He stepped to the wall; flicked on the visiplate that showed the
interior of the mess hall. And there, where a moment before, a
grim-faced score of space pirates had maintained watch over our crew,
now our crew were standing staring with blank, uncomprehending faces
at twenty men who looked and acted for all the world like affectionate
puppies!
They were hugging each other, patting each other's arms and faces,
murmuring soft words of endearment. It was stupefying. More than
that--it was embarrassing! Off in one corner a bearded, one-eyed outlaw
dandled a companion on his knee. Another burly bruiser, big enough to
tear a man in half with his bare hands, was playing piggy-back with a
buddy!