"Are you hungry, Haljan?"
"Yes."
A steward came with a meal. The saturnine Hahn stood at my door with a
weapon upon me while I ate. They were taking no chances and they were
wise not to.
The day passed. Day and night, all the same of aspect here in the
starry vault of space. But with the ship's routine it was day. And
then another time of sleep. I slept fitfully, worrying, trying to
plan. Within a few hours we would be nearing the asteroid.
The time of sleep was nearly passed. My chronometer marked five A.M.
original Earth starting time. The seal of my cubby door hissed. The
door slowly opened.
Anita!
She stood there with her cloak around her. A distance away on the
shadowed deck Coniston was loitering.
"Anita!" I whispered it.
"Gregg, dear!"
She turned and gestured to the watching brigand. "I will not be long,
Coniston."
She came in and half closed the door upon us, leaving it open enough
so that we could make sure that Coniston did not advance.