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〃What！〃
〃Dora； please don't yell in my ear。 This is a hypothetical case。〃
〃That sheriff had better be able to shoot straight；〃 Lapis Lazuli said grimly。
Her brother answered； 〃Lazi； you've heard me say nine thousand and nieen t~rnes that we do not carry weapons to give us Dutch courage。 If a gun makes you feel three meters tall and invulnerable； you had better go unarmed and let your sister do any shooting that's necessary。 Now tell me why you don't shoot at the sheriff。〃
〃Yes！〃 said Dora。 〃I want tp be rescued！〃
〃Quiet； Dora。 Laz？〃
〃Uh 。 。 we don't shoot cops~…Ever。〃
〃Not quite。 We don't shoot cops if there is any way to avoid It。 Safer to kiss a rattlesnake。 In two thousand years and some I've always found a way to avoid it…although I did shoot kind o' close to one once； to divert his attention。 Unique circumstances。 But in this hypothetical case shooting one cop is worse than useless； the Chairman Pro Tern has confiscated your ship。〃
〃Help；〃 Dora whispered。
〃Why； Madam Barstow would n鑯fer do anything that nasty！〃
〃I didn't say it was Susan Barstow。 But Arabelle； had she lasted； would have enjoyed pulling that sOrt of 'stunt on the Longs。 Let's say Susan has dropped dead and the new CPT
is as bad as Arabelle。 No ship and no assets…what do you do？ Remember； I'm dependi~g on you…or I'm stuck back in the Dark Ages。 What do you do？〃
〃'When in danger or doubt 。 。 Run in circles； scream and shout；' 〃 recited Dora。
〃Oh； stop it； Dora；〃 said Lapis Lazuli。 〃We don't panic； that's certain。 We have ten years in which to figure out a… Hey！ Wait a moment； I'm using the wrong framework。 We could take a hundred years if necessary。 Or longer。〃
〃A hundred years is plenty；〃 said Lorelei。 〃In less time than that we can steal another ship。〃
〃Thank tig；〃 advised Lazarus。 〃Steal the Pleiades。 Far better not to steal anything； Lor。〃
〃You stole a starship once。〃
〃Because there was no time to do anything else。 But with plenty of time at your disposal； it's better to be reasonably honest…not break rules you can get caught breaking。 Money is the universal erely takes time and ingenuity； and sometimes work。 Raise enough money and you might be able to buy the 'Dora' back。 If that's impossible； with much less money you could get to Tertius； where Ira and the family could find some way to lay hands on a starship。 Then you could program it with the stuff Dora left in Athene
…and e get me。〃
〃Isn't anybody going to e rescue me？〃
〃Dora dear； this hasn't happened； and it's extremely unlikely to happen。 But if it did and the twins weren't able to rescue you…say that your new owner has you halfway across the Galaxy…〃
〃I'll crash him the first time he tries to land！〃
〃Dora； stop being a nitwit。 If we ever did lose you…most unlikely…and the twins could not rescue you but could rescue me…then if you've taken care of yourself； no crash landing or any other foolishness…we'll find you； we'll get you back。 All three of us。 No matter how many years it takes。 Laz？ Lori？〃
〃You bet！ 'One for all； all for one！' And it's not just us four； Dora； it's the whole family…all the adults； all nine kids
…mi~ht be more by then…and Athene。 Brother； when Ira moved that we all take the last name of 'Long；' I liked it so much I couldn't cry hard enough。 Sis； you're 'Dora Long'… and the Longs don't let each other down！〃
〃I feel better；〃 the puter admitted； '；~ith a sniffle。
〃You never had anything to feel bad about； Dora；〃 Lazarus
continued。 〃You started this by insisting that my precautions were unnecessary。 So I dreamed up a situation in which they would be necessary 。 。 especially so if the twins could not get at the programs you left with Athen？in which case they might have to fall back on time markers and recalibrate。 So I had 'em stuck on another pla and flat broke 。 。 so the first problem is to lay hands on money。 Think you could do it； girls？ In a hundred years？ Without being caught in something that would put you in still more of a jam？〃
The twins glanced at each other。 〃Lor？〃
〃Of course； Laz。 Brother； that's when we open our hook shop over a pool hail。 Or somewhere。〃
Lazarus said； 〃I don't think you two have the true vocation。 And your noses are regrettably like mine。 Homely； that is。〃
〃Our noses are an asset…〃
〃…because they do make us look like you…〃
〃…so what is mon gossip by now but unbelievable…〃
〃…bees quite believable once a client gets a look at us… 〃…and aside from noses； we look pretty good…〃 〃…'built like brick outhouses；' you told us…〃
〃…and natural redheads； which Tammy says is cash in the bank…〃
〃…and looking just alike but we can give 'em variety…〃
〃…just by one of us not using a depilatory…〃
〃…which will make us a great sister act at very high prices； Maggie said so…〃
〃…and if you think being horny isn't enough true vocation…〃
〃…which may be true and we concede that we'll never be the great artist Tammy is； nevertheless…〃
〃…New Rome is going to be amazed at how intense our vocation is…〃
〃…when our brother's safety is at stake！〃
Lazarus took a deep breath。 〃Thank you； darlings。 While you'll probably take a fling at it someday； 1 hope that？you won't need to do it to rescue me。 I'm counting more on your mathematical ability and your skill as shiphandlers than I am on your undeniable physical and spiritual beauty。〃
〃Did you hear that； Lor？ That time he added 'spiritual。'〃
〃I think he meant it。〃
〃I hope so。 It's even nicer than being told we have tits as pretty as Minerva's。 Which we don't； quite。〃
〃Yes； you do；〃 their brother said absently。 〃Let's get back to iandmarjs and such。〃 …
〃I think you ought to kiss them；〃 said Dora。
〃Later。 Now look； kids； prime rendezvous； exactly ten Tyears after you drop me…although you drop Andy's body first。 How？ Laz or Lor…not Dora。 Of course you know all this； Dora； this review is for flesh…and…bloods。 Fallible。 Laz？〃
…〃Have Dora unfreeze him and bring his body up almost to cremation temperature and put him into atmosphere on a long slant just under orbital speed so that it will burn up； or almost； before it hits 。 。 and figure the ballistic to hit the mountains in case he's not quite burned up…because we don't want to hurt anybody。〃
〃What mountains and how do you find them？ Lor？〃
〃These right here。 Prime landmark； this big river that drams the central valley。 Where this other big river es in from the west is our north landmark； the gulf they wind up in is the south landmark…no landmark on the west。 Arkansas is about the middle of that bracket。 The Ozark Mountains are the only mountains in the bracket…but shoot for the south side of the mountains； this escarpment； the north side is not Arkansas。 Brother； why does that matter？〃
〃Sentiment； Lorelei。 As far