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.The Japanese had them for thousands of years, butthey've never caught on else-where.They're puzzles, made up of a number ofpieces that fit together to form some sort of structure.This one, forinstance, will be the model of an Agrav genera-tor when it's finished.Idesigned and made this puzzle myself."He lifted the piece of metal he was holding and placed it carefully in alittle slot in the structure.The piece slid in smoothly and held in place."Now you take another piece." His left hand moved gently over thestructure, while his right felt among the loose pieces, came up with one,and moved it into place.Bigman, fascinated, moved forward, then jumped back at a sudden animal howlfrom beneath the table.A dog came squirming out from beneath the table and put its forefeet on thebench.It was a largeGerman shepherd dog and it stood now looking mildly at Bigman.Bigman said nervously, "Here, now, I stepped on it by accident."61"It's only Mutt," said Norrich."He won't hurt any-one without better causePage 25 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlthan being stepped on.He's my dog.He's my eyes.""Your eyes?"Lucky said softly, "Mr.Norrich is blind, Bigman."6Death Enters the GameBigman shrank back."I'm sorry.""No need to be sorry," Norrich said cheerfully."I'm used to it and I can getalong.I'm holding a master technician's rank and I'm in charge ofconstructing ex-perimental jigs.I don't need anyone to help me, either, anymore than I need help in my threedees.""I imagine the threedees offer good exercise," said Lucky.Bigman said, "You mean you can put those things together without even beingable to see them?Sands of Mars!""It's not as hard as you might think.I've been prac-ticing for years and Imake them myself so I know the tricks of them.Here, Bigman, here's a simpleone.It's just an egg shape.Can you take it apart?"Bigman received the light-alloy ovoid and turned it in his hands,looking over the pieces that fit together smoothly and neatly."In fact," Norrich went on, "the only thing I really need Mutt for is to takeme along the corridors." He leaned down to scratch the dog behind one ear, and6364the dog permitted it, opening his mouth wide in a sleepy yawn, showing largewhite fangs and a length of pink lolling tongue.Lucky could feel the warmthickness of Norrich's affection for the dog pour out via the V-frog."I can't use the Agrav corridors," Norrich said, "since I'd have no way oftelling when to decelerate, soI have to walk through ordinary corridors and Mutt guides me.It makes for thelong way around, but it's good exercise, and with all the walking Mutt and Iknow Jupiter Nine better than anybody, don't we, Mutt?.Have you got ityet, Bigman?""No," said Bigman."It's all one piece.""Not really.Here, give it to me."Bigman handed it over, and Norrich's skinful fingers flew over the surface."See this little square bit here? You push it and it goes in a bit.Grab thepart that comes out the other end, give it half a turn clockwise, and it pullsout altogether.See? Now the rest conies apart easily.This, then this, thenthis, and so on.Lin© up the pieces in order as they come out; there are onlyeight of them; then put them back in reverse order.Put the key piece in last,and it will lock everything into place."Bigman stared dubiously at the individual pieces and bent close over them.Lucky said, "I believe you wanted to discuss the reception committee I met upwith when I arrived, Mr.Norrich.You said you wanted to talk about my fightwith Armand.""Yes, Councilman, yes.I wanted you to understand.I've been here onJupiter Nine since Agrav project started and I know the men.Some leavewhen their hitch is up, some stay on, greenhorns join up; but65they're all the same in one way.They're very insecure.""Why?""For several reasons.In the first place, there is danger involved in theproject.We've had dozens of accidents and lost hundreds of men.I lost myeyes five years ago and I was fortunate in a way.I might have died.Secondly,the men are isolated from friends and family while they're here.Reallyisolated."Lucky said, "I imagine there are some people who enjoy the isolation."Page 26 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlHe smiled grimly as he said that.It was no secret that men who in one way oranother had gotten entangled with the law sometimes managed to find work onsome of the pioneer worlds.People were always needed to work under domes inartificial atmospheres with pseu-do-grav fields, and those who volunteeredwere usually not asked too many questions.Nor was there anything very wrongwith that.Such volunteers aided Earth and its people under difficultconditions, and that, in a way, was a payment for misdeeds.Norrich nodded at Lucky's words."I see you're not naive about it and I'mglad.Leaving the officers and the professional engineers to one side, Iimagine a good half of the men here have criminal records onEarth, and most of the rest might have such records if the po-lice kneweverything.I doubt that one in five gives his real name.Anyway, you seewhere tension comes in when investigator after investigator arrives.You'reall looking for Sirian spies; we know that; but each man thinks thatmaybe his own particular trouble will come out and he'll be dragged back tojail on Earth.They all want to go back toEarth, but they want to go back anonymously, not at the other end of a set ofwrist66locks.That's why Red Summers could rouse them so.""And is Summers something special that he takes the lead? A particularly badrecord on Earth?"Bigman looked up briefly from his threedee to say bitterly, "Murder, maybe?""No," said Norrich with instant energy."You've got to understandabout Summers.He's had an unfortunate life: broken home, no real parents.He got into the wrong crowds.He's been in prison, yes, for being in-volved insome minor rackets.If he'd stayed on Earth, his life would have been one longwaste.But he's come to Jupiter Nine.He's made a new life here.He came outas a common laborer and he educated himself.He's learned low-gravconstruction engineering, force-field mechanics, and Agrav techniques.He'sbeen promoted to a responsible position and has done wonderful work.He's respectable, admired, well liked.He's found out what it is to have honorand position and he dreads nothing more than the thought of going back toEarth and his old life.""Sure, he hates it so much," said Bigman, "that he tried to kill Lucky bygimmicking the fight.""Yes," said Norrich, frowning, "I heard he was using a sub-phase oscillator tokill the councilman's control response.That was stupid of him, but hewas in panic.Look, fundamentally the man is goodhearted.When my oldMutt died ""Your old Mutt?" asked Lucky."I had a Seeing Eye dog before this one which I also called Mutt.It died in aforce-field short circuit that killed two men besides.He shouldn't have beenthere, but sometimes a dog will wander off on his own adven-tures.This onedoes, too, when I'm not using him, 67but he always comes back." He leaned down to slap his dog's flank lightly, andMutt closed one eye and thumped his tail against the floor."Anyway, after old Mutt died, it looked for a while as though I mightn't getanother and I would have to be sent home.I'm no use here without one.SeeingEye dogs are in short supply; there are waiting lists
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