But now a new voice cut him short, thundering through the shadows: "This is the one we want! The old one, the priest they call Namboina!"
Haral spun about.
A dozen fighting men from Sark's raider crews were coming towards him and Namboina. Spread in a menacing arc, weapons out and ready, they closed in like cold-eyed, deadly shadows.
Haral fell back a step, till he stood with his back against the wall. Big-eyed with fear, Namboina slumped in his seat, as if trying to hide behind the table.
It came to Haral that a hush had fallen over the kabat dive. The raucous voices had faded into silence. The rattle of glasses was suddenly stilled.
Then a glowering Martian who seemed to be in charge of the raider gang snapped orders: "Yes. This is the one. Bring him along!"
A Thorian's tentacle lashed out to grip Namboina and drag him bodily from his chair.
Now a Pervod jerked his scaly head towards Haral. "What of this one here? They were together."
The Martian pivoted for a brief, disdainful glance at the blue man. "That kabat-soaked scum?" And then: "But bring him, too. We'll take no chances."
Almost as if in intentional added insult, he turned away and sheathed his ray-gun.