"Where'd that come from?" Jaez asked.
"That's Sammy," Sharnov said. He smiled as if he'd learned to pull up the corners of his mouth but not to experience any emotion behind the gesture. "We weren't supposed to bring pets along, but one of the women smuggled him in her personal luggage. He was only a puppy then, of course."
"Hey--I like dogs!" Iversen said. But he made no move to touch it.
The dog flopped down on the coarse sand, large amber eyes staring at Greer.
"We brought some food supplies," Jaez said. "Not much, though. Couldn't tell what you might need. But we'll get you a meal right away."
"I'm all right," Sharnov said.
"But you look--"
"I said I'm all right!"
Jaez opened his mouth to reply. Shut it again.
"So how'd you manage to survive when the others didn't?" Dedrick wanted to know.
Sharnov's mouth pulled sideways in an odd grin. "Guess I'm better at adapting."
)
