And his first sight of the Vera was nothing to inspire confidence. Shortly before noon they proceeded to the spaceport, past the Commercial locks, the Patrol locks, and on to the opposite side of the vast plaza.
There, in the farthest and most obscure lock, Marnay saw the Vera—long, heavy, clumsy looking. He recognized it when they were yet a hundred yards away, because the name Vera was emblazoned across the prow with a bold flourish that seemed somehow out of keeping with the crude ship.
"It's just occurred to me," Marnay said. "Vera is an unusual name for a freighter! That's a girl's name. Sounds sentimental or something."
"Does it?" Kennett said. Marnay looked at him queerly, but Kennett said nothing more.
They came nearer, and Marnay began to see the ship clearer, and it suddenly seemed to him there was something wrong with the whole thing. It was more than merely clumsy. It was grotesque.
Marnay stopped. "Say! I never saw a spacer quite like that before. It looks kind of funny, yet I can't say exactly—"
"Come on, come on," Kennett said, taking his arm and hurrying him. "Never mind that. Supplies are all aboard, all we have to do is leave."
It was quiet around the spacer. No activity. They entered the bow lock. Marnay looked down a long, empty, silent corridor.
"What the hell!" he exclaimed. "Ain't there any crew?"