"Where is the ship?"
"The ship?"
"What did you do with it? It was too big to just walk off and forget. Where is it?"
The two Groacians exchanged looks.
"We wish to show our contrition," Fith said. "We will show you the ship."
"Miss Meuhl," Retief said. "If I don't come back in a reasonable length of time, transmit that recording to Regional Headquarters, sealed." He stood, looked at the Groaci.
"Let's go," he said.
Retief stooped under the heavy timbers shoring the entry to the cavern. He peered into the gloom at the curving flank of the space-burned hull.
"Any lights in here?" he asked.