"I'm going to forget what you just said, Mortoch," he said. "You are a valued member of this expedition, and you are much too good a soldier to overlook the danger that lies in that kind of talk. Without my participation, you are out-voted two to one. We will not turn back."
He stood up with a gesture of dismissal and the three lieutenants filed out of the door. He paced the floor of his quarters for a few minutes, then walked to the door and gave orders for the prisoner to be sent in.
"Ah, Keltry darling," he said after the guard had left the two of them alone, "you have put me in an impossible position."
"I don't see why it should be that bad," Keltry answered. "It was an inhuman thing to do to separate us and I just wasn't going to permit it."
"Yes, but don't you see?" said Dynamon, "I will be accused of playing favorites because I don't turn around and take you back to Earth."
"I'm not asking favors," Keltry retorted calmly, "I just want to be a member of this expedition."
Whatever Dynamon was going to answer to that, it was interrupted by the loud-speaker booming:
"Centurion Dynamon is requested at the control room."
Dynamon leapt to his feet, crushed Keltry to him in a swift brief embrace and then opened the door.
"Escort the prisoner to the scientist's quarters," he ordered, "and release her."