All the time, she was talking
excitedly, in a high, shrill voice. The man made the same
_ghroogh-ghroogh_ noises that he had that afternoon.
"No; we can't take any punitive action. Not now," Meillard said.
"But we'll have to do something for them."
Vengeance, it seemed, wasn't what they wanted. The woman made
vehement gestures of rejection toward the village, then bowed,
placing her hands on her brow. The man imitated her obeisance, then
they both straightened. The woman pointed to herself and to the man,
and around the circle of huts and landing craft. She began scuttling
about, picking up imaginary litter and sweeping with an imaginary
broom. The man started pounding with an imaginary hammer, then
chopping with an imaginary ax.
Lillian was clapping her hands softly. "Good; got it the first time.
'You let us stay; we work for you.' How about it, Paul?"
Meillard nodded. "Punitive action's unadvisable, but we will show
our attitude by taking them in. You tell them, Luis; these people
seem to like your voice."
Gofredo put a hand on each of their shoulders.
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