An anthrovac bent and came within the chamber, bearing a bath-tub-sized bowl of what looked like hot, steaming cereal. It was deposited near the table, along with a dozen or so stone spoons. Foolishly, one of the men darted for the doorway. Reaching out with a long, hairy arm, the anthrovac scooped him up by the scruff of the neck and flung him back inside. He got to his feet with a nasty gash on his forehead which Teejay bandaged with a strip of cloth ripped from the hem of her black cape.
The spoons were passed around after that, and the men of the Frank Buck dug into the gruel with gusto. It had been fifteen hours since any of them had eaten and surprisingly, the gruel turned out to be quite palatable, with an appealing, nut-like flavor.
The anthrovac waited fifteen minutes, then lifted the huge bowl and departed with it. But the door didn't close fully.
Charlie Stedman came through it.
"Good morning," he said. "We're a little late, and we'll have to hurry if we want to reach the bazaar in time for opening."
"Are you sure we want to?" Kevin demanded sarcastically.
And Steiner suggested: "Maybe you'd like to answer a few questions first."
"Sure." This was Teejay. "About a thousand questions."
It was as if the man hadn't heard them at all. "Outside a vehicle awaits you. There is room for all, provided each man occupies one of the squares you will find marked off on the floor. Let's go."
Angry, sullen, but still thoroughly bewildered, the men trooped outside.