weight the ship carried, the more power it needed to get out to
the Platform. And the more power it needed to come down again.

If Joe and his companions couldn't get rid of their cargo--and they
could only unload in the ship-lock of the Platform--they'd stay out in
emptiness.

The Major said bitterly: "_This is all most irregular, but--here's
Sally._"

Then Sally's voice sounded in the headphones Joe wore. He was relieved
that Mike wasn't acting as communications officer at the moment to
overhear. But Mike was zestfully spinning like a pin-wheel in the middle
of the air of the control cabin. He was showing the others that even in
the intramural pastimes a spaceship crew will indulge in, a midget was
better than a full-sized man. Joe said:

"Yes, Sally?"

She said unsteadily. "_I'm not going to waste your time talking to you,
Joe. I think you've got to figure out something. I haven't the faintest
idea what it is, but I think you can do it. Try, will you?_"

"I'm afraid we're going to have to trust to luck," admitted Joe
ruefully. "We weren't equipped for anything like this."

"_No!_" said Sally fiercely. "_If I were with you, you wouldn't think of
trusting to luck!_"

"I wouldn't want to," admitted Joe. "I'd feel responsible. But just the
same--"

"_You're responsible now!_" said Sally, as fiercely as before. "_If the
Platform's smashed, the rockets that can reach it will be duplicated to
smash our cities in war! But if you can reach the Platform and arm it
for defense, there won't be any war! Half the world would be praying for
you, Joe, if it knew! I can't do anything else, so I'm going to start on
that right now. But you try, Joe! You hear me?_"

"I'll try," said Joe humbly. "Thanks, Sally."

He heard a sound like a sob, and the headphones were silent. Joe himself
swallowed very carefully. It can be alarming to be the object of an
intended murder, but it can also be very thrilling. One can play up
splendidly to a dramatic picture of doom. It is possible to be one's own
audience and admire one's own fine disregard of danger. But when other
lives depend on one, one has the irritating obligation not to strike
poses but to do something practical.

Joe said somberly: "Mike, how long before we ought to contact the
Platform?"

Mike reached out a small hand, caught a hand-hold, and flicked his eyes
to the master chronometer.

"Forty minutes, fifty seconds. Why?"

Joe said wrily, "There are some rockets i