Shluh came forward with a hand-lamp. The party entered the ship.
Retief clambered up a narrow companionway, glanced around the interior
of the control compartment. Dust was thick on the deck, the stanchions
where acceleration couches had been mounted, the empty instrument
panels, the litter of sheared bolts, scraps of wire and paper. A thin
frosting of rust dulled the exposed metal where cutting torches had
sliced away heavy shielding. There was a faint odor of stale bedding.
"The cargo compartment--" Shluh began.
"I've seen enough," Retief said.
Silently, the Groacians led the way back out through the tunnel and
into the late afternoon sunshine. As they climbed the slope to the
steam car, Fith came to Retief's side.
"Indeed, I hope that this will be the end of this unfortunate affair,"
he said. "Now that all has been fully and honestly shown--"
"You can skip all that," Retief said. "You're nine years late. The
crew was still alive when the task force called, I imagine. You killed
them--or let them die--rather than take the chance of admitting what
you'd done."
"We were at fault," Fith said abjectly. "Now we wish only friendship."
"The _Terrific_ was a heavy cruiser, about twenty thousand tons."
Retief looked grimly at the slender Foreign Office official. "Where is
she, Fith? I won't settle for a hundred-ton lifeboat."
* * * * *
Fith erected his eye stalks so violently that one eye-shield fell off.
"I know nothing of ... of...." He stopped. His throat vibrated rapidly
as he struggled for calm.
"My government can entertain no further accusations, Mr. Consul,"
he said at last. "I have been completely candid with you, I have
overlooked your probing into matters not properly within your sphere of
responsibility. My patience is at an end."
"Where is that ship?" Retief rapped out. "You never learn, do you?
You're still convinced you can hide the whole thing and forget it. I'm
telling you you can't."
"We return to the city now," Fith said. "I can do no more."
"You can and you will, Fith," Retief said. "I intend to get to the
truth of this matter."
Fith spoke to Shluh in rapid Groacian. The police chief gestured to his
four armed constables. They moved to ring Retief in.
Retief eyed Fith. "Don't try it," he said. "You'll just get yourself in
deeper."
Fith clacked his mandibles angrily, eye stalks canted aggressively
toward the Terrestrial.
"Out of deference to your diplomatic status, Terrestrial, I shall
ignore your insulting remarks," Fith said in his reedy voice. "Let us
now return to the city."
Retief looked at the four policemen. "I see your point," he said.
Fith followed him into the car, sat rigidly at the far end of the seat.
"I advise you to remain very close to your consulate," Fith said. "I
advise you to dismiss these fancies from your mind, and to enjoy the
cultural aspects of life at Groac. Especially, I should not venture out
of the city, or appear overly curious about matters of concern only to
the Groacian government."
In the front seat, Shluh looked straight ahead. The loosely-sprung
vehicle bobbed and swayed along the narrow highway. Retief listened to
the rhythmic puffing of the motor and said nothing.