He motioned to
near-by chairs. "Sit down, please," he said.
The two spacemen settled themselves uncomfortably on the edge of their
chairs and waited expectantly as Strong continued to look at the paper.
Loring finally broke the heavy silence.
"Well, Captain Strong, have you made a decision?" he asked. Loring was a
heavy-set man, in his middle forties. He needed a shave, and when he
talked, his mouth twisted into an ugly grimace.
"Hope it's in our favor, sir," suggested Mason. He was shorter than
Loring and, seated, his feet hardly reached the floor. His eyes darted
nervously about the huge room, and he kept rolling a dirty black
spaceman's cap in his hands.
"Yes, I've reached a decision," said Strong slowly. He faced the two men
and looked at both of them with a steady cold stare. "I've decided to
sustain Major Connel's action. You are both grounded for the next twelve
months. Earth months!"
"What?" shouted Loring, jumping to his feet. He banged his fist down on
the desk and leaned over, his face close to Strong's. "You can't do that
to us!"
Captain Strong didn't move. "I can," he said coldly.
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