He winked at his silent companion, the staid and seemingly dumb
professor. He turned back to me. "Sorry. Should have introduced you.
Prof Cripps--this is my friend and competitor, Jose Obanion."
"Pleased," the Professor said, looking fearfully at the Government
Eyespy over my head. His fingers went automatically to the engraved
tablet he wore on a chain round his neck--a validated Loyalty Oath--as
though to show the unseen TBI observers he wasn't _really_ a friend of
this Joe Mac's.
"The Prof," Honest Pancho said softly, "is a specialist in Venerian
ethnology. He'd like to meet your clients."