"I mean exactly what I said," Morgan cut in sharply. "Make of it what you want."
"I suppose you have that kind of trouble out in the Belt?" Tarnhorst asked.
"No. We don't have your kind of people out in the Belt, Mr. Tarnhorst. We have men who kill, yes. But we don't have the kind of juvenile and grown-up delinquents who will kill senselessly, just for kicks. That kind is too stupid to live long out there. We are in no danger from borazon-tungsten filaments. You are." He paused just for a moment, then said: "I'm ready to give you the details of the process now, Mr. Fergus."
"I don't think I—" Fergus began with a sickly sound in his voice. But Tarnhorst interrupted him.
"We don't want it, commodore. Forget it."
"Forget it?" Morgan's voice was as cutting as the filament he had been discussing. "Forget that Jack Latrobe was murdered?"
"We will pay indemnities, of course," Tarnhorst said, feeling that it was futile.
"Fergus will pay indemnities," Morgan said. "In money, the indemnities will come to the precise amount he was willing to pay for the cable secret. I suggest that your Government confiscate that amount from him and send it to us. That may be necessary in view of the second indemnity."
"Second indemnity?"
"Mr. Fergus' life."