.. the engineer who was functioning as
Launch Monitor had fainted in the blockhouse. The count was picked up
under the direction of the Assistant Launch Monitor. After launch the
three stages of the rocket separated properly, and injection into orbit
occurred at the predicted altitude."

He paused and shuffled the papers.

"Now I have here," he continued, dropping a sheet and picking it up,
"the description of the orbit now occupied by '58 Beta. We have a
perigee of six hundred twenty five miles and an apogee of twenty nine
hundred miles, and ... oh, my word; this _is_ a tough break! Well,
gentlemen, we can't win 'em all. As you know, we had hoped for a
permanent orbit. However, according to our computers, while '58 Beta is
now in an orbit, it is a degenerative one. She will unfortunately suffer
a progressive perigee drop on each resolution and after three hundred
forty eight years, seven months and approximately nineteen or twenty
days she will re-enter the atmosphere and burn up. I am heartily sorry,
gentlemen."

* * * * *

They returned to the AstroBar, and Clements began trying to catch up
with Jordan.

"You know," said Jordan, his head wobbling a little with the emphasis he
put into the words, "this is the damnedest farce in the history of the
world."

"You're absolutely right, chief," agreed Clements, taking another slug.
"And what are we going to do about it?"

Over his empty glass Jordan gave Clements a slow, confidential wink.
Then he fished some papers out of his pocket. He folded them carefully
and slipped them into an envelope. Meticulously drying a spot on the bar
with his coatsleeve he put down the envelope and began writing on it.
Finally he finished. Sealing it he waved it in the air in front of
Clements.

"These," he said solemnly "are the resignation forms you got for me that
day. Do you remember those resignation forms, Clements, you old
appointee, you?"

Clements set his glass down indignantly.

"Certainly I remember, old chiefie. I remember because I got a set for
myself while I was at it."

"Well, good for you, old appointee. Now, you take this envelope, and
when we get back to Washington you put it in the office archives file,
O.K.? Safest place this side of Fort Knox."

"Depend on me, chief," he said, taking the envelope and reading the
instructions Jordan had written.

_To be held for the use of the Undersecretary for Cislunar Navigation
incumben