Another man, on Vannevan's instructions, began to tear open the lockers that were still intact, looking for papers. The others stood guard. They handled themselves easily, experts at null gravity. Birrel looked at Vannevan and said sourly, "Out of the frying pan into the fire. I don't know which of you is worse." Vannevan's eyes were bright, cruel, competent and happy. Very happy. He had wiped out, and with interest, the defeat he had suffered at the farmhouse. He had crushed the Ruunites completely. For him, it was a good day. He smiled at Birrel. "You see what happens to meddlers." "I wouldn't call it meddling," Birrel said. "We caught a spy. It was natural to want to know who he was working for, and why." "When you found out," Vannevan said, "why didn't you report back to your superiors? You were free. I remember distinctly that you were free." Birrel indicated Kara with a savage movement of his chin. "She talked me out of it, damn her. With a gun." "So," said Vannevan, and smiled, and shook his head. "But she had no weapon. I myself had seen to that." "She had one," Birrel said bitterly. "In the hopper. She told me there was another car hidden there for emergencies, and like a fool, I believed her. Instead there was that flying-thing, and she pulled a weapon from inside it. The next thing I knew I was aboard this ship, a prisoner. They were going to take me back to Ruun whether I wanted to go or not." Kara spoke sullenly. "His people killed Rett. It was the least we could do." "Listen," said Birrel, struggling angrily against the straps that held him. "I don't give a curse what quarrel you have between you. I don't care if you blow each other's worlds out of the sky. I'm an Earthman. I don't belong here. I--" He looked around at the broken ship, at space gaping monstrously beyond the riven hull. It was not difficult for Birrel to let an expression of fear come into his face. "I want to go back," he said. Vannevan looked at him. "How badly?" Birrel would not meet his eyes. He muttered, "Bad enough." "Well," said Vannevan. "We'll see." He motioned to one of his men. "Cut him loose. Did you find anything?" The Irrian who had been searching shook his head, and Thile said, "I could have told you. We don't keep written records." Vannevan shrugged and said, "Let's go." They floated gracefully through the ship, with Birrel lumbering and floundering in their midst. They passed through the airless lock and into the life-craft. In a short time they were being taken up into the belly-pod of the Irrian ship, and a little while after that Birrel found himself a prisoner with Thile and Kara in a locked cabin. The ship paused only long enough to finish the destruction of the derelict. Then it went into overdrive, on its way to Ir.