"Yes," agreed the captain, "from where we jumped into space
seventy-five years ago. The people of Earth were talking about their
problems, not killing each other about them. There was hope. We felt
that by the time we'd finished our mission and come back from that
other solar system, where a healthy colony could be born, most of
those problems would be solved." A pause. "But now there's this
terrible killing all through the System. We won't face it."
The roaring of the rockets now as they plunged flame against the
concrete slab of the landing field. The bug bodies of the tugs gently
easing old _Alpha_ to Earth.
Colonel Halter was saying, "How about this other solar system? You
haven't let us know whether or not you reached it."
"We saw it." There was a hollowness in the captain's voice. "We didn't
reach it. But we will. You'll repair the _Alpha_ and refuel it."
"As you were saying," prompted Colonel Halter, "you didn't reach it."
"A meteor," said the captain. "Straight into our rockets. Our ship
began to drift. The cameras, of course, set in the bulkheads, were
watching us."
"May I see? Anything you have to show or say will be strictly between
us. I've given orders for our communication to be unrecorded and
private. You have my word."
"You'll be allowed to see. I've given my permission."