This information did not seem to make Firemoor particularly happy. The pinioned Clawly continued to ignore him and to stare at Shielding.
"Call Communications Center 1," he said, deliberately.
Shielding dismissed the interruption with a glance. He sat down.
"The attendants will remove him shortly. Well, gentlemen," he said, "it's time we considered how best to repair the general dislocations caused by this panic. Also there's the matter of our position with regard to the trial of the accomplices." There was a general pulling-in of chairs.
"Call Communications Center 1," Clawly repeated.
Shielding did not even look up.
But someone else said, "Yes. I think now you'd better call them."
Shielding had started automatically to comply, before he realized just who it was that was speaking—and the particular tone that was being used.
It was Conjerly and the tone was one of command.