an angry Officer in a General's uniform appeared.