He checked himself. Moa said, “Does Rankin understand that no harm is to come to Gregg Haljan?”
“Yes,” said Rankin. “And Dean. We need them, of course. But you cannot make Dean send messages if he refuses, nor make Haljan navigate.”
“I know enough to check on them,” Miko said grimly. “They will not fool me. And they will obey me, have no fear. A little touch of sulphuric––” His laugh was gruesome. “It makes the most stubborn very willing.”
“I wish,” said Moa, “we had Haljan safely hidden. If he is hurt––killed––”
So that was why Miko had tried to capture me? To keep me safe so that I might navigate the ship.
It occurred to me that I should get Carter at once. A plot to seize the Planetara? But when?
I froze with startled horror.
The diaphragms at my ears rang with Miko’s words: “I have set the time for now! In two minutes––”
It seemed to startle both Rankin and George Prince almost as much as I. Both exclaimed: