The captain reached for the mike on his desk, pressed the key.
"Power Section, this is the captain," he said. Retief reached across the desk, gripped the captain's wrist.
"Tell the mate to hold his present course," he said softly.
"Let go my hand, buster," the captain snarled. Eyes on Retief's, he eased a drawer open with his left hand, reached in. Retief kneed the drawer. The captain yelped and dropped the mike.
"You busted it, you—"
"And one to go," Retief said. "Tell him."
"I'm an officer of the Merchant Service!"
"You're a cheapjack who's sold his bridge to a pack of back-alley hoods."
"You can't put it over, hick."
"Tell him."