"Yeah . . . weightlessness, zero gravity."
Kinsman looked thoughtful. "Adds a new dimension to the problem, doesn't it?"
"Three-dimensional." Tenny took the cigar butt from his mouth and laughed.
Calder rose slowly from his chair and spread his arms to silence the others. Looking fondly down on Kinsman, he said;
"My boy—more years ago than I care to think about, I became a charter member of the Mile High Club. It was in 1915, during the height of the Great War, when, at an altitude of precisely 5,280 feet—as near as my altimeter could tell me—while circling over St. Paul's Cathedral, I successfully penetrated an Army nurse. This was in an open cockpit, mind you. I achieved success despite fogged goggles, cramped working quarters, and a severe case of windburn."
"Nineteen-fifteen?"
"How the hell old are you, Cy?"
"You sure it wasn't your father you're talking about?"
"Or your grandfather?"
Ignoring them, Calder continued, "Since then, there has 72 been precious little to look forward to. The skin divers claimed a new frontier, of course, but in fact they were retrogressing. Any silly-ass dolphin can do it in the water."
He beamed at Kinsman. "But you have something new going for you: weightlessness. Floating around in zero gravi- ty, chasing tail in three dimensions. It beggars the imagina- tion!"
Even Tenny looked impressed.
"Captain Kinsman, I pass the torch to you. To the founder of the Zero Gee Club!"
As one man, they all rose and silently toasted Kinsman.
Once they sat down again, Tenny burst their balloon. "You guys don't give Murdock credit for any brains at all. You don't think he's gonna let Kinsman go up with that broad ail alone, do you? The Manta isn't as big as a shuttle, but it still holds three people."
Kinsman's face fell, but the others' lit up.
"It's gonna be a three-man mission!"
"Two men and the blonde."
Tenny warned, "Don't start drooling. Murdock wants a chaperon, not a gang bang."
It was Kinsman who understood first. Slouching back in his chair, chin sinking to his chest, he muttered, "Goddam- mitall, he's sending Jill along."
A collective groan.
"Murdock made up his mind an hour ago," Tenny said. "He was stuck with you, Chet, so he hit on the chaperon idea. He's giving you some real chores to do, too. Keep you busy. Like mating the power pod."
"Jill Meyers," said Art Douglas, with real disappoint- ment on his face. "At least he could've picked Mary O'Hara. She's fun."
"Jill's as qualified as you guys are, and she's been taking this Celebrity gal through her training. I'll bet she knows more about this mission than any of you guys do."
"She would."
