THE COSMIC COMPUTER

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bindles. When the ship's airborne and out of reach of help, they'll
break out their guns and take her. Usually kill all the crew and
passengers. They don't like to leave live witnesses," the mate said.
"You heard about the /Harriet Barne/, didn't you?"

She was Transcontinent & Overseas, the biggest contragravity ship on the
planet.[Pg 7]

"They didn't pirate her, did they?"

The mate nodded. "Six months ago; Blackie Perales' gang. There was just
a tag end of a radio call, that ended in a shot. Time the Air Patrol got
to her estimated position it was too late. Nobody's ever seen ship,
officers, crew or passengers since."

"Well, great Ghu; isn't the Government doing anything about it?"