The Martian looked up and twittered briefly.
"He says thank you for his life, and that he was a fool," Susan translated. Nick ignored him.
"Come on," he said impatiently.
The water grew shallower as they plodded toward the ship, until it was only a thin layer over the deep mud.
"What's Blueface got in that package?" Nick asked, still suspiciously keeping the Martian ahead of him.
"Yeast," she answered. "We found some when we raided the kitchen building. Klev was with us then—Merlo had two Martians carry him—he wanted to come."
The kitchen building was on the edge of camp where the fighting had been heaviest. He glanced at her and saw a heavy regulation gun belt dark against her bare white skin. That belt had not been a gift.
"Bad?" he asked.
She nodded silently.
"What happened to Klev?"