idea!"

Somers tried to shake his feeling of unreality. The problem, the real
problem, he told himself, was how to stop the ship.

He looked around the fixed cabin and out the porthole at the unmoving
stars. _We are moving very rapidly_, he thought, unconvinced.

Rajcik said disgustedly, "Our noble captain can't face the situation."

"Of course I can," Somers objected, feeling very light-headed and
unreal. "I can pilot any course you lay down. That's my only real
responsibility. Plot us a course to Mars!"

"Sure!" Rajcik said, laughing. "I can! I will! Engineer, I'm going to
need plenty of fuel for this course--about ten tons! See that I get it!"

"Right you are," said Watkins. "Captain, I'd like to put in a
requisition for ten tons of fuel."

"Requisition granted," Somers said. "All right, gentlemen,
responsibility is inevitably circular. Let's get a grip on ourselves.
Mr. Rajcik, suppose you radio Mars."

When contact had been established, Somers took the microphone and stated
their situation. The company official at the other end seemed to have
trouble grasping it.

"But can't you turn the ship?" he asked bewilderedly. "Any kind of an
orbit--"

"No. I've just explained that."

"Then what do you propose to do, Captain?"

"That's exactly what I'm asking you."

There was a babble of voices from the loudspeaker, punctuated by bursts
of static. The lights flickered and reception began to fade. Rajcik,
working frantically, managed to re-establish the contact.

"Captain," the official on Mars said, "we can't think of a thing. If you
could swing into any sort of an orbit--"

"I can't!"

"Under the circumstances, you have the right to try anything at all.
Anything, Captain!"

Somers groaned. "Listen, I can think of just one thing. We could bail
out in spacesuits as near Mars as possible. Link ourselves together,
take the portable transmitter. It wouldn't give much of a signal, but
you'd know our approximate position. Everything would have to be figured
pretty closely--those suits just carry twelve hours' air--but it's a
chance."

* * * * *

There was a confusion of voices from the other end. Then the official
said, "I'm sorry, Captain."

"What? I'm telling you it's our one chance!"

"Captain, the only ship on Mars now is the _Diana_. Her engines are
being overhauled."

"How long before she can be spaceborne?"

"Three weeks, at least. And a ship from Earth would tak