"Why didn't you say so?" Into the phone: "Hi, fellow. What can we do to
you?"
"You can do a lot for me."
"For you, huh? That comes high, you know. What'll it be?"
Hammen retold his story, and finished with, "That's why I called you
two. I need a human Companion, anybody other than Gordus."
A slithering of voice, then faint, but distinct, from Lora: "I couldn't
do it and I can't let you do it. Afterward, whichever of us, it would
be as if I were no better than a dog."
Hammen stared ahead of him at the alcove wall.
"Ham," Hale said, "why did you come to us with this?"
"You were friends of mine," Hammen said.
"No."
"No?"
"We aren't friends of yours, Ham," Hale said patiently. "We're just
acquaintances of yours. We'd like to help you out, but not enough to
split our team for you. Surely you've got some real friends, people you
look better to than us.... Hell, man, don't you know what a friend is?"