Well, he would certainly live it up when he got back, Lance swore. He would have his wedding; import Casey from the Club to spike the punch; and, perhaps after he'd gotten in his required number of scout-missions, he might even settle for a chair-borne exec's billet, himself. Exactly twenty-eight days and twelve hours from the time of his departure from Earth, Lance Cooper was back home again. The _Cosmos XII_ re-materialized out of hyperspace in the neighborhood of the Solar System with its fuel tanks scarcely a third depleted, but its pilot a drained man. Lance, truthfully, not only felt weary and torpid, but a great deal disappointed. He contacted Traffic, asked for and got a landing trajectory. A few hours later, he had coasted home and the trip was over. He scrambled down out of the ship, hungry for Carolyn. The base hadn't changed any in a month, that he could see. A couple of new floodlights put in, perhaps. Some brass were emerging from the control bunker. Colonel Sagen, several others. He recognized them all. Two were SSP's--Space Service Police. * * * * * When the colonel got close, Lance tossed off a salute and an insouciant grin: "Well, the Prodigal made it back home, sir. Hope that pessimistic daughter of yours is stashed around somewhere. Otherwise--" "Otherwise, what?" returned the colonel, unsmiling. "Why I'm liable to go busting right through that fence," said Lance. "And say, if anybody's worrying about the _Cosmos XII_, she flew like a dream, colonel. Matter of fact, she--" Colonel Sagen's jaws snapped together. Wheeling, he barked at the two SSP's: "Spacemen, arrest this officer! Immediately!" Lance couldn't believe his ears. "Hey, wait a minute!" he protested. "What have I done?" Nobody answered. Not at first. "Well?" Lance asked again, a little more uneasy this time. "I have no daughter, major," Hard-Head Sagen growled, standing with his legs braced apart and his ramrod shoulders looking businesslike. "I never have had." The space cops sprang forward. One drew a pistol, held it on the returned pilot, while the other quickly moved behind Lance and pinioned his arms back. "Is this a joke, colonel?" Lance demanded, struggling. "If it is, I don't appreciate it. You know you've got a daughter, and I'm going to marry her!" The colonel's jaws clamped tight; and he shook his head from side to side, as if he were dealing with a person suddenly out of his mind. Then he acted. "Put this man under close confinement," he ordered Lance's guards. "Allow no visitors of any kind." The colonel's tone was harsh and worried. "I've got to buck this matter to HQ. We can't have it blow up right now, God knows." The space police nudged Lance. "All right, major. Let's go."