"I believe that activity has the effect of increasing your metabolism, thereby consuming more oxygen. So I would advise you both to move and speak as little as possible. Remain calm. Remain quiet. In that way you should be able to survive. It is not that we are grudging. It is simply that we cannot share any of our supplies with you, because you are alien life forms and totally incompatible. If we had known there would be two, we would have prepared. As it is, you must work together to conserve." "But," said Susan, "but this isn't fair, it isn't right! You'll take me back or my father will see to it--" "Keep this speaker open," said the Senyan, "so that you will be sure to hear the audio signal, a sustained note repeated at intervals of forty seconds. Prepare to enter overdrive." He did not say good-bye. He merely went away with his two officers. Susan screamed after them. Durham clapped his hand over her mouth, and took her forcibly and put her on the bunk. "Lie there," he said. "Quiet. Didn't you hear him? Don't move, don't talk." He sat down in the chair, consciously trying not to breathe deeply. "But--" "Shut up." "Don't you say shut up to me, Lloyd. This is all your fault." "My fault? Mine? Because you had to shove yourself in--" "Shove myself? Father was right about you. And it is your fault. If you hadn't asked me to ride down with you--" "Oh, shut up, damn it, that's just like a woman! If you knew your next breath was your last one you'd still have to use it for talk. You want to asphyxiate us both with your gabbling?" She was quiet for a long while. Then he realized that she was crying. "Lloyd, I'm scared." "So am I." He began to laugh. "When I come to think of it, it was your father that got us both into this. I hope he sweats blood in great gory streams." "You're a drunken ungrateful swine! If dad really did give you another chance--" "Ah ah! Remember the oxygen! He did. And I was such a fatheaded idiot I thought it was on the level. I even reformed." He laughed again, briefly. "Overcome with gratitude, I did exactly what I was supposed not to do. I sobered up and held my tongue." "I don't understand at all." "I was supposed to talk, Susan. I was given a message, and I was supposed to babble it all over The Hub. I don't know exactly what that message was intended to trigger off when it got into circulation. Probably a war. But I'll bet I know what I triggered off by not talking. Trouble for your old man." "I don't believe a word of it." Durham shrugged. It was very little effort to reach out and lift a bottle from a nearby cupboard. He opened it and took a long pull. Then he looked at the bottle, shook his head, and passed it to Susan. She made a derisive noise, and he shrugged again. "That's right. Funny thing. First I was stricken with remorse and determined to be worthy. Now I'm just mad. Before I get through, I'm going to hang your father higher than Haman."