The way it was said made Lance feel he could trust the Old Man for that long. Anyhow, what choice did he have? "It's about time," Lance sighed. He set Casey down, to the latter's greatly exhaled relief. "Only how come all the suspense?" "It was very necessary," broke in Major Carmody. "Was it? Well, you had me about to crack--if that was your object. Now then, would any of you mind easing my worries about Carolyn. She's O.K., isn't she?" His glance shifted from one to the other. "Isn't she?" Nobody would reply--neither Colonel Sagen, nor any of the officers bunched-up around him. Sweat suddenly broke out on Lance's brow. The chilly feeling went through him that if and when an answer was provided him, he wasn't particularly going to like it. Not in the slightest. * * * * * Shortly afterwards, Lance was driven across the base by his captors and escorted into his commanding officer's private office. The two aides were dismissed, but the psychiatrist-officer, who also wore eagles on his shoulders, and Major Carmody remained. Colonel Sagen seated himself behind his desk. "Major," he began, clearing his throat, "you imagine me to have a daughter. You're positive of it. You even visualize her so well, that you remember something about how you were going to marry her." "You're not going to talk me out of anything on that score," Lance shot back. "Perhaps, we don't intend to. Colonel Nordsen, here," Sagen indicated the psychiatrist, "has flown in from HQ to chat with you. He can explain the technical aspects of the phenomenon that has thrown you better than I can. I'd advise you to listen to him. He's just what you need." "Just what I need? What else do you intend to do? Hypnotize me, so you can erase all my past?" The colonel scowled. "Look here, major. You co-operate and learn to keep your mouth shut, we may be able to restore you to duty. But if not ... well, what happens then will be entirely up to Nordsen. It could mean a padded cell. The development of hyperspace exploration has to go on, whatever happens to you." "I'll tell you one thing to your face, colonel," Lance replied, hotly. "I'm not off my rocker." "No one has maintained you were," broke in Colonel Nordsen. "But Colonel Sagen had to throw a curtain around you fast." "Why?" Neither officer answered. Finally, Colonel Sagen said, "I think you'd better continue with him, Colonel Nordsen." Nordsen was a youthful-looking man for his rank, yet prematurely balding. He wore thick-shelled glasses. "Major Cooper," Nordsen began, "let's go back to when you put the _Cosmos XII_ through its first jump through hyperspace. How well do you recall your experience?" "I'll never forget it. You Earthbound kiwis should try it sometime." "Did you experience a feeling ... perhaps, rather uncanny ... that the whole thing had happened to you before? What psychologists call the sense of _déjà vu_?" "No, I don't think so."