The girl was pressing a cup of water to Ray's lips. He drank, still gagging, staring at her bruised face. He was conscious of her arm around him, of the pleasure her nearness lent. He shook his throbbing head.
McVane was speaking petulantly. "Let's—let's have no more arguments." The little man's eyes were pleading. "I had to do it, Lodar. And you're the only real friend I had!"
"Some friend!" Lodar ground his teeth in pain, then grimaced as blood dripped from the smashed gums. "Here, help me patch up this shoulder."
Obediently McVane hunted up bandages. Lodar's eyes were somber as the engineer and Ellenor tied up his burned shoulder and put the useless arm in a sling.
"I lost my temper," he muttered at last. "Forget it."
He probably meant it for a declaration of peace. Ray's own fury had cooled now he knew what lay behind the other's violence.
After all, the girl's words must have stung Lodar to a hopeless frenzy. She had blasted at his innermost longing to see Earth for the last time. Deep in his own heart he'd known all along that he would die like a dog in space. Her words had only drawn the searing truth from his own subconscious hell.
They all jumped as the interphone shrilled.
Ray switched on the speaker. There was a medley of sound, smashing glass, shouts, and laughter.
"They've got into McVane's liquor." Lodar crossed the room painfully till he stood beside Ray.