Let Space Be Your Coffin
By S. M. Tenneshaw
Bert hated Miles, and secretly plotted
to kill him. It all seemed simple, yet murder
can be complicated—especially in the void!...
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
November 1954
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Bert thought savagely, I'm going to kill you, Miles Berendt. You'vealways lorded it over me—thought you were something extra special whenwe were kids. Now you've practically taken over the business I helpedbuild. My business—the best damned space freight line in the system!And you've got your eyes on Carol—my girl! Well, look smug, Miles.This is your last day alive—tomorrow they won't even find your atoms!
"Something eating you, Bert?"
Miles Berendt closed the tally book and shoved it aside on the desk. Heeased his six-foot frame back in the chair behind the desk and staredquizzically at Bert Tanner. Tanner was standing by the window, staringmoodily out toward the long line of space hangars.
Tanner twisted abruptly, stared at Berendt, and laughed shortly."What? Not a thing, Miles. Not a thing...."
Berendt sighed. "I'm glad. With business as good as it is, and thatnew contract with Deimos Mines almost in our laps we've got reason tocelebrate. I thought maybe you, Carol and I could sort of relax with afew drinks at my place tonight—"
"Carol?" Bert bit her name out sharply. Too sharply. He forced the edgefrom his voice and glanced uneasily away from Berendt to stare out thewindow until he could get his emotions under control. Don't let himsuspect—not now.... Out of the corner of his eye he saw Miles get upfrom behind the desk and walk slowly over toward him. Berendt had hishands in his pants pockets.
"You sure nothing's bothering you, Bert?"
Tanner started to turn from the window. But his gaze was caught bya trim figure coming into view across the smooth concrete expanseseparating the office building from the repair hangar. It was a girl.A blonde girl. A dream of a figure in form-fitting plasti-silk. It wasCarol. She was coming toward the office building, a file of papersunder one arm.
"Bert. I asked you a question."
Tanner pulled his eyes away from the window. As he did so Miles glancedpast him. A smile pulled at his thin, firm lips as he saw Carolapproaching the building. The sun was going down in the west, and shewas framed in a golden-red halo with the tapering, glinting metallictips of two space ships, the Viking and Space Queen II in theirground cradles for a backdrop. To Miles it was a beautiful picture. Thesmile on his lips widened.
Tanner saw the smile and his own swarthy features grew dark. "Youtrying to needle me, Miles?" his voice was edgy, almost harsh.
Berendt pulled his gaze away from the window and Carol's vanishingfigure as she rounded a corner of the building.
"Needle you, Bert? What the hell gave you that idea? You're actingpretty peculiar—"
"Maybe just normal. Could that be it, Miles?"
Berendt shrugged, glancing closely at his partner. "I know you prettywell, Bert. Something's bothering you. You're pretty moody lately.Perhaps you better not take the Deimos run if you're not up to it. EvenCarol has remarked—"
"Carol?" The harshness was in Bert Tanner's voice. And Miles Berendtfrowned as he saw the wild light that sprang up suddenly in Tanner'seyes. "So you and Carol have been talki