"You won't need the hardware," Quillan assured them. "It's harmless enough now. Come on in."
They followed him silently up to the cubicle, stared comprehendingly at dials and indicators. "The thing's back inside there, all right!" Ryter said. He looked at Quillan. "Is this where you've been all the time?"
"Sure, Where else?" The others were forming a half-circle about him, a few paces back.
"Taking quite a chance with that Hlat, weren't you?" Ryter remarked.
"Not too much. I thought of something." Quillan indicated the outportal in the hall. "I had my back against that. A portal's space-break, not solid matter. It couldn't come at me from behind. And if it attacked from any other angle"—he tapped the holstered Miam Devil lightly, and the gun in Orca's hand jerked upward a fraction of an inch—"There aren't many animals that can swallow more than a bolt or two from that baby and keep coming."
There was a moment's silence. Then Orca said thoughtfully, "That would work!"
"Did it see you?" Ryter asked.
"It couldn't have. First I saw of it, it was sailing out from that corner over there. It slammed in after that chunk of sea beef so fast, it shook the cubicle. And that was that." He grinned. "Well, most of our troubles should be over now!"
One of the men gave a brief, nervous laugh. Quillan looked at him curiously. "Something, chum?"
Ryter shook his head. "Something is right! Come on downstairs again, Bad News. This time we have news for you—"