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."They may be old but we have decided that the conspiracy against us was very carefully put into motion long before there was any reason to suspect one,' Hrriss replied, but he also took a moment to stretch cramped muscles."These entries,' and he tapped a claw tip on the sheets, "are all from Darwin II-MFA, a very remote colony world, not yet qualified for full status."Could be a place to ship stolen livestock, Todd said.He bent to his task again, stylus poised to cross off an entry, as he peered at the next line."whoa! Here's an account number right here on Doona!""whose?" Hrriss asked.Todd swung around to the computer and instituted a name search.Madam Dupuis had arranged for them to use Archival records to match numbers with names, providing they limited their inquiries to that."Dunno yet.The last payment in these records is two years old.The person it belongs to might have left Doona in the interim." He drummed his nails irritably on the tabletop, waiting for the data to appear.when the screen scrolled up in answer to his query, Todd just stared at it, his face turning into a cold mask.Without a word, he rose, snatched up the printout, and started for the door."whose number is it? Zodd? where are you going?" Todd kept walking."To the Launch Center.""why?" the Hrruban demanded."To skin a snake." Hrriss glanced at the name on the screen and hurried after his friend."Lincoln Newry! How very convenient!' "Todd!" Lincoln Newry said pleasantly as they marched into the circle of light cast by the single spot set into the ceiling.Martinson's assistant had his feet up on a desk in the Launch Center office, watching the tape of an entertainment program on the comunit screen while keeping half an eye on his scopes."Hrriss! Nice to see you both.We don't get many visitors way out here.It's lonely in the evenings.Can I offer you something to drink? Nice warm night for this time of year."Your boss isn't here?" Todd asked expressionlessly."I'd like him to hear what I've got to say."Nope,' said Newry gaily."He's gallivanting around the galaxy with old Kiachif.Some people have all the fun.I get to mind the store while he's gone.Todd nodded."How convenient, but that does fit another piece into the puzzle.We'd no reason to suspect either you or Martinson."Suspect? Me or Martinson? Of what?""Of helping Doona's enemies." "Ah, c'mon, now, Todd.You're imagining weeds into snakes,' Newry said in a soothing tone, but Todd noticed a wariness in his eyes despite his rallying words."Someone knew when and where Hrriss and I went on the Albatross, knew our flight plans and where we'd warp-jump.Someone also had to be here, in this office,' and Todd had Newry's complete attention now, "to let rustlers lift from the surface.whaddya want to bet that we can prove that every time a heist was made, you, Linc Newry, just happened to be on duty?" With an incredulous laugh, Newry shook his head."No way, son "I'm not your son,' Todd said, his face hard and implacable with suppressed anger.Hrriss had never seen him so furious.He moved to the balls of his feet in readiness."And you know a ship launched the other night and somehow you can turn the security satellites off so they don't record either launches or landings of rustler shuttles.""Hold on, hold on, there!" Newry said, raising his hands to pacify Todd and shooting Hrriss an indignant look that suggested Hrriss should calm his friend down."You can't run around accusing people of doing this or that just to clear yourselves.""I think I can,' Todd said in an icy certain voice."I figured it out.If Martinson's not here, you're the one who creates legitimate documentation for export shipments from Doona.You mind the shop, as you said yourself.And no one could have missed that atmospheric insertion the other night.You were probably looking at its trail as you assured me that no one had blasted off-planet with a load of horses rustled from Dad's ranch." Newry was still waving his hands and shaking his head incredulously at Todd's accusations."You can look at my records
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