The girl held up the lid while Thorp slid the body into it. There was a
faint swoosh. Tamis let the lid drop.
An awkward silence fell upon them.
"Well," Thorp broke it, "we're in this together. Liedl was a government
spy. There'll be hell to pay when he turns up missing."
"But they can't trace it to us," Tamis asked. "Can they?"
"No. The reconverters will take care of that."
Joel stood up abruptly, started for the fo'cs'le.
"Joel!" Tamis said.
He didn't answer.
* * * * *
Walt Eriss, the ex-surgeon, returned eventually from the ship's
hospital--a savage-eyed Eriss who obviously had been nursing his
grievances. Almost his first act was to confront Joel.
"Hakkyt," he said thinly, "that's twice you've struck me." He fingered
his jaw, his curious yellow-gray eyes aflame. "I'll kill you for this."
Everyone stopped talking, stared breathlessly at the shaggy haired
giant. Thorp moved beside Joel, but he didn't say anything.