e
remainder of the ship?"

Muller nodded curtly. "Certainly. Until the madman is found, we're all
in danger. And unless he is found, I insist I must protect my crew and
my ship by turning back to Earth."

"I cannot permit that, sir!"

"Your permission for that was not requested, Dr. Pietro! Yes,
Bullard?"

The cook had been squirming and muttering to himself for minutes. Now
he darted out toward Grundy, and his finger pointed to Lomax. "He done
it! I seen him. Killed the only friend I had, he did. They went by my
galley--and--and he grabbed my big knife, that one there. And he
killed Sam."

* * * * *

"You're sure it was Lomax?" Muller asked sharply.

"Sure I'm sure. Sam, he was acting queer lately. He was worried. Told
me he saw something, and he was going to know for sure. He borrowed my
switch-blade knife that my wife gave me. And he went out looking for
something. Then I heard him a-running, and I looked up, and there was
this guy, chasing him. Sure, I seen him with my own eyes."

Eve Nolan chuckled throatily, throwing her mannish-cut hair back from
her face. She was almost pretty with an expression on her countenance,
even if it was amused disgust. "Captain Muller, that's a nice story.
But Dr. Lomax was with me in my darkroom, working on some
spectroanalysis slides. Bill Sanderson and Phil Riggs were waiting
outside for us. And Mr. Peters saw us come out together when we all
ran down here."

Peters nodded. Muller stared at us for a second, and the hunting lust
died out of his eyes, leaving them blank and cold. He turned to
Bullard. "Bullard, an explanation might make me reduce your
punishment. If you have anything to say, say it now!"

The cook was gibbering and actually drooling with fear. He shook, and
sweat popped out all over him. "My knife--I hadda say something. They
stole my knife. They wanted it to look like I done it. God, Captain,
you'da done the same. Can't punish a man for trying to save his life.
I'm a good man, I am. Can't whip a good man! Can't--"

"Give him twenty-five lashes with the wire, Mr. Grundy," Muller said
flatly.

Pietro let out a shriek on top of the cook's. He started forward, but
I caught him. "Captain Muller's right," I told him. "On a spaceship,
the full crew is needed. The brig is useless, so the space-enabling
charter recognizes flogging. Something is needed to maintain
discipline."

Pietro dropped back reluctantly, but Lomax faced t