Stranger in a Strange Land

made a game of it, keeping score against each other. A reporter that closed within three feet of either of them courted a spiked instep.
                They found their corridor patrolled by S.S. troopers and an officer outside the door of their suite.
                Jubal's back hair rose, but he realized (or "hoped," he corrected himself) that their presence meant that Douglas was carrying out his half of the bargain in full measure. The letter Jubal had sent to Douglas before the conference, explaining what he was going to do and say, and why, had included a plea to Douglas to use his power and influence to protect Mike's privacy from here on-so that the unfortunate lad could begin to lead a normal life. (If a "normal" life was possible for Mike, Jubal again corrected himself.)
                So Jubal merely called out, "Jill! Keep Mike under control. It's okay."
                "Right, Boss."
                And so it was. The officer at the door simply saluted. Jubal glanced at him, "Well! Howdy, Major. Busted down any doors lately?"
                Major Bloch turned red but kept his eyes forward and did not answer. Jubal wondered if the assignment was punishment? No, likely just coincidence; there probably wouldn't be more than a handful of S.S. officers of appropriate rank available for the chore in this area. Jubal considered rubbing it in by saying that a skunk had wandered in that door and ruined his living room furniture-and what was the major going to do about that? But he decided against it; it would not only be ungracious but untrue- Duke had rigged a temporary closure out of plywood before the party got too wet for such tasks.
                Duke was waiting inside. Jubal said, "Sit down, gentlemen. How about it, Duke?"
                Duke shrugged. "Who knows? Nobody has bugged this suite since I took it; I guarantee that. I turned down the first suite they offered me, just as you said to, and I picked this one because it's got a heavy ceiling-the ballroom is above us. And I've spent the time since searching the place. But, Boss, I've pushed enough electrons to know that any dump can be bugged, so that you can't find it without tearing the building down."
                "Fine, fine-but I didn't mean that. They can't keep a hotel this big bugged throughout just on the chance that we might take a room in it-at least, I don't think they can. I mean, 'How about the supplies?' I'm hungry, boy, and very thirsty-and we've three more for lunch."
                "Oh, that. That stuff was unloaded under my eyes, carried down the same way, placed just inside the door; I put it all in the pantry. You've got a suspicious nature, Boss."
                "I sure have-and you'd better acquire one if you want to live as long as I have." Jubal had just trusted Douglas with a fortune equivalent to a medium-sized national debt-but he had not assumed that Douglas' overeager lieutenants would not tamper with food and drink. So to avoid the services of a food taster he had fetched all the way from the Poconos plenty of food, more than a plenty of liquor-and a little water. And, of course, ice cubes. He wondered how Caesar had licked the Gauls without ice cubes.
                "I don't hanker to," Duke answered.
                "Matter of taste. I've had a pretty good time, on the whole. Get crackin', girls. Anne, douse your cloak and get useful. First girl back in here with a drink for me skips her next turn at 'Front.' After our guests, I mean. Do please sit down, gentlemen. Sven, what's your favorite poison? Akvavit, I suppose-Larry, tear down, find a liquor store and fetch back a couple of bottles of akvavit. Fetch Bols gin for the captain, too."
                "Hold it, Jubal," Nelson said firmly. "I won't touch akvavit unless it's chilled overnight-and I'd rather have Scotch."
                "Me, too," agreed van Tromp.
                "All right. Got enough of that to drown a horse. Dr. Mahmoud? If you prefer soft drinks, I'm pretty sure the girls tucked some in."
                Mahmoud looked wistful. "I should not allow myself to be tempted by strong drink."
                "No need to be. Let me prescribe for you, as a physician." Jubal looked him over. "Son, you look as if you had been under considerable nervous strain. Now we could alleviate that with