"Then why did you say we would explore the ship?" Mary continued. "If there is nothing to hide, what difference does it make whether or not we explore it?" "Captain Martin would have my head if I let you take my place without orders. Sorry. I can be relieved only on orders from him." The voice lost its suavity and became stiff and hard. "Okay," Craig said. "Come on, Mary. Let's go back and join the party." Her face indicated she was inclined to continue this discussion but she followed him down the ramp. At the bottom, she spoke quickly, "Craig, you're scared. What's wrong?" "Nothing that I can put my finger on. It's mostly Adam March. He saw something that he didn't like but he wouldn't talk about it. Now, we run into a closed lock, and a guard with a gimmick that he can use to talk through the wall of the ship. Space ships never post a guard here, they never keep the locks closed. Why is the _Andromeda_ doing it?" "I don't know," Mary answered, hesitantly. "I don't like it either. I keep getting a feeling that something is wrong but I don't know what." "_Walk back up the ramp!_" the voice spoke from the air. Both jumped. "What kind of a pick-up system are you using that can detect our voices at this distance?" Craig demanded. "A very efficient one. Walk up the ramp. And don't try running! You'll run straight into a dead man if you do." "Where's a dead man?" Craig gasped. "You'll be the dead man!" the voice answered. "Walk up the ramp!" They walked up the inclined runway. Ahead of them, the lock opened. They entered. It swung shut behind them. Ahead, the inner door opened. For the first time, they saw the source of the voice that had spoken to them. Craig felt every muscle in his body contract. Mary uttered a scream that was pure panic. * * * * * In Nuoy's quarters Captain Martin was finishing with his story of what they had found on Star Goal. General Stanley was almost falling out of his chair as he leaned forward to listen. Nuoy's lips were opening and closing and he was breathing in panting gasps. A slobbering sound was coming from within his throat. "There is no doubt but that the inhabitants of Star Goal are immortal," Captain Martin finished. Nuoy swallowed. He swallowed again and again. A gleam came into his eyes. "Can you prove that statement, Martin?" he demanded. "Of course!" the captain calmly answered. Nuoy almost fell out of his chair at the words. He had expected argument, hedging, perhaps compromise. In the world he knew, men told lies to each other, then told other lies to get out of the first ones they had told. As golden as Captain Martin's statement was, Nuoy had thought it was a lie, that there was a catch in it somewhere. He had expected the captain to try to lie out of it. He hardly knew what to do when the captain did not try to lie. "I would like to see your proof," Nuoy finally spoke. "You're looking at some of it," Captain Martin answered.