The Captain stared at him. His face had no expression. He said, "Let my daughter go."
Samel started forward. The Captain raised his spear. "Let my daughter go!" The Piruts raised their weapons. Samel looked around the room, at the single door behind them, and grinned.
"Sure," he said. "Why not? Let her go."
They let her go. She tore off the gag and ran to her father and stood by him, glaring at the Piruts with hot black eyes. Neither one said anything.
"All right," said Samel lazily. "Now where are the stones?"
"There." The Captain pointed at the tiny box at his feet. "Those are all the heat-stones there are in the Ship."
Kirk cried, "That's a lie!"
The Captain looked at him. "Tell your friends to go and search."
"What about that door behind you?"
"There are no stones in there."