Gheal uttered a sort of deep-throated growl.
"Renzu says you can be vicious—that you're a killer at heart. Renzu said one of your kind killed Jimmy Brooks on the first expedition. You don't look like a killer. Brooks was a big man. You'd have a hard time killing him."
Gheal's sight-glands stared from Arlen to McFerson.
Arlen laughed and patted Gheal's hairless head and pointed to a built-in seat in the corner.
"You're welcome to stay here as long as you don't bother us," he said.
Gheal shuffled uneasily and whimpered, but he did not go to the seat. Instead, he turned and moved toward the door. The creature looked ridiculous, clad as he was only in a pair of Renzu's discarded trousers, which had been rolled at the bottom to fit his stubby legs.
At the door the Venusian hesitated and glanced back at the captain. Then he slowly turned and shuffled down the passageway.
"Hey you!" Captain Arlen shouted. "Come back here!"
Gheal did not stop. He was striding to Renzu's room. He pushed open the door.
A fear for Renzu's safety rushed into the captain's mind. He ran after the creature and entered Renzu's cabin. But as he opened the door he gasped in astonishment.