Legacy | Page 4

The same thing in the Maccadon Precol office. Same
thing at the Evalee Home office. Same thing at the U-League--any
office. Then I try to contact Mantelish. I'm informed he's with Tate!
The two of them have left word I'm to carry on."
She spread her hands. "Carry on with what? I've done all I can do until
I get further instructions from the people supposedly directing this
supposedly very urgent and important project! Mantelish doesn't even

seem to have a second in command...."
Plemponi nodded. "I was told he hadn't selected his Project assistants
yet."
"Except," said Trigger, "for that little flock of Junior Scientists who
keep themselves locked in with the plasmoids. They know less than
nothing and would be too scared to tell me that if I asked them."
Plemponi looked confused for a moment. "The last sentence--" He
checked himself. "Well, let's not quibble. Go on."
Trigger said, "That's it. Holati didn't need me on this job to begin with.
There's nothing involved about the organizational aspects. Unless
something begins to happen--and rather soon--there's no excuse for me
to stay here."
"Couldn't you," Plemponi suggested, "regard this as a kind of
well-earned little vacation?"
"I've tried to regard it as that. Holati impressed on me that one of us
had to remain in the area of the Project at all times, so I haven't even
been able to leave the school grounds. I've caught up with my reading,
and Mihul has put me through two of her tune-up commando courses.
But the point is that I'm not on vacation. I don't believe Precol would
feel that any of my present activities come under the heading of
detached duty work!"
There was a short silence. Plemponi stared down at his empty tray, said,
"Excuse me," got up and walked over to the wall chef with the tray.
"Wrong slot," Trigger told him.
He looked back. "Eh?"
"You want to put it in the disposal, don't you?"
"Thanks," Plemponi said absently. "Always doing that. Confusing
them...." He dropped the tray where it belonged, shoved his hands into

the chef's cleaning recess and waved them around, then came back, still
looking absent-minded, and stopped before Trigger's chair. He studied
her face for a moment.
"Commissioner Tate gave me a message for you," he said suddenly.
Trigger's eyes narrowed slightly. "When?"
"The day after he left." Plemponi lifted a hand. "Now wait! You'll see
how it was. He called in and said, and I quote, 'Plemp, you don't stand
much of a chance at keeping secrets from Trigger, so I'll give you no
unnecessary secrets to keep. If this business we're on won't let us get
back to the Project in the next couple of weeks, she'll get mighty
restless. When she starts to complain--but no earlier--just tell her there
are reasons why I can't contact her at present, or let her know what I'm
doing, and that I will contact her as soon as I possibly can.' End of
quote."
"That was all?" asked Trigger.
"Yes."
"He didn't say a thing about how long this situation might continue?"
"No. I've given you the message word for word. My memory is
excellent, Trigger."
"So it could be more weeks? Or months?"
"Yes. Possibly. I imagine...." Plemponi had begun to perspire.
"Plemp," said Trigger, "will you give Holati a message from me?"
"Gladly!" said Plemponi. "What--oh, oh!" He flushed.
"Right," said Trigger. "You can contact him. I thought so."
Doctor Plemponi looked reproachful. "That was unfair, Trigger! You're
quick-witted."

Trigger shrugged. "I can't see any justification for all this mystery,
that's all." She stood up. "Anyway, here's the message. Tell him that
unless somebody--rather promptly--gives me a good sane reason for
hanging around here, I'll ask Precol to transfer me back to the Manon
job."
Plemponi tut-tutted gloomily. "Trigger," he said, "I'll do my best about
the message. But otherwise--"
She smiled nicely at him. "I know," she said, "your lips are sealed.
Sorry if I've disturbed you, Plemp. But I'm just a Precol employee, after
all. If I'm to waste their time, I'd like to know at least why it's
necessary."
Plemponi watched her walk out of the room and off down the adjoining
hall. In his face consternation struggled with approval.
"Lovely little figure, hasn't she?" he said to Mihul. He made vague
curving motions in the air with one hand, more or less opposing ones
with the other. "That sort of an up-and-sideways lilt when she walks."
"Uh-huh," said Mihul. "Old goats."
"Eh?" said Doctor Plemponi.
"I overheard you discussing Trigger's lilt with Mantelish."
Plemponi sat down at his desk. "You shouldn't eavesdrop, Mihul," he
said severely. "I'd better get that message promptly to Tate, I suppose.
She meant what she said, don't you think?"
"Every bit of it," said Mihul.