"They don't have to trust me. All they have to do is _obey_ me or, by
Jupiter, get frozen stiff and thawed out just in time for court-marshal
back home. Listen," I continued earnestly, "these men aren't going to
think of me--of _us_, the officers, as their leaders. As far as the
crew is concerned, Ordinary Spaceman Quade is the best man on this
ship."
"He _is_ a good man," Nagurski said. "You mustn't be jealous of his
status."
The dog growled. He must have sensed what I almost did to Nagurski.
"Never mind that for now," I said wearily. "What was your idea for
getting our exploration parties through this transphasia?"
"There's only one idea for that," said Quade, ducking his long head
and stepping through the connecting hatch. "With the Captain's
permission...."
"Go ahead, Quade, tell him," Nagurski invited.
"There's only one way to wade through transphasia with any
reliability," Quade told me. "You keep some kind of physical contact
with the spaceship. Parties are strung out on guide line, like we were,
but the cable has to be run back and made fast to the hull."
"How far can we run it back?"