competing for your affections,"
added Anti.

"I think he'd settle for one. A certain one," suggested Jordan.

"Poor, unimaginative boy," said Anti. "In my youth...."

"We've heard about your youth," said Jordan.

"Youth and love are long since past, for both of you. Talk about them
privately if you want, but not now." Docchi glowered at them.
"Anyway," he resumed, "gravity drive is out. One time they had hopes
for it, but no longer. It should be able to drive this ship. Actually,
its sole function is to provide an artificial gravity _inside_ the
ship, for passenger comfort. So rocket ship it is. That's what we
asked for. The Medicouncil refused. Therefore we're going to appeal to
a higher authority."

"Fine," said Anti. "How?"

"We've discussed it," answered Docchi. "Ultimately the Medicouncil is
responsible to the Solar Government. And in turn--"

"All right, I'm in favor of it," said Anti. "I just wanted to know."

"Mars is closer," continued Docchi. "But Earth is the seat of
government. As soon as we get there...." He stopped suddenly and
listened.

Anti listened with him and waited until she could stand it no longer.
"What's the matter?" she asked. "I don't hear anything."

Jordan leaned forward in his seat and looked at the instrument panel.
"That's the trouble, Anti. You're not supposed to hear anything. But
you should be able to _feel_ the vibration from the rocket exhaust, as
long as it's on."

"I don't feel anything, either."

"Yeah," said Jordan. He looked at Docchi. "There's plenty of fuel."

* * * * *

Momentum of the ship didn't cease when the rockets stopped, of course.
They were still moving, but not very fast and not in the direction
they wanted to go. Gingerly Docchi tried out the magneslippers; he
was clumsy, but no longer helpless in the gravityless ship. He stared
futilely at the instruments as if he could wring more secrets than the
panel had electronic access to.

"It's mechanical trouble of some sort," he said uneasily. "There's one
way of finding out."

Before he could move, Anti was in the corridor that led away from the
control compartment.

"Stay here, Anti," he said. "I'll see what's wrong."

She reached nearly from the floor to the ceiling. She missed by scant
inches the sides of the passageway. Locomotion was easy enough for
her; turning around wasn't. Anti didn't turn.

"Look, honey," her voice floated back. "You brought me along for