A Great Day for the Irish

								

and I was hoping to wear it tonight."
"Perhaps I can buy you something in hydroponics. I had no idea they
were so touchy or I'd have had the orchid fumigated."
Bridget felt the scorn of the official for the general public. "If
you're going to New Eden, you ought to know we want to keep it that
way."
The red waistcoat looked down at her.
"Oh, officialdom without stripes?" he said. "Or are you an old hand?
Perhaps you can explain the deal before we get there."
So he was the type that cracked wise, and she had put her foot in it
right at the beginning.
"I've never been off Earth before," she admitted. "I read up on it all
first."
The lift was at the lock door, and she slipped through without looking
back. The speaker was croaking "Ten minutes to go" as she hurried to
her cabin and prepared for takeoff. She'd have to do better than this
or the trip would be a washout. Better just concentrate on enjoying
it ... the new experiences ... the fascination of travel.
The jets roared and Bridget Kelly blacked out.
Several hours later she had recovered enough to spruce up, take the
prescribed dose of covitron against space sickness, and make her way
to the lounge. She found the table setting with her name on it and had
hardly sat down before a familiar voice began at her ear.
"Sure and if it isn't Bridget Kelly, and it's a long time I've been
waiting for herself."
She looked up into the same laughing eyes, only this time they were
above an emerald-green waistcoat.
"Still determined that New Eden shall not be polluted by snakes? Oh,
excuse me, that was St. Patrick. You're worried about bugs."
She laughed in spite of herself and glanced at the place card next
hers. "Mr. Patch Maguire," it read.
"I didn't mean to sound stuffy," she said. "It's just that most people
don't realize how important it is ... how much trouble just a few
insects ... well, I've worked at it and I ought to know."
"Ah, an official entomologist. But in that case, why New Eden? Or
are you insurance against people like Carrie and me who might import
something?"
"You never can tell. Something may turn up. It's hard to imagine a
planet without any insects at all."
"Eden's remarkable that way," put in the young officer sitting across
from them. "No stinging bugs or parasites. Makes everything a lot more
comfortable. Still, it's pretty new. Only a small part developed so
far."
"So we've insurance against the unknown in Bridget Kelly."
"And what might you be insurance against, Mr. Maguire?" she countered.



       *       *       *       *       *
The officer stared. "Don't you folks know each other? Mr. Maguire's a
grower of fancy plants. Sort of goes together ... plants and insects!"
He laughed. "Well, it looks like the rest of our table won't show up
for this meal."
"What happened to the lady without the orchid? She was with you, wasn't
she?" Bridget asked.
"Carrie," said Patch Maguire, "is one of those unfortunates on whom