"Don't be cynical, Anti. Doctors have an economic sense as well as the next person," said Docchi. He turned to Cameron. "You see, after Anti grew too massive for her skeletal structure, doctors reasoned she'd be most comfortable in the absence of gravity. That was in the early days, before successful ship gravity units were developed. They put her on an interplanetary ship and kept transferring her before each landing. "But the treatment was troublesome--and expensive. So they devised a new method--the asteroid and the tank of acid. Not being aquatic by nature, Anti resented the change. She still does." "Don't blame me for that," said Cameron. "I wasn't responsible." "It was before your time," agreed Docchi. He frowned speculatively at the doctor. "I noticed it at the time but I had other things to think about. Tell me, why did you laugh when Jordan mentioned spacesuits?" Cameron grinned broadly. "That was my project while you were busy with the robot." "To do what? Jordan----" But Jordan was already on his way. He was gone for some time, minutes that passed slowly. "Well?" asked Docchi on Jordan's return. The question was hardly necessary; his face told the story. "Cut to ribbons." "All of them? Even the emergency pack?" "That too. He knew where everything was. Nothing can be repaired." "So who cares?" rumbled Anti. "We don't need spacesuits unless something happens and we have to go outside the ship." "Exactly, Anti. How do we replace the defective tubes? From the outside, of course. By destroying the spacesuits Cameron made sure we can't." Anti glowered at the doctor. "And I suppose you merely had our welfare at heart. Isn't that so, Cameron?" "You can think anything you want. I did and I do," said Cameron imperturbably. "Now be reasonable. We're still in the asteroid zone. In itself that's not dangerous. Without power to avoid stray rocks it can be very unpleasant. My advice is to contact the Medicouncil at once. They'll send a ship to take us in." "Thanks, no. I don't like Handicap Haven as well as you," Anti said brusquely. She turned to Docchi. "Maybe I'm stupid for asking but what's so deadly about being in space without a spacesuit?" "Cold. Lack of pressure. Lack of oxygen." "Is that all? Nothing else?" His voice was too loud; it seemed thunderous to him. "Isn't that enough?" "Maybe not for me. I just wanted to be sure." She beckoned to Nona and together they went forward, where the spacesuits were kept. "Don't do anything drastic until I get back," she said as she left. Cameron scowled puzzledly and started to follow until Jordan waved the toaster in front of him. "All right, I see it," he growled, stopping and rubbing his chin. "There's nothing she can do. You know it as well as I do."