oes--someone asks where you're from. You say the 'Lachesis' and they
say 'Oh, yes, the cruise ship.' And that's that. It's so true you don't
even feel like resenting it."

I didn't like the bitter note in Allyn's voice. He was a reservist,
which made it all the worse. Reservists have ten times the outside
contacts we regulars do. In general when a regular and reservist tangle,
the Academy men close ranks like musk-oxen and meet the challenge with
an unbroken ring of horns. But somehow I didn't feel like ringing up.

I kept hoping there was another side to the story. I'd check around and
find out as soon as I got settled. And if there was another side, I was
going to take Allyn apart as a malicious trouble-maker. I felt sick to
my stomach.

* * * * *

We spent the next three days taking on stores and munitions, and I was
too busy supervising the stowage and checking manifests to bother about
running down Allyn's story. I met the other officers--Lt. Pollard the
gunnery officer, Ensign Esterhazy the astrogator, and Ensign Blakiston.
Nice enough guys, but all wearing that cowed, frustrated look that
seemed to be a "Lachesis" trademark. Chase, meanwhile, was up in Flag
Officer's Country picking up the dope on our next mission. I hoped that
Allyn was wrong but the evidence all seemed to be in his favor. Even
more than the officers, the crew was a mess underneath their clean
uniforms. From Communications Chief CPO Haskins to Spaceman Zelinski
there was about as much spirit in them as you'd find in a punishment
detail polishing brightwork in Base Headquarters. I'm a cheerful soul,
and usually I find no trouble getting along with a new command, but this
one was different. They were efficient enough, but one could see that
their hearts weren't in their work. Most crews preparing to go out are
nervous and high tempered. There was none of that here. The men went
through the motions with a mechanical indifference that was frightening.
I had the feeling that they didn't give a damn whether they went or
not--or came back or not. The indifference was so thick you could cut it
with a knife. Yet there was nothing you could put your hand on. You
can't touch people who don't care.

Four hours after Chase came back, we lifted gravs from Earth. Chase was
sitting in the control chair, and to give him credit, we lifted as
smooth as a silk scarf slipping through the fingers of a pretty woman.
We hypered at ei