"Be brave!" Morna jeered nervously. "Now it's under the cord. I cut one!"
Henry twisted his wrist in the loosened cord and pulled his left hand free. He said, "Thanks. Give me the snips."
Morna said, "Promise to cut me down first. I don't want to be tied with you loose."
Henry snatched the snips from her and cut the line binding his right hand. Morna said, "Gangster trick."
"Hurry up, Henry," Ranjit said. "Those fellows will be coming back."
Henry released Ranjit and Joachim. "Cut me loose!" Morna yelled.
"Not so loud," Henry said, freeing her. "Go up in the control room, Ranjit. You told me you still had flywheel steering. If it won't hurt you, you can make them think you're decelerating. It'll confuse them, at least."
"Yeah," Ranjit chuckled, "that's a bright idea. I was about to think of it myself."
Henry said, "Morna, you go with Ranjit. Joachim, you stay with me, and we'll waylay them. We'll find something for weapons."
Ranjit pulled the sandwich bunk down on its rods, crouched on the bunk, and pushed open the overhead hatch. Joachim said, "I do not intend to engage in a brawl with gangsters. Come, Morna, let us take our chances in our own ship. We—"