But once his absence
was discovered and the warrant issued for his arrest, it had been
necessary for him to assume some sort of disguise to elude the Solar
Guard MP's. Roger had wound up on Spaceman's Row in Venusport as a
matter of course. Luckily, when he left the station, he had the
foresight to take all of his money with him, so he was not yet in need.
On Spaceman's Row, Roger found the new freedom from discipline enjoyable
at first, but now the novelty had worn off. Having visited all of the
interesting places on the Row, existence there had become boring. His
one attempt to leave Spaceman's Row had nearly met with disaster.
Running into a squad of Solar Guard MP's, he had made a hurried escape
into a near-by jet taxi. Back on the Row, Roger had lounged around the
cafes, feeling the loneliness that haunts men wanted by the law. And
only because he was so lonely he had agreed to talk to the little man
who sat and stared at him from across the table.
"You a rocket pusher, astrogator, or skipper?" asked the little man.
"Who wants to know?" asked Roger cautiously.
"Look, sonny boy," was the quick retort.
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