I turned on the video-viewer above the board, and as the glow brightened, I could see the robot quarters and Van Elling playing bridge with three of our brightest automatons. Van's a great boy to buck impossible odds, but otherwise rational. He's our robot master.
Van looked up from the game at the signal light, and smiled, "About time, Skipper?"
"You'd have to ask the navigator."
Van's eyes shifted. "What's he sulking about?"
Horse waved. "How you coming with the master-minds?"
"I'm winning. I've found a system." He looked back at me. "Skipper, there should be two robot masters on this run, and you know it."
Horse laughed. "A partner, eh, Van?"
"Why not? Psychic bids, that's what throws them off. But it throws off my partner, too, and I don't make what I should. How about it, Sam?"
I said, "You wanted a report from the navigator. I'm holding the screen open for that."
Van Elling's face stiffened, and his eyes went to Horse's. Collins said, "Seven hours and twelve minutes." I turned off the viewer.