Remish looked uncertain. "Commander—you're the boss here, but—"
"But what?" Lansfer barked.
Remish's eyes darted briefly to where the red welts stood out on Gail's cheek. He licked his lips and for a second his gaze met Grady's. For a moment he hesitated, then faced Lansfer again. He shrugged briefly.
"Never mind," he said. "We'll talk it over at headquarters later."
Lansfer lost some of his poise. He glared at the two patrolmen. "You two get back to the Chicago. Find Barnard and bring him to me!"
Barnard saw Gail's hand hovering over the tiny bar. Suddenly he was shocked. He realized that the bar controlled the Duvals—the magnetic beams that pinned the two ships together. Then she had felt his presence and was waiting for a signal from him. He shouted the thought:
"No!"
Swiftly she disobeyed him, and twisted the bar. In almost the same instant she snatched the gun from Lansfer's holster. She backed away a step and leveled it at the officer.
"Turn this ship around," she ordered. "We're going back to Mars."
Lansfer's narrowed eyes peered at the control board where she had disconnected the grapples. He turned to the girl. His voice was flat, sullen.