"You'll get used to it," Tiger Martin chuckled as they waited for the
jitney to take them across to the launching pad. "At first you think
everybody is impressed by the colors, until you see some guy go past
with the braid all faded and frazzled at the edges, and then you realize
that you're just the latest greenhorn in a squad of two hundred thousand
men."
"It's still good to be wearing it," Dal said. "I couldn't really believe
it until Black Doctor Arnquist turned the collar and cuff over to me."
He looked suspiciously at Tiger. "You must have known a lot more about
that interview than you let on. Or, was it just coincidence that we were
assigned together?"
"Not coincidence, exactly." Tiger grinned. "I didn't know what was going
to happen. I'd requested assignment with you on my application, and then
when yours was held up, Doctor Arnquist asked me if I'd be willing to
wait for assignment until the interview was over. So I said okay. He
seemed to think you had a pretty good chance."
"I'd never have made it without his backing," Dal said.
"Well, anyway, he figured that if you _were_ assigned, it would be a
good idea to have a friend on the patrol ship team."
"I won't argue about _that_," Dal said. "But who is the Blue Service
man?"
Tiger's face darkened. "I don't know much about him," he said.
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