"Just do what I told you and do it now! I want the base buttoned up tight before midnight."

With a perplexed shrug, Kelly said, "People are going to ask a lot of questions."

"Keep it as quiet as you can. No fuss, no alarms ringing in the corridors. Don't scare the civilians. Just get the right people to the right places. Now!"

Kelly looked distinctly unhappy when Kinsman breezed into his office, more than an hour later.

"What's the word?" Kinsman asked, going straight to his desk.

Kelly had a thick sheaf of plastic reports in his hand. "We're scrambling hell out of everybody's work shifts, but the base is getting buttoned up. Lots of questions being asked, lots of grumbling."

Sitting in the desk chair, Kinsman said, "I told you to do things quietly."

"You can't shove half the population of the base around quietly!" Kelly complained.

Kinsman looked up at him. "Okay, Pat. Okay, Sit down." He pointed to the couch. "Give me a rundown."

By the time Kelly was finished, Kinsman was satisfied that everything was going as smoothly as could be expected.

"What about the shuttle?" he asked.

"Left Alpha on schedule."

"The passenger list?"

"In the computer."

Leaning back in his chair, "Okay, good. Put in a call to the shuttle. Tell them to increase boost and get here on a maximum-energy trajectory. Clear the launch center for them. Talk to your wife while you've got the channel open."

Kelly shook his head as if to clear it. "Maximum-energy trajectory? Chet, what the hell are you doing?"

Kinsman grinned at him. "Your wife and kids are aboard. Aren't you anxious to see them?"

"Yeah, but . . ."

"How many kids do you have?"

"Uh . . . six."

"You don't sound too sure."

It was Kelly's turn to grin. "Well, I haven't seen her for a couple months. She might know something I don't."

"Goddamned sex maniac."

"Me?"

"Get moving. I want to know exactly when that shuttle 406 can touch down. And I'll be inspecting the base at midnight. God help all of you if I'm not satisfied with the security status."