Mr. Ermine settled into the place beside him.
Sollenar looked over at him calmly. "I thought so."
Ermine nodded. "Of course you did. But I didn't almost miss you. I was here ahead of you. I have no objection to your going to Mars, Mr. Sollenar. Laissez faire. Provided I can go along."
"Well," Rufus Sollenar said. "Liqueur?" He gestured with his glass.
Ermine shook his head. "No, thank you," he said delicately.
Sollenar said: "Even your tongue?"
"Of course my tongue, Mr. Sollenar. I taste nothing. I touch nothing." Ermine smiled. "But I feel no pressure."
"All right, then," Rufus Sollenar said crisply. "We have several hours to landing time. You sit and dream your interior dreams, and I'll dream mine." He faced around in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.
"Mr. Sollenar," Ermine said gently.
"Yes?"