"There you two go disagreeing again," Ginger complained. "Now just what do you want me to do with him?"
"I've worked out a test we can give him. We can tell whether he's lying or telling the truth when he says he's a professor."
"Oh, this is all so much nonsense," said Naomi impatiently. She withdrew a piece of paper from her belt wallet, handed it to me. "Here," she said sarcastically, "here is that research you had me do at the library. I authorize you to handle this matter for both of us."
She stalked out of the hall with a short, scornful laugh.
Ginger had locked him in the nuclear torch storeroom, a none too healthy place. We escorted him to the communications office. I began the interrogation.
"You say your name is—?"
"Lewis Worth."
"And your occupation is a professor?"
"Assistant professor of sociology, Mars University." He clipped his words with deliberate over-formality. His expression was faintly amused.