Neither Dallis nor Iris had noticed the loss of their ship, as sound did not penetrate the liner's hull. Thorne set himself to hold their attention until it should be too late. "Break this paralysis, then," he growled, apparently making a fierce and unsuccessful struggle to move his arms as they lay along the padded rest of his deep lounge. "I can do nothing here." "We can do nothing for you," shrugged Dallis. "Your body will remain paralyzed until it has absorbed the chemicals activated by the ray. Perhaps a day." He eyed Thorne in some admiration. "You withstand it very well." "Thanks," said Thorne, shortly. It was not necessary to tell Dallis that he had withstood the paralysis so effectively nothing could save the exultant pirate should Thorne drop his hand the few inches to the heavy butt of the Blandarc he still wore. But the death of the sly-faced raider was the least of Thorne's desires. "What is your own estimate of your wealth, Captain Thorne?" asked the woman, hewing as always to the main issue. He shook his head, remembering just in time not to shrug. "Offhand, I couldn't say. It's not all liquid. The Vadirrian I retained to steady the market cannot be touched, of course, nor the foundations set up throughout the System for education and other purposes." He pondered a moment. "Say thirty billion on call," he finally replied. They goggled. Iris recovered soon enough. "Then let us call upon it, Captain Thorne," she enjoined. "We'll scale down our demand in cash. Half that sum would drown us in gold and criminals. We'll settle for six billion, share and share alike." "Most reasonable, I'm sure," he agreed. "Will you still require the fifty thousand blood-money this fellow pays you?" She slapped him, hard. "Remember your place, you dope addict," she snapped viciously. "I am," he replied evenly. A black ship, ribbed with scarlet, was easing gently, silently into position at the airlocks from which it had blasted the pirate vessel. He could feel the gentle thump in his toes as she bit in and fastened her grips. The others, lost in wealth, felt and saw nothing but the golden Midas sitting immobile before them. "You've left me little else," he added, directing a cold glare at the man standing before him. "How do you mean to collect this ransom? The usual way?" "As usual." Dallis' eyes were glittering. The red lips were parted, glistening. He was no longer handsome. "And, once collected, what of these people? Your party?" They glanced carelessly about at Iris' sprawled companions. "They have seen nothing, know nothing," she replied. "Our ransoms will arrive together. We'll go back to Earth together." "Dallis to join you later, giving up his hazardous merchant trade," agreed Thorne. "And what of me?"