"Well, I'm no space-warp expert. How would I know?" "Look, dear," said McBride patiently, "you divide them by two, as I've said before a million times, and if they come out with nothing left over, they're negative." "But we're on 1--and you can't even divide one by two--" "I know. One's positive anyway, Enid. Look, kiddo, leave things like screwdrivers and volt-meters and calipers to me and you continue with the can opener as your only tool. What are we going to do to Drake?" "You stop on your way back and pick her up. I'll take care of Drake. What did you say her first name was?" "I didn't, but it's Sandra." "Oh! You mean Sandra Drake, the novelist-adventuress?" "I mean Sandra Drake, the she space-barnacle on the hull of progress." "Oh, I've heard of her. And, John, I'll take care of her!" "O.K., Enid. I'll see you when I get there." "'By." * * * * * Six was as silent as the proverbial tomb. They breached the lock from the outside and went in slowly, to find the station a shambles. Fred Atlock, the superintendent of 6, they found after some search. He was unconscious, suffering from superficial shock, and he had a four-inch cut on his shoulder which was slowly seeping blood from a large clot. Dan Wilkins, the only other man on that station, they discovered in the generator room, clinging speechlessly to the output terminals of the alphatronic power supply. McBride cut the switch, which was one of the few that hadn't welded shut, and the generator stopped immediately, permitting Wilkins to free himself. "Great Lord," he gasped. "I've been sitting there for nine years!" "By actual count, it's been one hour and twenty-three minutes," McBride told him. "How do you feel?" "O.K.," said Wilkins in a matter-of-fact tone, and with a slight eye-brow-raising look of surprise on his face that anyone should ask. "After all, anything under twelve hundred alphons merely paralyzes all of the voluntary muscles. The involuntary muscles are as good as gold up to that figure. I just feel a little stiff, like I'd been sitting in one position for an hour and better--which I have. I did everything but explode when that phone rang, but I couldn't will myself loose. When you're across one of those things, you can't even wink an eye at will, but must wait until the involuntary nervous system winks it for you. And, funny thing, you can't even stop your own breath; you just go on breathing automatically, since that's what the involuntary system demands." "O.K. Where's the gang from 4 and 8?" "I dunno. Are they coming?" "Coming? I thought they were here by now." McBride found the telephone and called 8. "Jimmy? Where is that gang you were going to send to 6?" "Sorry, Mac," answered Jimmy. "They were needed here to do a heavy job, and so I kept them for a bit. They're on their way now." "O.K., as long as they're on their way." McBride's call to 4 was less productive. "Pete? Where is your crowd for 6?"