"Three weeks ago," Halleck said, tapping the cylinder with his finger, "you left Post One with this tube bound for Venusian headquarters at BeTaba. You were sent in person because any radio or visiscreen communication would of course be intercepted by the Kamali Oligarchs.
"The tube contains two messages. One asks for reinforcements at the Post because of a recent epidemic of Mold Fever. The other demands your resignation because of insubordination. Insubordination—refusing to obey orders. Right, isn't it?"
A knife of bitterness cut through Simms. Yes, it was right, every word of it.
He had come here to Venus direct from the Inner-Planet Military School on Earth. At Venus City he had waited six months before receiving his appointment to the Venusian Colonial Service. And then, without preamble, he had been sent to the most remote garrison in the Blue Swamp mold country—Post One.
A week after his arrival the Commandante had ordered him to ferret out a certain Kamali native who had rebelled against the Government, and disable him with a paralysis gun. Somehow when Simms had come face to face with the web-footed creature, his conscience had rebelled. Shooting in self-defense was one thing, but crippling in cold blood didn't seem human. He had let the Kamali go unharmed.
And a week later that same Kamali had sneaked through the impentration walls of the Post and murdered two Service men.
"The point is," Halleck continued, "we know where you stand, and we know we've got a good proposition ourselves. We've located a big Deleon mine near Xenthar village. That's deep mold country. All we have to do is start a little rebellion among the Kamali tribes, wait until they go on an expedition of war, then slip in and work the mine."
The man's eyes gleamed sardonically. But it was Gately who put the final offer into words.
"Now then, Simms," he said huskily, "you're getting a lousy deal from the government anyway. If you deliver that message, you'll only lose your commission. String along with us, and we'll treat you right. What do you say?"
Simms' face masked the battle that was waging in his soul.