Automatic, Colin thought. That's why he came back then. Without volition, responding to given signals according to training. ... _walking toward the ship. She's big and bulky, but we're friends by now. Now I'm climbing the ladder up to the lock_ ... ... _listening to the count down ... two ... one ... fire!_ ... Harkins grunted as the re-lived acceleration slammed him back in the control chair with a relentless and unabating pressure. He was silent for thirty seconds. ... _blacked out, not long. Report in to Gila Base, launching successful. They acknowledge, give me course. I'm moving "up", at right angles to the plane of the ecliptic. Fastest way to get away from large mass bodies_ ... Time then on atomic rockets, almost a full day. Colin brushed over this phase, which was routine. As far as he could tell, Harkins' duties had been designed principally to keep him from getting bored before it was time to cut in the Skipdrive, and this corresponded with what General Banning had told him. As he approached the time of the Skip, he moved more slowly, taking in detail. ... _three minute bell. The bell is a pretty sound. I am checking the controls again. Everything is fine. I am sitting down in the control chair with my hands relaxed over the ends of the arms. When my fingers brush against the buttons, they tingle, or seem to. We're all ready. There's the two minute bell_ ... Pause. _One minute bell_ ... Suddenly Harkins sat stiffly upright on the bed. His eyes snapped open, staring with fear and disbelief at something Colin could not see. _Oh, my God_, he whispered. _What is it?_ But there was no direct answer. Harkins repeated: _Oh, my God, my God, my God_ ... _What do you see? What is there?_ _Oh Jesus the stars the stars the stars God in heaven I can't Jesus make them go make them go make them go_ ... His voice had risen almost to a scream, his eyes open wide and staring, his body rigid. With a whimper, he clenched his eyes shut and fell back on the bed. He drew his knees slowly and jerkily up to his chest, as if resisting the movement, clasped his arms around his legs tightly. He began to rock back and forth, gently, gently, as if immersed in water, his breath making an involuntary whining sound as it passed his constricted throat. _Move forward in time. Move ahead. You are coming out of the Skip. You are coming out of the Skip. You are returning to normal space._ Colin's voice was steady and calm over the high-pitched whines coming from the throat of the man on the bed. Suddenly his face relaxed. The eyes remained closed, but closed as if in sleep, rather than anguish. His arms and shoulder released their clenched grip around his knees.