We'll know soon enough, Kinsman said to himself. After long minutes of breath-holding suspense, Colt and Mary O'Hara squeezed through the inner airlock hatch.

"Let's get you out of these suits, pronto," Kinsman urged.

"What's the rush?" Colt asked.

"Howard's going to be down here in another minute. Smitty and Jill are going out with him. Schedule change."

Mary was already unzipping her gloves, her face white with concern.

Colt complained, "Shit! Out there in the payload bay's the only place you can relax."

"You'll relax all four of us into ground assignments," Douglas snapped,

"In South Dakota," added Kinsman. "Come on, Frank. Move it!"

Grousing all the way, Colt allowed Kinsman to help him wriggle out of the space suit. Out of the corner of his eye Kinsman saw Douglas helping Mary. Art's getting a lot more fun out of this than I am, he thought.

They were almost finished when Captain Howard, Major Pierce, Jill Meyers, and Smitty came gliding down the ladder from the flight deck.

"Exactly what is going on here?" Pierce demanded, his voice thin and reedy.

Before Colt or anyone else could reply, Kinsman heard himself say, "I had to go out into the payload bay for a few moments, sir. I was getting a touch of claustrophobia in here."

Pierce glared at him.

"Lieutenant Colt came out with me—in accordance with the regulations that trainees should not attempt EVA without backup. Lieutenant O'Hara stationed herself in the airlock in case we needed further assistance."

Major Pierce looked from Kinsman to Colt to O'Hara and back to Kinsman. His eyes glittered with malice. "That is the dumbest story I've ever heard a shavetail try to pull, Lieutenant!"

"That's the way it happened, sir."

"Claustrophobia?"

"Only a temporary touch of it, sir. We were warned about it in training, if you recall. Since there's no qualified medical officer on board—"

"That's enough!" Pierce snapped. He closed his eyes for a moment. "All right, I'll let it stand. But I'm going to remember this. Kinsman. I'll be watching you—you and your claustrophobia. And the rest of you! Nobody budges out of this compartment without my direct approval. Is that under- stood?"

"Yessir!" from six relieved throats.

"You all know that you are not—repeat, not—author- ized for EVA without my okay."

"Unless there's a medical or other type of emergency," said Kinsman.

Glaring, Pierce hissed, "I should put the whole squad of you on report for this,"

No one said a word.

Pierce looked hard at Colt, who returned his stare evenly. Then he glared at O'Hara; she glanced toward Kinsman.