Despite his threat, he knew he hadn't seen the last of this business.
From the wild region Flint called home, through the maze of Ring planets to the Saturn mainland, was only an hour's jump—if you knew the way. If you didn't, well, even the Stellar Patrol got lost looking for you.
The Ring was uncharted, an inestimable jumble of satellites ranging in size from sand-like grains to full-blown worlds supporting their own plant and animal life. Their only ties to the mother planet were the cosmic forces that kept them constantly revolving around her and their common atmosphere, so deep it enveloped both Saturn and the Ring.
Flint knew every shape, every color, every landmark in the place, and his plane weaved through the maze at a speed that would have ended in a crash with a less experienced hand at the controls.
The hazy twilight was just settling over Saturn when he plunged down into its capital city. Pausing at the space-port only long enough to wiggle into a shirt, he caught the shuttle chute across town and arrived at the capitol just as the government workers were leaving the building. He ran up the gleaming stairs, turned down the glowing corridor and hurried through the silver door on which impressive letters read: GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
A secretary looked up from her desk with startled eyes. Her expression changed from surprise to alarm as Flint strode past her toward a closed door at the end of the room.
"Here! Do you have an appointment—"
But Flint had shoved open the door and stepped into the Governor's private office.
A tall, white-haired man looked up from a huge desk. He rose quickly, smiling, and held out his hand. "I've been wanting to see you, Lou. No one knew how to find you in the Ring."