"Selo," he said at last, continuing his work with the stones, "I hope you're not thinking of revenge."
She made no answer.
"If you ever went to the authorities with your wild story you'd be put in prison for the rest of your life. I'd see to that. No one would take the word of a Venusian against that of an Earthman."
She only stared at the floor.
Carefully, he deposited the gleaming quolla stones in the chamois bag he had bought for just this happy moment.
"Brian Daniels never reached this humidi-hut. Understand? Never reached it. We found him out there, poor fellow, but there was nothing we could do for him. That's the story. Is it clear?"
Her voice seemed to come from a great distance.
"It's clear."
"I'm going to Athens. I'll sell these quolla stones. In good time we'll leave this place. We might even go to another planet. How would you like that, Selo?"
Each word fell with the precision of a stone into water. "That would be very nice."