For a moment she looked rebellious, then she shrugged the skin cloak about her slender shoulders and turned with them to the well stairs. McVane was leaning curiously out the engine room door, his loose jacket flapping in the pulsing of warm air. "A gurrl, eh?" He shook his graying head. "That's a bad business, Lodar." His pale blue eyes blinked owlishly. "Don't get ideas," Lodar snapped. "It wasn't my doing." "Nah?" McVane teetered solemnly as he leaned forward. "What's your name, girlie?" "Ellenor." She stared at the engineer. McVane blinked. He scratched his whiskery chin. "Well, Ellenor, ye can have my cabin for the while," he offered. "Come on, up you go!" Her dark eyes were bright with anger, but she climbed to the upper deck without further trouble. They locked her in McVane's cabin. "Funny, Mac giving up his room for her," Ray remarked as they headed forward to the control room. "Because he's a no-good drunk?" Lodar sneered. "While some of us could be little gentlemen?" His face turned somber. "McVane is goofy. Had a wife and two kids. They were on that spaceship, _Jeena_, that was lost a few years back. If I didn't let him drink he wouldn't be worth jetting!" So that explained the captain's easy going attitude toward the little engineer. At least Lodar had some feelings! "Why not take this girl back to Venus?" Ray suggested. "And run into a patrol? Earth Fleet or Company ship, it makes no difference. If we're caught it means life!" They were operating outside the law, and no one would listen to their excuses. Ray felt suddenly cold as he thought that over. Unease dampened his admiration for the captain. Lodar was too smart to be captured, his ruthless ability would see the _Vulcan_ through all right. But he was quite capable of murdering the girl, if necessary, as a last resort in getting rid of her! Scowling, Ray followed the captain. In the control room they found Campora studying the magnaflux. He looked nervous as Lodar headed straight for him. "What about this girl we got aboard?" the captain demanded harshly. "Girl?" Campora looked innocent. "You led the raid, didn't you?" Lodar's dark eyes were dangerous. "Maybe you were looking for some more fun?" He stepped close to the mate. "Or are you just blind?" "There was a whole bunch of captives." Campora backed away. "We was in a hurry, and--" "You damned liar!" Lodar seized his tunic. "You brainless idiot!" His free hand whipped up to slash across Campora's face. With an oath Campora jerked free and reached for his belt. Before he could free his gun Lodar's heavy fist smashed into his jaw. The mate slammed against the wall, then sagged to the floor. "Dirty rat!" Lodar took his gun, then kicked him till he stirred. "Next time you draw on me," he grated, "you go out the disposal chute!" "That didn't solve anything." Ray stooped to help Campora up. * * * * *