He triggered the jets with his left hand, and they shot upwards. Peer drew a deep breath.
"Quit bossing me around all the time, you big lug!" she yelled suddenly. She reached up for that nose and gave it a good yank.
"All right," Channok muttered, startled. "You don't have to be so realistic! He can't even see us yet!"
"Just because you're bigger'n me!" shrieked Peer as they soared over the top of the rocks into view of the Asteroid's lock. She hooked a smart right to Channok's left ear.
"Cut that out now, Peer!" he ordered futilely.
He was lightly battered all around by the time they reached the Asteroid's lock, though the act did get them in safely. But then—whether it was the nose or the jaw—the instant he dropped Peer to her feet, the guard stopped laughing and brought a gun out and up faster than Channok ever had seen a man produce one before. However, the Reaper had been ready in his hand all the time; so, with a safe fraction of a second to spare, it talked first—
With a fraction of a second to spare, the Reaper talked first....