The tunnels and corridors were empty. The machine shops and storage rooms were dark, and the doors to the bunkrooms were closed. We reached the airlock. All I had to do now was to get into a spacesuit and open the lock. The ship lay beyond it. Then I heard Harry's laugh! He stood behind us, holding a slim handgun. "Running out, people?" he asked. "Bribing that orderly wasn't bright, Pat. He not only gets to keep his money, but he gets a promotion from me. That's the way I operate--that's my justice." Pat and I had turned half-way around, watching him carefully. "Justice!" Pat flared. "Worry some more about Earth. Worry about the Universe. Teach them your justice!" Again the laughter. "I will, Pat." But the laughter broke. "Pat--you're my wife. You know my dream--you shared it. Why did you do it?" "Yes, she knows your sick dream, Harry," I said. "Shut up, Ash;" he said quietly. "Don't die with your mouth open." He fired, but I was on the floor of the tunnel. "Ash!" That was Pat's voice, but I was rolling, and tearing at my side. "Get back, Pat!" Thorsten shouted. I was up on my knees, the singleshot gun in my hand. I charged forward. He brought up his gun. The noise had awakened everybody in hearing distance. Doors were opening, men were running. I pointed the slim tube at his belly and jammed my thumb down on the firing stud. He screamed, cupping his hand over the smoking hole I had punched in his stomach. His knees bent, and he sank backwards, toppling, finally, as he lost his balance. He opened his mouth, choking, and blood welled over his chin. One last shred of laughter bubbled up through his throat. And someone, down at the other end of the tunnel, fired at us. He missed me as I crouched over Thorsten's body. "Ash--" I had Thorsten's gun in my hand, but I didn't fire back. I spun around, and looked at Pat, crushed back against the tunnel wall. "Pat!" She slid down the wall, and huddled on the floor. "Pat!" I bent down beside her. It was bad. Her voice was thick. "How long have I got?" "Five minutes--maybe ten." I knew I was lying. It was less. "Ash ... you heard what he said. I was in a Wasp unit. Space was my dream, too. Always." I wanted to tell her I knew, now--knew a lot of things. But there was no use in holding a dying woman, kissing her, and caressing her tumbled hair for one last time. No use at all, when a world depended on not taking time for those things. I put Thorsten's gun in her hand. "Can you still shoot, Pat?" Her fingers tightened on the butt, and her eyes met mine just once more before she turned her head. She was a beauty to watch. Sprawled on the tunnel floor, not looking at anything but targets over the notch of her sights, calm and skilled while she covered my retreat as her heartbeats slowed. She cauterized the tunnel, weaving a fan of death that marched down the corridor, encompassing and moving beyond huddled and broken men.