take much. Very little, for the time that had passed--Very well, then.
He put down a leak in his mind as a possibility. Now, water or air? It
could be either, if his reasoning this far were correct. He looked up.

"Have the Cow display barometric readings for each section of the rim
and for each compartment in the central hub," he said briefly to
Bessie; and to the astronomer, "Dr. Kimball, take that side seat at
the computer console and check our progress on this orbital
deviation," and he gestured at the display on his screen.

Perk moved to the post with only a nod.

* * * * *

The barometric displays held constant, with only fractional deviations
that might have been imposed by the spin of the big wheel, or error in
the instruments themselves. Balanced against temperature readings,
they worked out to possible fractions of gain or loss so small as to
be insignificant, indicating only the inaccuracies of measurement that
inevitably occur in comparing the readings of a number of instruments.

The captain had hardly digested the readings displayed by the computer
when Perk looked up with a puzzled frown.

"The computer records a continuous acceleration over the past eleven
hours and forty-three minutes," he said, "and attributes it," he
looked even more puzzled, "to a magneto-ionic effect?" There was a
definite question in his voice.

"It's only about six hundred forty pounds," he added. "It must be an
external effect caused by the flare."

"Please investigate the effect as thoroughly as possible," the captain
told Perk, then dictated a message to the com officer.

"'To U.N. Headquarters, Earth, from Captain Naylor Andersen,
commanding Space Lab One. Original assumption that disaster was
attributable to meteoric impact on Project Hot Rod appears mistaken.
Investigation indicates we are under acceleration from an external
magneto-ionic effect which is exerting about--'" he called to Perk.
"Did you say six hundred forty pounds?"

The astronomer nodded, and the captain continued, "'Which is exerting
about six hundred forty pound pressure against this satellite. We are
now working out corrective measures and will inform you immediately
they are prepared. If your observatories can give us any advice,
please message at once. End.'"

Then the captain depressed his intercom switch to the morgue. "Dr.
Chi. Please report to the bridge. Repeat. Dr. Chi Tung. Please report
to the bridge