with a thin oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, very little water, and enough
methane mixed in to make the atmosphere deadly to Earthmen.

"Then there's never been a medical service contract?" Tiger asked.

"Contract!" Jack said. "It doesn't even say there are any people there.
Not a word about any kind of life form."

"Well, that's ridiculous," Dal said. "If we're getting messages from
there, somebody must be sending them. But if a Confederation ship
explored there, there's a way to find out. How soon can we convert to
star-drive?"

"As soon as we can get strapped down," Tiger said.

"Then send our reconversion co-ordinates to the Confederation
headquarters on Garv II and request the Confederation records on the
place."

Jack stared at him. "You mean just ask to see Confederation records? We
can't do that, they'd skin us alive. Those records are closed to
everyone except full members of the Confederation."

"Tell them it's an emergency," Dal said. "If they want to be legal about
it, give them my Confederation serial number. Garv II is a member of the
Confederation, and I'm a native-born citizen."

Tiger got the request off while Jack and Dal strapped down for the
conversion to Koenig drive. Five minutes later Tiger joined them,
grinning from ear to ear. "Didn't even have to pull rank," he said.