"You're going to file an objection?" the S.P. man asked.
Brace threw back his head and roared with laughter. "Am I going to file an objection!" he gasped. "Why, I'm going to ground my ship and personally stay here until they yank the shields off you!!"
"Well, sir, if that's the way you feel, Captain, we'll not search your ship until we have an official permit."
"You're in my ship now!" Brace snapped. "So come on! Have a good look!!"
"Sir, if you'll accept our apologies ... we don't wish to intrude on your legal status...."
Brace motioned toward the companionway. "Do you want to search it or not?"
"Captain Brace," the S.P. man said stiffly, "it's only a routine search. We're quite convinced that a man of your standing wouldn't jeopardize his ship and, if you'll consider the incident closed, I'll be glad to see that no further trouble is given you."
The S.P. men had made a mistake by stepping in the ship of course, and Brace could make much out of it. He grinned to let them know that he'd like nothing better than to make much of it.
"Would that be satisfactory, sir?" the S.P. man asked.
Without taking his eyes off the man, Brace jabbed the opening button. His face was not distorted, yet it carried the feeling, the hint of a snarling, savage animal. In the atmosphere of such unspoken animosity, the S.P. men stepped out as the outer port opened. Brace watched them climb into the sand car and back away, then he thumbed the air-lock control, waited for the inner door to open, and entered the ship.