errors and fumbles and mistakes were made by the crew of the _Lancet_,
he thought grimly, it would not be Dal Timgar who made them.

The first night they met in the control room to divide the many
extracurricular jobs involved in maintaining a patrol ship.

Tiger's interest in electronics and communications made him the best man
to handle the radio; he accepted the post without comment. "Jack, you
should be in charge of the computer," he said, "because you'll be the
one who'll need the information first. The lab is probably your field
too. Dal can be responsible for stores and supplies as well as his own
surgical instruments."

Jack shrugged. "I'd just as soon handle supplies, too," he said.

"Well, there's no need to overload one man," Tiger said.

"I wouldn't mind that. But when there's something I need, I want to be
sure it's going to be there without any goof-ups," Jack said.

"I can handle it all right," Dal said.

Jack just scowled. "What about the contact man when we make landings?"
he asked Tiger.

"Seems to me Dal would be the one for that, too," Tiger said. "His
people are traders and bargainers; right, Dal? And first contact with
the people on unfamiliar planets can be important."

"It sure can," Jack said. "Too important to take chances with. Look,