Read Online The Dragon in the Sea by Frank Herbert - Free Book Online Page B

to guard the safety of others.
    Would I have been as brave? he wondered.
    Sparrow said, “He put the knife in himself rather than go out the slow way alone in here. He says he doesn’t know who sabotaged the pile and tripped him.”
    â€œHe could’ve attracted somebody,” said Ramsey. “If he’d shorted one of—”
    â€œAnd he’d have chanced shorting the wrong circuit and kicking every damper rod out onto the pile-room floor,” said Garcia.
    â€œBut the gravity catches—”
    â€œHow could he know what’d been fouled up in there?” demanded Garcia. His voice was choked with emotion. “But suicide!”
    Sparrow said, “Joe, who were the last dock crewmen aboard?”
    â€œTwo snoopers I let aboard. I believe you saw them leave.”
    Ramsey thought: Garcia again. He leaned over the catwalk railing, called down to Garcia. “Joe, who were—”
Then he remembered that Garcia’s suit would damp out the sound and turned back to his mike: “Joe, who were those men?”
    The blank faceplate of Garcia’s suit tipped upward toward Ramsey. “Two new ones. Their names are on the gangway check list.”
    Sparrow said, “Record this from the note, Ramsey.” He read: “‘Whoever sabotaged your pile was hoping it would blow while this subtug was in the marine tunnel. Such a blowup would eliminate the subtug base until a rerouted tunnel section could be built. Obviously, the enemy knows of the existence of this base. Security should be notified at once.’” The skipper’s voice lowered. “‘Please tell my wife that my last thoughts were of her.’”
    Garcia said, “Those dirty, evil—” He choked.
    Sparrow held up the note for his suit scanner while Ramsey photographed it.
    â€œIs there anything else?” asked Ramsey.
    â€œA notebook filled with what looks like Security code. Yes, here’s a notation from Lieutenant Foss: “See that Security Section Twenty-Two gets this notebook.”
    Ramsey saw the book through Sparrow’s suit scanner.
    Sparrow said, “Record the pages as I hold them up, Ramsey.” He flipped through the pages for the scanner, said, “I have the contents of his pockets. I’m coming out.” He backed out to the tunnel entrance.
    Bonnett returned from the rear storeroom dragging a bulky contamination bag and a small lead box. He looked up at Ramsey, said, “I listened in on the storeroom portable while I was getting this stuff. Lord, how I’d like to have my hands on the rats who scragged that poor guy!”
    â€œYou mean who almost scragged us,” said Ramsey. He
bent over his panel mike: “Joe, you’d better get that stuff from Les. He shouldn’t go any closer to the tunnel without a suit.”
    Garcia’s voice issued from the speaker: “Righto.” He went back to the engine-room floor to Bonnett, returned to the tunnel with the contamination bag and lead box.
    Sparrow emerged from the tunnel, turned, said, “Ramsey, record these items as I put them in the box. One Mark XXVII hand-snooper, one wrist-type communicator, one flashlight, one wallet with the following items: a picture of woman and child inscribed ‘All our Love, Nan and Peggy,’ one ID card issued to Lieutenant Senior Grade Arthur Harmon Foss, SYO-2204829, one base gate pass, one mess-hall pass, one driver’s license, currency and coins to sixteen dollars and twenty-four cents.”
    He turned back to the tunnel, picked up another bundle tied in a handkerchief, untied the handkerchief clumsily with his heavily gloved hands. “Here’s some more: one fountain pen, one key ring with four keys, one fingernail clipper, one minicamera. The telltale’s turned red: film’s been ruined by radiation. One pocket recorder with wire blank.”
    Sparrow dropped the bundle into the box. Garcia sealed