Ali
had forced the Com-tech to throw the emergency control which was designed
to seal off from the outer world the entire unit in which they now were.
But whether that protective device would continue to hold now, none of
the three were certain. Time was running out fast.
Supporting the wobbling Hovan, they went back into the panel room and
under Ali's supervision the Com-tech took his place at the control board.
Dane put the cage with the pest well to the fore on the table of the
announcer and waited for Rip to take his place there with the trembling
Medic. When Shannon did not move Dane glanced up in surprise--this was no
time to hesitate. But he discovered that the attention of both his
shipmates was now centered on him. Rip pointed to the seat.
"You're the talk merchant, aren't you?" the acting commander of the Queen
asked crisply. "Now's the time to shout the Lingo--"
They couldn't mean--! But it was very evident that they did. Of course,
a Cargo-master was supposed to be the spokesman of a ship. But that was
in matters of trade. And how could _he_ stand there and argue the case
for the Queen? He was the newest joined, the greenest member of her crew.
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