at
stood amidst the growing bubbles, the meteor-repulse cannon at the top
of it. Stoltzyn, who stood near the front of the windowed fuselage
like a stewardess, responded.

"They were, but insufficiently. The Alliance must have assumed that
the meteors that speckle the surface had arrived singly or in small
groups, which is not the case. Apparently they knew very little about
the planet before choosing it as a prison site, since it is also prone
to violent earthquakes." He went on to explain some phenomenon that
occurred there every twelve years, something to do with the planet's
duel orb, coming into line and affecting the magnetic field.....

But it hardly mattered. Nothing mattered. His wife was dead and a
strange voice inside him told him he was glad. This slow awakening of
all the wrong sentiments was too painful so he shut it off, closing his
eyes and waiting sickly for the ship to land.

There was a slight delay while the craft relayed back exact
measurements, and waited for the Leningrad to punch a safe and adequate
hole in the final dome. For some reason it bore only smallish cracks
in one or two places near the bottom. Then the ship passed through and
set down in the midst of a courtyard or wide street.

Then the ship passed through and set down in the midst of a courtyard
or wide street. Brunner opened his eyes. Stoltzyn was standing before
them as before, giving final instructions as the Soviet crew members
examined the breathing gear of the others. Brunner shook off the
private who leaned over him, but the man persisted until the facemask
was tested and in place. Just as the hatch was opened Stoltzyn
remembered something and began to explain what the plastic pouches set
at the chin were for. But this seemed to upset one of the Czechs
because he pushed him aside and sprang down the steps.

Brunner was one of the last to exit, feeling numb and at the same time
torn to pieces. Clearing the final step he became aware that here and
there in the street suited men---they must be of the landing
party---were doubled over on their knees, holding their stomachs. He
supposed this did not surprise him except that among those kneeling and
right in front of him was the Soviet chief scientist, who had torn
aside the mask and kept repeating to no one in particular,

"How could this happen?"

The East German raised his eyes to look around them. Yes, there were
many corpses, quite hideous. Most were f