Bert turned wrathful eyes on her. "I see he's even got you thinking his way! Well, I don't intend to go to Venus and see Lenning. I'm going to Deimos as planned. The Waring contract is half mine. I'll be damned if he steals the business from me too!"
Miles was on his feet. "I'm warning you, Bert. Stop that kind of talk. You don't know what you're saying."
"I know what I'm saying, and even more, I know what I'm going to do. I'm taking the Viking to Deimos, and once I sign with Waring you can consider our partnership ended. You can have the Earth operation all to your goddamned self. I'll start up with the Deimos deal."
Tanner leaned forward and scooped up the contracts from the desk as Carol watched him in stunned concern. "Bert—why—"
He turned toward her, his eyes smouldering. "Carol, you're making a mistake with Miles. He only wants you so he can pin up another triumph over me. He—"
"Get out, Bert. You've said enough."
Tanner looked at Miles Berendt. Miles had his arm around Carol but there was a fire in his eyes.
Tanner laughed. "You can forget about Deimos, Miles. I'm going in the morning. Jeff Morrow is setting the auto-pilot on the Viking as I instructed. I'm afraid you'll have to find another wedding present. One that you can't steal."
Turning, he slammed out of the room, hearing Carol sob in Miles Berendt's arms as he went.