Molock's eyes went to Rita. "Honey, I want you to get those cameras going and keep them going. I want this recorded for posterity, if for nobody else."
Rita was shaken and scared. But there was good stuff down inside that girl. "Will do," she whispered. She got to her feet and headed for the observation dome in the top of the ship where the cameras were located.
Molock turned to me. "I've got a little job for you, Sam." Out of his pocket, he slipped the little needle gun. "I'm going to have to dance against that six-eyed baboon. When he gets to dancing real good and everybody is all excited, I want you to shoot him in the butt with one of these needles."
"But—" I whispered.
"Exactly," Molock said. "It won't kill him, but a couple of these needles will slow him down considerably."
I regarded the weapon with horror. "But that means I'll have to go out there where all those Venusians are!" Maybe this wasn't a heroic thing to say but the thought just popped out of my mind. Anyhow, I wasn't feeling very heroic.
"Yah!" Molock said.
"But—"
"I'll be out there," Molock said. "I'll be out there dancing. All you've got to do is squat on the ground."
"Okay," I said. The word cost me a desperate effort but I said it.