"Damn! It holds up the whole business till he returns." Lancaster explained his difficulty. Karen laughed. "Oh, that's all right," she said in the low voice he liked to hear. "We've all been cleared." "Not officially. I've got to see the papers." She glared at him then and stamped her foot. "How stupid can you get without having to be spoon fed?" she snapped. "You've seen how much we think of regulations here. Let's have those equations, Mac." "But--blast it, Karen, you don't appreciate the need for security. Berg explained it to me once--how dangerous the rebels are, and how easily they can steal our secrets. And they'll stop at nothing. Do you want another Hemispheric War?" She looked oddly at him, and when she spoke it was softly. "Allen, do you really believe that?" "Certainly! It's obvious, isn't it? Our country is maintaining the peace of the Solar System--once we drop the reins, all hell will run away from us." "What's wrong with setting up a world-wide federation of countries? Most other nations are willing." "But that--it's not _practical_!" "How do you know? It's never been tried." "Anyway, we can't decide policy. That's just not for us." "The United States is a democratic country--remember?" "But--" Lancaster looked away. For a moment he stood unspeaking, and she watched him with grave eyes and said nothing. Then, not really knowing why he did it, he lifted a defiant head. "All right! We'll go ahead--and if Berg sends us all to camp, don't blame me." "He won't." She laughed and clapped his shoulder. "You know, Allen, there are times when I think you're human after all." "Thanks," he grinned wryly. "How about--uh--how about having a--a b-beer with me now? To celebrate." "Why, sure." * * * * * They went down to the shop. A cooler of beer was there, its contents being reckoned as among the essential supplies brought from Earth by Jessup. Lancaster uncapped two bottles, and he and Karen sat down on a bench, swinging their legs and looking over the silent, waiting machines. Most of the station personnel were off duty now, in the arbitrary "night." He sighed at last. "I like it here." "I'm glad you do, Allen." "It's a funny place, but I like it. The station and all its wacky inhabitants. They're heterodox as the very devil and would have trouble getting a dog catcher's job back home, but they're all refreshing." Lancaster snapped his fingers. "Say, that's it! That's why you're all out here. The government needs your talents, and you aren't quite trusted, so you're put here out of range of spies. Right?" "Do you have to see a rebel with notebook in hand under every bed?" she asked with a hint of weariness. "The First Amendment hasn't been repealed yet, they say. Theoretically we're all entitled to our own opinions." "Okay, okay, I won't argue politics. Tell me about some of the people here, will you? They're an odd bunch."