# II explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Algis Budrys.

## What happens

Ash Holcomb meets with Captain Mort Weidmann, an old war buddy, who offers him a dangerous job: pilot a new ship to Titan with a critical power pile charge, evading both Thorsten and the Martians. Ash accepts, recognizing the job is backed by official government orders. While en route to the spaceport, he is ambushed by five assailants, fights back, and is ultimately knocked unconscious by Pat McKay.

## Themes in this chapter

### War and Its Aftermath

The chapter explores how war has shaped the lives of Ash, Mort, and Thorsten, each coping differently with their experiences.

### Betrayal and Trust

Ash is offered a job by an old friend but senses distrust; later he is ambushed and betrayed by Pat.

## Character check-ins

### Ash Holcomb

Narrator and protagonist; accepts a risky job from Weidmann and is later ambushed and captured by Pat.

### Mort Weidmann

Old war friend of Ash and Thorsten; now a Transolar Express captain who hires Ash for a Titan mission.

### Pat McKay

Ash's contact; she ambushes and knocks him out at the end of the chapter.

### Harry Thorsten

Mentioned as an old friend of Ash and Mort, now a threat in the Asteroid Belt.

## Key lines

> Mort Weidmann was the same Captain Weidmann who’d left an arm in the cockpit of a K class scoutbomber that he’d flown through a formation of Marties while he almost bled to death.

Mort Weidmann lost an arm in a K class scoutbomber during a battle with Martians.

_Establishes Mort's war injury and his military background._

> I lit a cigarette and pretended to think it over. Actually, of course, I was going to take the job.

Ash feigned deliberation but had already decided to accept the mission.

_Shows Ash's pragmatic and secretive nature._

> I never heard him coming. A gun bounced off my head, and I went under—But not before I looked up and saw that it was Pat herself.

Ash was knocked unconscious by Pat, who ambushed him silently.

_Climax of the chapter; reveals Pat as the attacker._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_2_se/chapters/ii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_2_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_2_se/chapters