Swenson scribbled an answer and handed it to an assistant. _Moulton Trust_ _Nuts, Esrov. You've got to think up something better than that. We have no control over public officials, except during flight. Bellyache all you want to the PCC._ _Sedately_, _Swenson_ The astrogram was from Senator Hiram C. Higby: MY BEING STRANDED ON MOON UNMITIGATED AND UNPARALLELED OUTRAGE. MUST SPEAK AS SCHEDULED ON MARS. FIND ME TRANSPORTATION. WILL DEAL LATER WITH YOUR COMPANY CONCERNING INFAMOUS TREATMENT. SEN. HIRAM C. HIGBY Swenson replied: UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE UNAVOIDABLE. YOUR SPEECH MAGNIFICENT. WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SECURE IMMEDIATE TRANSPORTATION TO MARS. SWENSON * * * * * The second Special Message was from the PCC and asked with crisp and blunt formality why two Acme ships, which had been officially grounded by the Commission, had blasted off the Moon. In answer, Swenson was mild and apologetic. What else could he have done? Surely the Commission must understand that his first duty was to save his ships from damage. He had been informed by his captains that the shadow knife-edge was almost due, and there was no possibility of the control crews servicing the temperature-change compensators in time. It was an emergency. The matter of the grounding could be settled later. When his answer was finished, he coded it, along with the Special Message from Moulton Trust, the astrogram from Senator Higby, and his replies. Finally, he coded the Special Message from PCC. Then he called Number 5. "Number 5 to dispatcher. This is Verbold. What goes on now?" "You tell me. Dwelleth thy household in peace?" "For the moment." "Have you followed my instructions?" "In general, yes." "Did your crew hear Senator Higby's speech?" "Most of them. What else is there to do in this rat-trap?" "I could think of a lot of things. But as long as the crew heard the Honorable's spiel, that's all that matters. Do you know about the little affair half an hour ago at Luna City?" "No." "Check your news recorder. Have the item broadcast to the crew. Then decode the sequence of messages I'm about to send and read them--at your discretion--to the men. Stand by to record code." When he had finished, Swenson leaned back and opened a beer. "All we can do now is wait. But I'd give my grandmother's immortal soul, if the old shrew had one, to be in the sacred sanctum of Moulton Trust." * * * * * Lesquallan sat on the edge of the long table in Moulton's Board Room. He spoke slowly and for once his voice was low: "Esrov, did you or did you not suggest to our Senator Higby that he lengthen his speech on the Moon to include certain new information? And did that information involve my company along with yours?" "Mr. Lesquallan, the matter concerns only a minor aspect of policy," said Esrov placatingly.