Jolly ticklish situation. Delicate. All we can do is ship these fellows home with our compliments, where their own government will doubtless give ’em a talking to and let ’em go. And then, very much on the Q.T., I’m jolly well sure the Erse Republic will pay whatever damage claims there are. Your own ship ought to collect a goodly share of that, eh, what?’
By this time Sarmishkidu von Himmelschmidt had reached the foot of the ladder. ‘I’ll have you know I have thousands of pounds in damages coming!’ he whistled in outrage. ‘Maybe millions! Why, just the loss of business during occupation, at a rate of easy five hundred pounds a day – let’s call it a t’ousand pounds a day to put it in round figures –dot adds up to—’
‘Oh, come now, old chap, come now. Tut-tut!’ The officer adjusted his monocle. ‘It isn’t all that bad. Really it isn’t, don’t y’ know. After all, even if nothing is done officially, word will get around. People will come in jolly old floods to see that place where all this happened. I’ll wager my own missus makes me vacation here this season. Cloak and dagger stuff, excitin’, all that sort of piffle, eh, what, what? Why, it’ll be the busiest tourist season in your history, by Jove.’
‘Hmmmm.’ Sarmishkidu stroked his nose thoughtfully. A gleam waxed in one bulging eye. ‘Hmmm. Yes. The atmosphere of international intrigue; sinister spies, double agents, beautiful females luring away secret papers. Yes, the first place on Grendel to furnish that kind of atmosphere will—Hmmm. I must make some alterations, I see. To hell with Gemutlichkeit. I want my tavern to have an uncertain reputation. Yes, that’s it, uncertain.’ He drew himself up and flourished a dramatic tentacle. ‘Gentlemen, you are now looking upon the proprietor of der Alt Heisenberg Rath skeller!’
About the Author
Poul Anderson (1926–2001) grew up bilingual in a Danish American family. After discovering science fiction fandom and earning a physics degree at the University of Minnesota, he found writing science fiction more satisfactory. Admired for his “hard” science fiction, mysteries, historical novels, and “fantasy with rivets,” he also excelled in humor. He was the guest of honor at the 1959 World Science Fiction Convention and at many similar events, including the 1998 Contact Japan 3 and the 1999 Strannik Conference in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Besides winning the Hugo and Nebula Awards, he has received the Gandalf, Seiun, and Strannik, or “Wanderer,” Awards. A founder of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, he became a Grand Master, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
In 1952 he met Karen Kruse; they married in Berkeley, California, where their daughter, Astrid, was born, and they later lived in Orinda, California. Astrid and her husband, science fiction author Greg Bear, now live with their family outside Seattle.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 1962 by Trigonier Trust
Cover design by Jason Gabbert
978-1-4976-9427-9
This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
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The Makeshift Rocket Page 11
