Later I made a statement, along with everyone else who had had an
official part in the test. Dr. Spartan announced that the fate of the
Martian expedition would be decided within a few days and if it was
decided to go ahead with a short crew, the lift-off would take place on
schedule.
I was not surprised, therefore, when I was called into his office the
next morning. Dr. Joel was there and so were Morrie Grover and Axel.
We sat down in straight-backed chairs opposite his desk to wait. About
five minutes later Dr. Spartan accompanied by Gail, came into the room.
My first thought was that he was extending the investigation of the
accident, and then I recalled Gail's decision to volunteer for the
Mars expedition in Willy's place. Dr. Spartan was as dedicated as Gail
and the idea of flaunting convention and risking a lot of condemnation
wouldn't have bothered him. But there were powers higher than Dr.
Spartan who would step in and halt the project if public pressure were
applied.
We greeted him formally. No one ever became informal with Dr. Spartan
in his office. In fact, I couldn't remember anyone but Axel who had
ever tried to kid Spartan. But Axel was a special case. Even Dr.
Spartan secretly admitted that Axel was the most reliable astronaut on
the project.
"Thanks for being here punctually, gentlemen," said Dr. Spartan,
sitting down behind his desk. Again he looked like the Devil himself,
just as he had yesterday when Willy's capsule went out of control. "As
you know, the fate of the Martian operation is uncertain because of
yesterday's unfortunate accident. But there is an outside chance we can
go ahead with it, if an obstacle or two are removed."
He paused, letting his cold black eyes sweep our group, finally resting
on Gail Loring who was seated facing us in a chair at the end of Dr.
Spartan's desk. She smiled, showing her pretty dimples.
"Miss Loring is willing to fill the vacancy in our crew," Spartan said
quietly.
No one spoke. We all looked at Gail, every last man of us thinking
what a wonderful trip it would be with her aboard. And every last man
realized that with a woman aboard there would be complications.
"She's a fully qualified astronaut," Spartan went on. "No further tests
would be needed to prove that she could step into the vacant spot in
our crew and hold up as well as any of us during the long, tedious trip
through space. However, she is a woman."
"I guess we can all see that," said Dr. Joel, in a feeble attempt to be
funny. No one laughed but Joel. Spartan's hard eyes cut him short.
"I wasn't so sure you could, Warner," said Spartan, his voice full of
sarcasm. "But your half-witted wisecrack brings the big objection into
full focus. A woman, especially an attractive woman--" Spartan bowed
toward Gail and permitted himself to smile with all the graciousness he
could muster. "--well, it complicates matters."
Again we held our silence. Joel choked back whatever comment he'd been
about to make as Spartan glanced at him again.
"A woman, alone with a large group of men, would bring dissension and
emotional factors into the situation which would not arise if all our
crew were men. Besides, there is convention to worry about. Certain
prudish individuals, of which there are far too many on earth, would
accuse us of promoting some sort of Saturnalia in space--free love,
even licentiousness."
"It would be a lie," said Gail. "I have nothing to fear from any of you
in that respect."
"Not here and now, perhaps," Spartan replied, "but two-and-one-half
years in space might have a cumulative effect. None of us are properly
called _old_ men, my dear. Besides, we'll be making history, and we'll
have to _appear_ to be, as well as be, above reproach."
"Oh, come on," said Gail, resenting the trend of the conversation.
"History has never been that pure--"
Spartan scowled. He resented her remark. "I know that, Miss Loring,"
he replied. "But the fact that we are making history will cause
politicians and bureaucrats, who have the power to call off the
project, to fear the loss of public support. Votes are what they want,
more than scientific achievement. All of you know our plans call for
a six-man crew. Fewer than six would require a revision of plans,
redistribution of duties, and a slighting of many important aims. In
order to justify the expenditure of billions of dollars of taxpayer
money we must show results."
"That's the first time I ever heard of a taxpayer being considered in a
space operation," said Joel, once more trying to be funny.
"But it's a point," said Axel, nodding his head and glancing around
first at me and then at Morrie Grover, who had sat through the session
watching Gail as if he were hypnotized.
"Does anyone have a constructive idea?" Spartan asked coldly. He was
trying to keep the discussion from getting out of hand and, from this,
I suspected he had his own plans fully worked out.
"It's your show," I said. "What's your idea?"
Spartan did not like to have anyone reading his mind and he honored me
with one of his stern glances. "In the interest of science," he said,
"I'm proposing marriage to Miss Loring."