"They're the people who cut our shackles, fullback. They're the people who refused to be earth-bound."
"Mmm-hmm. And they're the cuties who could just as well maintain the population quota with artificial insemination, too. But do they? Come to think of it, why don't they?"
"You'd better check your orbit log," I told him. "We're getting into asteroid alley."
"Yes, Chief. Yes, Boss. Yes, Sir!" He pulled out the flats, and looked through the electronic scanner. Then he picked up a stylus and adjusted it to the graph arm, and took another look through the scanner.
He seemed to be frozen there. "Mi Gawd—"
"What's happened? You damned fullback, if you've lost our line to—"
He waved, stiff-armed. "Shut up. We're right on orbit. I just saw a woman. And what a woman. She was waving to me!"
In all the galaxy there had been three Level-One navigators. There were now two.
"Naturally," I said patiently. "You would. That would be your mirage—a woman."
"I saw a woman," Horse insisted evenly, "on—" He was consulting his flats, frowning. "On—Well, I'll be damned."