Hedrick growled, "Why waste time talking? Listen, young Steele, you'll
do as you're told, or else! Who gave you the right to argue?"
"Quiet, both of you." Montano came and laid his arm around Bart's
shoulders, persuasively. "Bart, I know how you feel. But can't you trust
me? You're Rupert Steele's son, and you're here to carry on what your
father left undone, aren't you? If you fail now, there may not be
another chance for years--maybe not in our lifetimes."
Bart dropped his head in his hands. Kill a whole shipload of
Lhari--innocent traders? Bald, funny old Rugel, stern Vorongil, Ringg-"I don't know what to do!" It was a cry of despair. Bart looked
helplessly around at the men.
Montano said, almost tenderly, "You couldn't side with the Lhari against
men, could you? Could a son of Rupert Steele do that?"
Bart shut his eyes, and something seemed to snap within him. His father
had died for this. He might not understand Montano's reasons, but he had
to believe that Montano had them.
"All right," he said, thickly, "you can count on me."
When he left Montano's house, he had the details of the plan, had
memorized the location of the device he was to sabotage, and accepted,
from Montano, a pair of dark contact lenses. "The light's hellish out
there," Montano warned. "I know you're half Mentorian, but they don't
even take their Mentorians out there. They're proud of saying no human
foot has ever touched Lharillis."
When he got back to the Lhari spaceport, Ringg hailed him. "Where have
you been? I hunted the whole port for you! I wouldn't join the party
till you came. What's a pal for?"
Bart brushed by him without speaking, disregarding Ringg's surprised
stare, and went up the ramp. He reached his own cabin and threw himself
down in his bunk, torn in two.
Ringg was his friend! Ringg liked him! And if he did what Montano
wanted, Ringg would die.
Ringg had followed him, and was standing in the cabin door, watching him
in surprise. "Bartol, is something the matter? Is there anything I can
do? Have you had more bad news?"
Bart's torn nerves snapped. He raised his head and yelled at Ringg,
"Yes, there is something! You can quit following me around and just let
me alone for a change!"
Ringg took a step backward. Then he said, very softly, "Suit yourself,
Bartol. Sorry." And noiselessly, his white crest held high, he glided
away.