how many times he had to tell it.

Wayne heard Private Manetti mutter, "There's always a price for D-N
beryllium."

"The Scout Ship hadn't been molested," Jervis went on. "I went inside
and checked it over. It was untouched, undisturbed in every way. I
checked the control panel, the cabins, everything. All unbothered. The
ship was empty and dead. And--outside--

"When I came out, Bellows was dead too." He took a deep breath. "I'm
afraid I panicked then. I locked myself inside the ship, set the
autocontrols, and headed back to Earth at top velocity. I set the ship
in an orbit around the moon and notified headquarters. I was quarantined
immediately, of course, to make sure I wasn't carrying anything. The
medics checked me over carefully. I wasn't and am not now carrying any
virus or bacteria unknown to Terrestrial medicine.

"Since I'm the only one who knows exactly where this valley is, the
general has asked me to guide the _Lord Nelson_ to the exact spot.
Actually, it could be found eventually with the D-N beryllium as a
guide. But the _Mavis_ was in orbit around Fomalhaut V for two weeks
before we found the D-N beryllium deposit, and the Service feels that we
shouldn't waste any time."

The lieutenant sat down, and General Scarborough resumed his place on
the platform.

* * * * *

"That's the situation," Scarborough said bluntly. "You know the setup,
now--and I think some of you see how your specialities are going to fit
into the operation. As Lieutenant Jervis pointed out, we don't know what
killed the crew of the _Mavis_; therefore, we are going to take every
possible precaution. As far as we know, there are no inimical life forms
on Fomalhaut V--but it's possible that there are things we don't know
about, such as airborne viruses that kill in a very short time. If so,
then Lieutenant Jervis is immune to the virus and is not a transmitter
or carrier of it.

"However, to guard against such a possibility, no one will leave the
_Lord Nelson_, once it has landed, without wearing a spacesuit. The air
is breathable, but we're taking no chances. Also, no one will go out
alone; scouting parties will always be in pairs, with wide open
communication with the ship. And at no time will more than ten percent
of the ship's company be outside at any one time."

Wayne made a rough mental computation. _The_ Lord Nelson _holds sixty.
That means no more than six out at any single time. They re