"Nice little place you got here, Manool," he said with a forced smile. "Too bad I never had a chance to visit you here before."
He strode over to Manool's stool, the only seat in the "farm," and took possession of it. He looked about him, glanced at Manool once or twice and gradually his smile became more natural.
"Manool," he said, "you're an officer of sorts, maybe only a warrant officer, but still—you eat with them, so I've been considering you as an officer. But—well, I like you, Manool, and—you've heard more than you should, I believe, so I've come to have a little talk with you."
He lowered his voice and looked around warily before he continued. Then, "Manool," he said. "I'm going to make things plain. You heard me talkin' to Larry, a while ago, and you must be suspicious. Well, your suspicion is right. There's going to be mutiny aboard this hunk of fireworks and Cap Tarrant is going to lose his job. Know why? 'Cause I'm one of Huddersfield's men, and I've been working to seize this ship for eight months."
Manool shuddered.
"Huddersfield, the Cerean?" he asked.
"The very same! Huddersfield has seized an asteroid and intends to start a fleet of rockets. He's got a couple already and this'll be his third. When we get enough, things'll pop, I'll tell you.
"Now listen, Manool—you can throw in with us and go in for Huddersfield, or you can run and tell Cap Tarrant—and get your bloody knob knocked off when we take the ship. 'Cause the men are all with me, Manool, all of 'em, and there ain't a chance of Tarrant winning if it comes to battle."