"Hundred fifty miles, maybe a little more," Major Eddy answered in a dull voice. "And then, nothing," he repeated incredulously. "Nothing." The phone was one long ring now, taken off of automatic signal and rung with a hand key pressed down and held there. In a daze, Jennings picked up the phone. "Yes, General," he answered as though he were no more than a robot. He hardly listened to the general's questions, did not need the report that every radarscope throughout the area had lost contact at the same instant. Somehow he had known that would be true, that it wasn't just his own mechanisms failing. One question did penetrate his stunned mind. "How is the senator taking it?" the general asked finally. "Uncomprehending, as yet," Jennings answered cryptically. "But even there it will penetrate sooner or later. We'll have to face it then." "Yes," the general sighed. "What about safety? What if it fell on a big city, for example?" "It had escape velocity," Jennings answered. "It would simply follow its trajectory indefinitely--which was away from Earth." "What's happening now?" the senator asked arrogantly. He had been out of the limelight long enough, longer than was usual or necessary. He didn't like it when people went about their business as if he were not present. "Quiet during the test, Senator," Jennings took his mouth from the phone long enough to reprove the man gently. Apparently he got away with it, for the senator put his finger to his lips knowingly and sat back again. "The senator's starting to ask questions?" the general asked into the phone. "Yes, sir. It won't be long now." "I hate to contemplate it, Jim," the general said in apprehension. "There's only one way he'll translate it. Two billion dollars shot up into the air and lost." Then sharply. "There must be something you've done, Colonel. Some mistake you've made." * * * * * The implied accusation struck at Jennings' stomach, a heavy blow. "That's the way it's going to be?" he stated the question, knowing its answer. "For the good of the service," the general answered with a stock phrase. "If it is the fault of one officer and his men, we may be given another chance. If it is the failure of science itself, we won't." "I see," the colonel answered. "You won't be the first soldier, Colonel, to be unjustly punished to maintain public faith in the service." "Yes, sir," Jennings answered as formally as if he were already facing court martial. "It's back!" Major Eddy shouted in his excitement. "It's back, Colonel!" The pip, truly, showed startlingly clear and sharp on the radarscope, the correct signals were coming in sure and strong. As suddenly as the ship had cut out, it was back. "It's back, General," Colonel Jennings shouted into the phone, his eyes fixed upon his own radarscope. He dropped the phone without waiting for the general's answer. "Good," exclaimed the senator. "I was getting a little bored with nothing happening."