"Administrator Hadley! Terrible news!"
The administrator eyed Secretary Anderson from behind a desk polished till it gleamed that then held the latest report on the space colony IX Tucker's outer shell integrity. "What's the matter, Anderson? Your transfer request was turned down?"
"Yes, but that's not it! There have been sightings in the Industrial District . . . of Ghost Tank!"
Donald Hadley shot out of his chair and slammed his hands on the desk. "Ghost Tank! Are you sure?"
"Can we afford to be sure?
"You're right. We have to act now. Seal off the entire sector and open the bulkheads. We'll shoot Ghost Tank," he said as he slammed his right fist into his open left hand, "straight into space."
"But Administrator, haven't you heard? Ghost Tank . . . RULES SPACE."
Hadley stumbled backward, fear written on his bloodless face. "Then we have no choice. We must evacuate." He opened a panel on his desk and pressed the button underneath. Alarms began to bleat throughout IX Tucker. "This station now belongs to Ghost Tank. Let's go, Anderson."
On their way to the hangar, the two men could speak of only one thing. "Your transfer request was turned down too, huh?"
"That's right, Anderson. That's right."
Finis
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