, bright and steady. "If you can't get us out of here
they'll kill us within three hours. I see nothing else ahead. Well,
Major? What are you going to do? I've been waiting all night. While
you were unconscious I sat here, waiting and listening. It's almost
dawn. The night is almost over."

* * * * *

Hendricks considered. "It's curious," he said at last.

"Curious?"

"That you should think I can get us out of here. I wonder what you
think I can do."

"Can you get us to the Moon Base?"

"The Moon Base? How?"

"There must be some way."

Hendricks shook his head. "No. There's no way that I know of."

Tasso said nothing. For a moment her steady gaze wavered. She ducked
her head, turning abruptly away. She scrambled to her feet. "More
coffee?"

"No."

"Suit yourself." Tasso drank silently. He could not see her face. He
lay back against the ground, deep in thought, trying to concentrate.
It was hard to think. His head still hurt. And the numbing daze still
hung over him.

"There might be one way," he said suddenly.

"Oh?"

"How soon is dawn?"

"Two hours. The sun will be coming up shortly."

"There's supposed to be a ship near here. I've never seen it. But I
know it exists."

"What kind of a ship?" Her voice was sharp.

"A rocket cruiser."

"Will it take us off? To the Moon Base?"

"It's supposed to. In case of emergency." He rubbed his forehead.

"What's wrong?"

"My head. It's hard to think. I can hardly--hardly concentrate. The
bomb."

"Is the ship near here?" Tasso slid over beside him, settling down on
her haunches. "How far is it? Where is it?"

"I'm trying to think."

Her fingers dug into his arm. "Nearby?" Her voice was like iron.
"Where would it be? Would they store it underground? Hidden
underground?"

"Yes. In a storage locker."

"How do we find it? Is it marked? Is there a code marker to identify
it?"

Hendricks concentrated. "No. No markings. No code symbol."

"What, then?"

"A sign."

"What sort of sign?"

* * * * *

Hendricks did not answer. In the flickering light his eyes were
glazed, two sightless orbs. Tasso's fingers dug into his arm.

"What sort of sign? What is it?"

"I--I can't think. Let me rest."

"All right." She let go and stood up. Hendricks lay back against the
ground, his eyes closed. Tasso walked away from him, her hands in her
pockets. She kicked a rock out of her way and stood s