Maril spoke over Calhoun's shoulder. She uttered a cryptic sentence or
two. It should have amounted to identification but there was
skepticism in the armed party.

"Oh, you're one of us, eh?" said the guard leader sardonically.
"You'll have a chance to prove that. Come out of there!"

Calhoun spoke abruptly, "This is a Med Ship," he said. "There are
medicines and bacterial culture inside it. They shouldn't be meddled
with. Here on Dara you've had enough of plagues!"

The man with the blue hand said as sardonically as before, "I said the
government was taking over your ship! It won't be looted. But you're
not taking a full cargo of food away! In fact, it's not likely you're
leaving!"

"And I want to speak to someone in authority," snapped Calhoun. "We've
just come from Weald." He felt bristling hatred all about him as he
named Weald. "There's tumult there. They're talking about dropping
fusion-bombs here. It's important that I talk to somebody with the
authority to take a few sensible precautions!"

He descended to the ground. There was a panicky "_Chee! Chee!_" from
behind him, and Murgatroyd came dashing to swarm up his body and cling
apprehensively to his neck.

"What's that?"

"A _tormal_" said Calhoun. "He's not a pet. Your medical men will know
something about him. This is a Med Ship and I'm a Med Ship man, and