He stepped out of the foliage.
Taaleeb's features broke into a smile. "Good evening, our friend from
Earth-Star. We come to escort you back to our--"
The smile died. Alarm flooded his face.
Captain Torkel raised the pistol. "That won't be necessary. There's
been a change in plan."
The Sirian's dark gaze speared into his skull. "Yes, I see," he
murmured....
* * * * *
A few minutes later Captain Torkel returned to the meadow, the five
scowling Sirians herded before him. Each carried an uprooted grapevine.
"You know what to do?" he asked, brandishing the pistol.
"Your mind has told us," said Taaleeb sullenly.
"I don't like to kill--no more than your people wanted to kill Van
Gundy. But, like you, I will if I have to."
It seemed strange to Captain Torkel to see a snarl on Taaleeb's
handsome features.
"You know everything," the Sirian muttered. "Your mind has guessed how
we think and what we have done. Yet you are a fool. You could have had
all I promised you--wine, food, happy nights!"
"But the others--the ones who stoned the rocket--would they have let
you keep that promise?"
Taaleeb digested the question for a moment. "Perhaps not. And perhaps
those others were wiser than Taaleeb. I see now that we should have
killed you. I am sorry we did not--but perhaps even now it is not too
late." His eyes were like dark, hot fires.
They walked across the meadow. The darkness was deepening, crawling
like a hand over Van Gundy's grave.
"The pistol will be in my pocket," Captain Torkel cautioned his
captives, "but it will be ready."
The Sirians nodded.
"And one more thing. _Smile._"
The Sirians smiled.
They reached the _Star Queen_ just as Lieutenant Washington and Fox
and Kelly were stepping out of the airlock. Garcia stood behind them,
sleepy-eyed, yawning off the effects of his sedative. The men stared
first at the Sirians, then at Captain Torkel.
Lieutenant Washington said, threateningly, "Get out of here, Captain.
We've made our decision."
"No," said Captain Torkel. "I'm going to join you. I'm going to the
village, too."
"Hey!" exclaimed Fox. "He's going with us. Atta boy, Captain!"
"_Why?_" asked the stern-faced lieutenant.
"Because we won't have to return to Earth--not even if we wanted to.
The Sirians are going in our place."