In a few moments they were all standing under the chemically treated water, washing off the contaminated dust. Rip paid special attention to his hair, because that was where the dust was most likely to stick. He had it well lathered when the water suddenly cut off. At the same moment, the cruiser shuddered slightly as control blasts stopped its spinning and left them all weightless. Rip saw instantly what had happened. He called, "All right, men. Down on the floor." The Planeteers instantly slid to the shower deck. In a few seconds the pressure of deceleration pushed at them. "I like spacemen," Rip said wryly. "They wait until just the right moment before they cut the water and decelerate. Now we’re stuck in our birthday suits until we land—wherever that may be." Corporal Nels Pederson spoke up in a soft Stockholm accent. "Never mind, sor. Ve’ll get back at them. Ve alvays do!" While the _Scorpius_ decelerated and started maneuvering for a landing, Rip did some rapid calculations. He knew the acceleration and deceleration rates of cruisers of this class measured in terms of time, and part of his daily routine on the space platform had been to examine the daily astro-plot which gave the positions of all planets and other large bodies within the solar system. There was only one possible destination: Mars. Rip’s pulse quickened. He had always wanted to visit the red planet. Of course he had seen all the films, audio-mags, and books on the planet, and he had tried to see the weekly spacecast. He had a good idea of what the planet was like, but reading or viewing was not like actually landing and taking a look for himself. Of course they would land at Marsport. It was the only landing area equipped to handle nuclear drive cruisers. The cruiser landed and deceleration cut to zero. At the same moment, the water came on. Rip hurriedly finished cleaning up, dressed, then took his radiation instruments and carefully monitored his men as they came from the shower. Private Dowst had to go back for another try at getting his hair clean, but the rest were all right. Rip handed his instruments to Koa. "You monitor Dowst when he finishes. I want to see what’s happening." He hurried from the chamber and made his way down the corridors toward the engine control room. There was a good possibility he might get a call from O’Brine, with instructions to take his men off the ship. He might finally learn what he was assigned to do! As he reached the engine control room, Commander O’Brine was giving instructions to his spacemen on the stowage of equipment that evidently was expected aboard. Rip felt a twinge of disappointment. If the _Scorpius_ had landed to take on supplies of some kind, his assignment was probably not on Mars. He started to approach the commander with a question about his orders, then thought better of it. He stood quietly near the control panel and watched.