"That's only part of it," I said. "Think of what will happen to Mars's atmosphere if that much planet is scattered around." "Yeah," said Manuel. "Dust. Red dust. And how about all that undetonated radioactive material?" "Which will be dust also," I said, "thoroughly mixed in with all the rest of the dust." Gus had finished his game of cribbage with Orrin and had come over. He said, "The dust will shut out what dim sunlight there is and the whole planet will be in for a deep freeze." "What's the half-life of that stuff in the freighter?" I asked Orrin. I knew, but I wanted Goil to know too. Orrin told me. The alarm that had clattered in my brain had settled down to a soothing purr. I began to add three and three hoping to get nine. Right now I needed a gestalt of something whose whole would be a lot greater than the sum of its parts. The parts I believe I had, and the sum I think was due to come up soon. I went out and headed for the computer room. Artie was in there trying to listen to a dozen news reports at one time. He wouldn't miss any of them, for a flock of recorders were going all at once. I grabbed him by a shoulder and spun him around and looked as hard and serious as I could. "Artie," I said, "I know damned well you computed a course for Willy the other day, for an asteroid to orbit just outside Earth. I want you to give me the exact course, where and when. And I want it now. This is official business, Artie." * * * * * I must have looked extremely convincing, for Artie paled a little and did not try to deny anything. "--I can't, Sam," he said. "I gave the original tapes and sheets to Willy. I threw away the duplicates." "Dammit, Artie!" I shouted, now really mad. "Then you'd better start remembering pretty good, because you're going to sit right down here and I'm going to sit with you, and you are going to give me as nearly as you can the course of Willy's asteroid." This was just about an impossible request. I knew it, and Artie knew it. But he sat down at the console of the computer and said: "I'll do the best I can, Sam." * * * * * I went to Willy's room and banged on the door then threw it open. He wasn't there. For sure then he would be someplace he wasn't supposed to be. So I headed for one likely place. Willy was there all right. The chef shuffled around nervously, probably wondering if I'd just chew him out for letting Willy in the galley, or tell Orrin. He offered me ham and eggs. I refused sharply. "Elmer," I said, "blast off." Elmer did. As soon as Willy and I were alone, I said, "Willy, you got me and Mr. Orrin in a pack of trouble. Why don't you tell me where the generator and the converter are. If we can get them back to the stock room, nothing can be proved." Willy couldn't look me in the face. He added three too many spoons of sugar to his coffee then stirred it so fast it spilled over the edge of the cup. "Come on, Willy. Where?"