"Why not?" he asked. "In some circles it is considered an honor."
"Huh," gibed Laura, "perhaps in some circles. But remember it is no great novelty to the daughter of a space marshal."
"The thrill of giving some bird the royal send-off is gone, hey?" asked Guy, stubbornly. "How many other officers have you done the honor for?"
"Quite a number," she told him. "Quite a few more than any one man can boast of having women do it for him. After all, one man only gets eight new insignia during the course of his life."
"You must have quite a collection," said Guy. "Which collection includes some of mine."
"Some," answered Laura sharply. "Most of my officers are true, though, and do not go off letting other girls pin their insignia on."
Guy shrugged. This was not going according to plan at all. But best have it out. If he could get the upper hand in this argument with Laura, he'd feel better. Always before he had come off second best in disagreements with Laura Greggor. But he felt that he was dead right in this affair, and he was not going to back down now that she had flung his actions into his teeth.
"Well," he said with an expansive wave of the hand, "you told me not to annoy you with petty trifles, and that you'd be glad to accept the patrol marshal's nebulae when I became sector marshal. I merely followed your wishes. To the letter, in fact."
"You didn't have to make a public show of yourself with that little waitress!"