"Where are we now, Mr. Burk?" he asked Ray.
"About halfway to Earth." Ray tried to sound normal.
"Is the captain still insisting on going ahead?"
Ray nodded, dislike of the other welling in him.
"Looky." Jenkins drew him to one side. "The men don't like the idea, see, of going to Earth. Most of us skipped out to space for a good reason, see?"
Ray nodded again, and his lips tightened impatiently. Jenkins was a bully.
"Well, sir, maybe you could persuade the captain to change his mind, huh? We don't want trouble."
"All right, I'll see." Ray started to turn away.
"Campora tried to tell the captain." Jenkins' grimy paw rested on Ray's arm, while he peered at him through his glasses. "But Lodar don't like Campora, see?"
Ray had paused despite his loathing for the man.