Now, three years later, where was Janet? Someplace far off, remote, untouchable. Her father's party had taken over in the last election and he was now a bigwig in the Space Commission. Probably she was still clean and fresh, bright and young. Maybe she was married. _And me?_ He looked with revulsion at the bleary mask his face had become. He went to work with the depilator supplied in the washroom and rapidly wiped away his beard. Then he scrubbed his face the way it hadn't been scrubbed in months. He came out pink. Stripping, he dropped his clothes in the Valet Hopper and stepped under the stinging spray of the shower. Robot hands scrubbed him down. Layers of dirt stripped away. An ion-massage set his blood pounding, broke down fatty tissue, left his skin tinglingly clean. He surveyed his naked body in the mirror. Not bad, he thought. A long way from what it had been, but not bad. He dressed rapidly. He was still wearing the clothes in which he had been picked up the night before--only now he fastened the collar magnesnap, adjusted the tie, straightened the trousers. When he was finished, he could pass for a tourist stopping off to see the satellite before making the jaunt to Luna. Despite himself, he grinned. _They'll never recognize me in this disguise. They'll be looking for a hobo, not a clean cut young tourist._ Feeling invigorated and dapper, he activated the door and stepped into the corridor. * * * * * Strolling in leisure, he walked to the viewing dome and peered out at Earth. A chubby matron stood next to him. "Lovely, isn't it?" she said. "It's quite a sight. This your first time?" "Yes. It's all wonderful up here. I think it's marvelous that the satellite's been built!" "It certainly is," Dave said, thinking of the radiation-eaten wretches somewhere in the lower levels of the big wheel. Feeling a little sick to his stomach, he smiled and walked on. A grey-clad guard stood at the entrance to the Tourists' Lounge. Choking back his tenseness, Conroy walked up to him. "Pardon me, officer--" "Yes?" "Could you give me some information? I'd like to know when the next liner leaves for Earth. I find I have to cut short my trip." The guard frowned. "Liner service to Earth is temporarily discontinued, sir. Didn't you hear the notice?" "What?" "That's right," the guard said. "Emergency Provision 104b has been put into operation. The Space-Station is temporarily quarantined." "Can you tell me why?" Conroy asked. "Something to do with an inspection sir. That's all I can say." Putting a tone of easy conspiracy in his voice, Conroy whispered, "I hear some convicts down below staged a rebellion a little while ago. This wouldn't have anything to do with it, would it?" The guard shook, his head in immediate denial. "Oh, _no_, sir. That was strictly a brief flare-up; it's all been smoothed over now."