"What? Why? If you can't keep in communication—"
"There isn't any communication," interrupted Viri.
Ullo saw that the operator was deeply disturbed. To interrupt—actually interrupt—Ahnu Nol-Yev! Even if one was his nephew!
"That is why, if you will remember," Viri went on, "I insisted Zoya leave his signal in operation. The chance that his base would be approached by a strange ship sooner than we hoped, and blow up."
"So the bomb went off?" said Ullo.
"It must have. And, by the figures Zoya gave me before he left, he is long, long overdue at the subspace ship."
"Well, what of it?" demanded Ahnu. "It merely means he will have to report from the ship when he ... if he ... if they don't—"
He snorted and wheezed into silence.
Ullo traded stares with Viri. Then he looked at Yado, who wore an equally unhappy expression on his wide visage.