w, because they were very special
persons, but the people should not be told.

"Gray is coming out of the ship," the assistant was saying. "He is
starting down the ramp. He is alone. He has no apparent weapons. Making
a grandstand play of it. Far as we can tell, the crew isn't covering
him. Now he is at the foot of the ramp. The three unclothed men are
moving toward him, spread out a little, crouching, obviously going to
attack. The stupid fool doesn't seem to realize it. He's ...

"Wait a minute. I don't believe it...."

"Well, what?" Gunderson exploded from his end.

"Sir," the assistant gulped, "the ship disappeared, just like that."

"Nonsense!"

"No, sir. It did. The three crewmen are sprawled on the ground. Now two
of them are getting up. There isn't a sign of the ship, the ramp, or
anything."

"Can't be. Has to be around somewhere."

"No, sir. Isn't. Sorry to contradict you, sir. It isn't anywhere."

"They probably set controls to send the ship back into space, and
jumped out before it took off. Search space. You'll find it. Ships don't
just disappear."

"I'll search, of course. But this ship just disappeared."

"All right, what's going on? What else?"

"They're naked. Naked as the day they were born. All four of them. Same
as the colonists."

"Keep track of where they put their clothes. Photograph it. Get the
evidence."

"Sir, their clothes disappeared right off their bodies. First they were
fully dressed, Gray was, anyhow. Maybe the crew could have undressed
inside the ship, but Gray was fully dressed--and then he wasn't. Just
like that."

"Hm-m."

"Shall I land, sir? Place them under arrest?"

"Wait a minute. Let's think of a good charge. Something to stand up in
court. Have to make this airtight right from the beginning in case some
stupid judge decides to make a show of independence."

"Indecent exposure, sir? Lewd public behavior?"

"Pretty weak, in view of what's involved."

"A suggestion, sir. Maybe a morals charge is the most effective weapon
we could have. Attack the E structure on the grounds of bad scientific
judgment, and every egghead on Earth will feel compelled to rise up in
their defense--except, of course, those employed by the government. But
on a morals charge there wouldn't be one voice raised--fear of being
tarred with the same brush. Except maybe a few radicals that are already
discredited. Any other charge might get public sentiment aroused against
us, but a mora