Front matter (continued 2)
Reading edition
"Huh," grunted the captain. "Not you. One week on Terra and you'll be telling yourself the next time it just can't be as bad. Or that this wasn't as bad as it seemed. Anything, you'll tell yourself. Anything to start—"
Cornelia appeared in the doorway. "Good evening, gentlemen," she said coolly. She was wearing cordron slacks and a soft neosilk blouse, that seemed to enjoy clinging to her contours.
"Good evening," croaked Captain Savage. He stood up, and stretched restlessly.
"Oh, don't go," said Cornelia.
"Well, if we're blasting off in the morning, I've got things to do. These days it's the old men who do all the work." He chuckled as he eased past her through the door, and gave her shoulder a little pat. "Good hunting."
The girl watched him go down the passage. "Whatever did he mean by that?" she inquired. "'Good hunting'."
"Oh, it's just an expression," said Pritchard vaguely.
She came over to him and turned about on her bare feet. "No shoes that fit," she said. "How do you like what I managed to scrounge from the men?"
He pulled her down to him with one lazy reach of his good arm. "I'm afraid," he murmured, "that I liked you better the way you were."
"You know," she spoke muffledly against his shoulder, "you're something of a beast."