t
claws raked only his forearm. In pure reflex he felt his own claws flick
out; they clinched, closed, scuffled, and he felt his claws rake flesh;
half incredulous, saw the thin red line of blood welling from Ringg's
cheek.

Then Rugel's arms were flung restrainingly around him, and the Second
Officer was wrestling with a furious, struggling Ringg. Bart looked at
his red-tipped claws in ill-concealed horror, but it was lost in a
general gasp of consternation, for Vorongil had flung the drive room
door open, taking in the scene in one blistering glance.

_"What's going on down here?"_

For the first time, Bart understood Vorongil's reputation as a tyrant.
One glance at Ringg's bleeding face and Bart's ripped forearm, and he
did not pause for breath for a good fifteen minutes. By the time he
finished, Bart felt he would rather Ringg's claws had laid him bleeding
to the bone than stand there in the naked contempt of the old Lhari's
freezing eyes.

"Half-fledged nestlings trying to do a man's work! So someone forgot the
panel, or damaged the panel by mistake--no, not another word," he
commanded, as Ringg's crest came proudly up. "I don't care who did what!
Any more of this, and the one who does it can try his claws on the
captain of the _Swiftwing_!" He looked ugly and dangerous. "I thought
better of you both. Get below, you squalling kittens! Let me not see
your faces again before we land!"

As they went along the corridor, Ringg turned to Bart, apology and
chagrin in his eyes. "Look--I never meant to get the Bald One down on
us," he said, but Bart kept his face resolutely averted. It was easier
this way, without pretense of friendship.

* * * * *

The light from the small captive sun grew more intense. Bart had never
known anything like it, and was glad to slip away and put the dark
contact lenses into his eyes. They made his eyes appear all enormous,
dilated pupil; fearfully, he hoped no one would notice. His arm smarted,
and he did not speak to Ringg all through the long, slow deceleration.

When the intercom ordered all crew members to the hatchway, Bart
lingered a minute, pinning the yellow radiation badge in a fold of his
cloak. A spasm of fear threatened to overwhelm him again, and
nightmarish loneliness. He felt agonizingly homesick for his own
familiar face. It seemed almost more than he could manage, to step out
into the corridor full of Lhari.

_It won't be long now._