No reports?

... Unless I need help, or have something important to say.

You may, this time.

I extended my hand.

You've got yourself a deal, Don.

He bowed his head, nodding to the crosses.

Give me this one, he finally said. I want this one. The men I lost were very good men.

I'll try. I'll give you as much as I can.

I don't understand you, mister. I wish I knew how you ...

Good. I'd be crushed if you ever knew how!

And we walked back down the hill, and I left him off at the place where he was staying that night.

Let me buy you a drink, said Martin, as I passed him on the foredeck on my way out of Carol Deith's cabin.

All right, and we walked to the ship's lounge and had one.

I've got to thank you for what you did while Demmy and I were down there. It ...

It was nothing, I said. You could have fixed it yourself in a minute if somebody else had been down and you'd been up here.

It didn't work out that way, though, and we're happy you were handy.

I consider myself thanked, I said, raising the plastic beer stein, they're all plastic these days. Damn it!

What kind of shape was that shaft in? I asked him.

Excellent, he said, furrowing his wide, ruddy forehead and putting lots of wrinkles around his bluish eyes.

You don't look as confident as you sound.

He chuckled then, took a small sip.

Well, it's never been done before. Naturally, we're all a little scared ...

I took that as a mild appraisal of the situation.

But, top to bottom, the shaft was in good shape? I asked.

He looked around him, probably wondering whether the place was bugged. It was, but he wasn't saying anything that could hurt him, or me. If he had been, I'd have shut him up.

Yes, he agreed.