Jan laughed harshly, mirthlessly. "Erick, put it down. We're not far enough away, yet."
"Nonsense," Erick rumbled. "We're away, Jan."
"Please," Mara whispered. "Wait, Erick."
"Wait? Why? What for? You're so accustomed to—"
"Erick," Mara said. She nodded toward Thacher. "We don't know him, Erick. Please!"
"He's a Terran, isn't he?" Erickson said. "All Terrans are together in these times." He fumbled suddenly at the catch lock on the case. "Yes, Mr. Thacher. I'm a salesman. We're all salesmen, the three of us."
"Then you do know each other."
"Yes." Erickson nodded. His two companions sat rigidly, staring down. "Yes, we do. Here, I'll show you our line."
He opened the case. From it he took a letter-knife, a pencil sharpener, a glass globe paperweight, a box of thumb tacks, a stapler, some clips, a plastic ashtray, and some things Thacher could not identify. He placed the objects in a row in front of him on the table top. Then he closed the sample case.
"I gather you're in office supplies," Thacher said. He touched the letter-knife with his finger. "Nice quality steel. Looks like Swedish steel, to me."