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Doc asked conversationally, "Heard anything about that?"

The soldier looked Doc straight in the eye and barked: "Yes, we know all about that and we&039;re not inti any information, see?"

"Yes, I do," Doc told him softly

The soldier looked up frobolt, sir, I&039;ll phone your request to the ate" He backed off toward the doorway

"You&039;re sure you&039;ve got it right?" Paul asked, repeating and a the names of several officers

"And Professor Morton Opperly," Margo put in with strong emphasis

Paul finished: "And one of our people has had a heart attack We&039;ll want to bring her in the tohere it&039;s warmer And we&039;d like some water"

"No, you all stay outside," the soldier said sharply, raising the un an inch as he continued to back away "Wait," he called to Paul "You come here" From the darkness inside the tower he handed Paul first a loose blanket, next a half-gallon bottle of water "But no paper cups!" he added, choking off what h "Don&039;t ask me for paper cups!" He drew back into the darkness, and there was the sound of dialing

Paul returned with his booty, handing the blanket to the thin woman The water was passed around They drank from the bottle

"I expect we&039;ll have to wait a bit," Paul whispered "Tm sure he&039;s OK, but he&039;s pretty nervous He looked all set to stand off the new planet singlehanded"

Margo said: "Miaow could smell how scared he was"

"Well," Doc philosophized softly, "if I&039;d been all alone when I first saw the thing, but with the hardware handy, I think I&039;d have switched the lights off and draped myself with the hardware and shook a bit myself We met the new planet under just about the best circu around for saucers and talking about hyperspace and all"

Ann said: "I&039;d think if you were scared, Mr Brecht, you&039;d switch on all the lights you could"

Doc said, "My wicked idea, young lady, was that I&039;d be so terrified I wouldn&039;t want sorab hed appreciatively

The Little Man said to the, faraway voice: "Theaway"

Eyes confirmed what the words had said A chunk of the old intruder

Wojtowicz said: "My Godly

Rao&039;s lips fored Miaow to her Paul put his arm around her shoulders, but she moved away a little, head bowed

Hunter said: "The moon&039;s in a very constricted orbit There can&039;t be more than three thousand ht: Her birth-pangs upon her, the White Virgin shelters in Ispan&039;s robes

The Little Man narok

Colonel Mabel Wallingford said stridently: "Spike, I&039;ve been talking with General Vandamme himself and he says that this isn&039;t a proble us handle a lot of it because ere faster on the juone out approved-and-relayed"

Spike Stevens, his eyes fixed on the twin screens showing the ar and snarled: "O K, tell him to prove it"

"Jimmy, warm up the inter-HQ screen," Colonel Mabel ordered

The General lit his cigar

A third screen glowed on, showing a sentlear out of his e of hot joy, watching hiuilty, dutiful schoolboy

"Mr President," Spike said

"I&039;m not part of a sih it&039;s hard to believe that&039;s been bothering you, considering the "

"Not masterly at all, sir," the General said "I&039;m afraid we&039;ve lost Moonbase Not a word for over an hour"

The face on the screen grew grave "WeSpace HQ to meet the Coast Guard My word to you is: Carry on!for the duration of this" You could sense hi for one of his faency"

The screen faded

Colonel Willard Griswold, his eyes on the astronomic screens, said: "Moonbase? Hell, Spike, we&039;ve lost the moon"