"No, we'll not kill them now,” she said. “Put them in the brig until morning."
"And why shouldn't we kill them now?” demanded Brun Abo of her. “Is it possible you've a tenderness for this Thorn?"
The girl turned on the Jovian, as though stung,
"I've only hate for such treacherous liars!” she flared. “But we're going to execute them, not murder them. In the morning is soon enough."
Surprisingly, Jenk Cheerly supported her.
"Lana's right,” the Uranian squeaked and the girl glanced gratefully at him.
Thorn tried to speak again, but Brun Abo snarled an order, and the four pirates covering the Planeteers forced the three comrades to march out of the Council House into the night.
The brig, as the pirates called their prison, was a small, square, metal structure behind the main street of Turkoon Town. It had but one room, into whose dark interior they were rudely thrust. The heavy metal door slammed, and the wave-lock clicked.
"Make the best of your time till morning, Planeteers,” rasped Brun Abo as he and his men left.
"John, they didn't leave any guards outside,” said Sual Av quickly in the darkness. “Maybe we can get out."