Kina stood up, stiffly. "It would be presumptuous of me, Commander."
The silence did not last very long.
At last the Commander said, "Kina, order Captain Stang to resume his usual patrol activities. Arrange to follow the Stella with a long-range recording beam. Prepare for the Interstellar Command's order ... to proceed with a punitive expedition against the Beolin system." He looked long down the catwalk, and his fingers slowly closed about the one personal touch to his office.
His voice was very low. "No more messages are to be received from the Stella."
And he opened his hand.
Later, after the Commander had gone down the catwalk to walk about for a while on the soft, Earthlike greenness of this world's vegetation, Kina bent to pick up that which had fallen to the floor.
It was a color photograph, and the cold plastic sheen of the film somehow managed to convey the impression of the blonde, young woman's soft, warm loveliness.
It was inscribed, "With all my love, John. Myra." Kina had often seen Commissioner Brullar's daughter.
He dropped the photograph in to a disposal chute, and turned to some papers that had to be filed.