"But how can you expect me to lead you when I don't know what's happening? How can I plan for escape when I don't know what it is we have to escape from?" "There's talk among the men, sir," Steiner went on. "Some of them are for you, although I'll be frank. There aren't many, sir. But they need a leader, all of them agree on that. What they want to know is this: are you their man?" Barling squared his thin shoulders arrogantly. "I'm the _Frank Buck_'s Captain." "The _Frank Buck_ lies behind us in those purple mists, sir. Could you find it? Finding it, could you make it run again?" "I don't know." "Then the fact that you captain the _Frank Buck_ doesn't mean much. We've decided that leaves us without a leader, sir. We need a leader." Barling smiled coldly. "Are you trying to tell me the men have selected you?" "No, sir. I'm not. But the majority of the men have their choice--and that is Captain Moore. We who have been with the _Frank Buck_ longest have heard a lot of bad talk about Captain Moore, but that changes completely whenever we make planetfall. The talk in all the frontier towns is all in Captain Moore's favor. When there are decisions to be made, sir, we'd like her to make them." "A woman? When all your lives may be at stake?" * * * * * One of the three hunters who'd fared so poorly in the lounge fight strode forward, saying: "Look at yourself, sir. You're beaten and battered, and that's Captain Moore's work. Did her sex matter then?" Barling reddened, said nothing. "We have a pressing need for a leader," Steiner continued. "Our behavior cannot be chaotic. The leader must plan for us, and we must be prepared to carry out those plans with no hesitation. We must have faith in our leader." Teejay joined them, grinning. "Thank you, Mr. Steiner. There was a time not long ago when what you've just finished saying would have meant more to me than anything. Literally, more than anything. But would you think it strange if you hear that I don't think that now?" "What do you mean?" Steiner demanded. "I'm a twenty-second century female, strong as a man and proud of it. _Too_ proud, Mr. Steiner, for I've spent my whole life trying to prove it. Plenty of men have cursed me for it, I'll bet, and I guess they were right.