The Game-Players of Titan - By Philip K. Dick Page 0,13

followed after him, a preoccupied frown of worry on her rather wrinkled face. Arlene had taken advantage of the Hynes operation somewhat later in life than had the others.

“Hi ya,” Walt Remington said gloomily, glancing furtively around as he entered with his alert, bright-eyed wife Janice. “I understand we’ve got a new member,” he said in a self-conscious, uncomfortable voice; guilt was written all over him as he shakily removed his coat and laid it over a chair.

“Yes,” Freya said to him. And you know why, she thought.

Now the sandy-haired baby of the group, Stuart Marks, put in his appearance, and with him his tall, masculine, no-nonsense wife Yule, wearing a black suede leather jacket and jeans. “I was listening to Nats Katz,” Stuart said, “and he said—”

“He was correct,” Clem Gaines answered. “Lucky Luckman is already on the West Coast, setting up residence in Berkeley.”

Carrying a bottle of whiskey wrapped up in a paper bag, Silvanus Angst strolled in, smiling broadly at everyone, in a good mood as always. And immediately after him came swarthy Jack Blau, his dark eyes flickering as he looked at everyone in the room; he jerked his head in greeting but did not speak.

Jean, his wife, greeted Freya. “You might be interested … we looked into the business of getting Pete a new wife; we were with Straw Man Special for two whole hours, today.”

“Any luck?” Freya asked, trying to make her voice sound casual.

“Yes,” Jean Blau said. “There’s a woman named Carol Holt coming over from Straw Man Special, this evening; she should be here any time.”

“What’s she like?” Freya said, preparing herself.

Jean said, “Intelligent.”

“I mean,” Freya said, “what does she look like?”

“Brown hair. Small. I really can’t describe her; why don’t you just wait?” Jean glanced toward the door, and there stood Pete Garden; he had come in and was standing listening.

“Hi,” Freya said to him. “They found you a wife.” Pete said to Jean, “Thanks.” His voice was gruff. “Well, you must have a partner to play,” Jean pointed out.

“I’m not sore,” Pete said. Like Silvanus Angst, he carried a bottle wrapped up in a paper bag; he now set it down on the sideboard next to Silvanus’ and took off his coat. “In fact I’m glad,” he said.

Silvanus giggled and said, “What Pete’s worried about is the man who got hold of the Berkeley deed, isn’t it, Pete? Lucky Luckman, they say.” Short and plump, Silvanus waddled over to Freya and stroked her hair. “You worried, too?”

Carefully disengaging Angst’s fingers from her hair, Freya said, “I certainly am. It’s a terrible thing.”

“It is,” Jean Blau agreed. “We’d better discuss it before Luckman gets here; there must be something we can do.”

“Refuse to seat him?” Angst said. “Refuse to play against him?”

Freya said, “No vital deeds should be offered during the play. His getting a toe-hold here in California is bad enough; if he gains more—”

“We mustn’t permit it,” Jack Blau agreed. He glared at Walt Remington. “How could you do it? We ought to expel you. And you’re such a jackass you probably haven’t got any idea what you’ve done.”

“He understands,” Bill Calumine said. “He didn’t intend to; he sold to brokers and they right away—”

“That’s no excuse,” Jack Blau said.

Clem Gaines said, “One thing we can do, we can insist that he submit to an EEG. I took the liberty of bringing a machine along. That might bar him. We ought to be able to bar him somehow.”

“Should we check with U.S. Cummings and see if it has any idea?” Jean Blau asked. “I know it’s contrary to their intentions to have one man dominate both coasts; they were upset when Luckman pushed Joe Schilling out of New York City, in fact—I remember that distinctly.”

“I’d prefer not to turn to the vugs,” Bill Calumine said. He looked around at the group. “Anybody else have any ideas? Speak up.”

There was an uneasy silence.

“Aw come on,” Stuart Marks said. “Can’t we just—” He gestured. “You know. Scare him physically. There’re six men, here. Against one.”

After a pause Bill Calumine said, “I’m for that. A little force. At least we can agree to combine against him during The Game itself. And if—”

He broke off. Someone had come in.

Rising to her feet, Jean Blau said, “Folks, this is the new player who’s come to us from Straw Man Special, Carol Holt.” Jean advanced to take the girl by the arm and lead her into the room. “Carol, this is Freya and Clem Gaines,