l warm handshake and
enthusiasm and unmistakable happiness and surprise. "A real pleasure,
Senator! We haven't had a direct governmental look-see in quite a
while. I'm glad I'm here to show you around."

"Everything is going right along, eh?"

"Oh, yes! She'll be a ship to be proud of. Now, I think we can arrange
some quarters for you for the night, and in the morning we can sit
down and have a nice, long talk."

Terry Fisher was shaking his head. "I think the Senator would like to
see the ship now--isn't that right, Senator?"

Lijinsky's eyes opened wide, his head bobbed in surprise. Young-old
creases on his face flickered. "Tonight? Oh, you can't really be
serious. Why, it's almost two in the morning! We only have a skeleton
crew working at night. Tomorrow you can see--"

"Tonight, if you don't mind." Dan tried to keep the sharp edge out of
his voice. "Unless you have some specific objection, of course."

"Objection? None whatsoever." Lijinsky seemed puzzled, and a little
hurt. But he bounced back: "Tonight it is, then. Let's go." There was
no doubting the little man's honesty. He wasn't hiding anything, just
surprised. But a moment later there was concern on his face as he led
them out toward the factory compounds. "There's no question of
appropriations, I hope, Senator?"

"No, no. Nothing of the sort."

"Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that. Sometimes our contacts from
Washington are a little disappointed in the Ship, of course."

Dan's throat tightened. "Why?"

"No reason, really. We're making fine progress, it isn't that. Yes,
things really buzz around here; just ask Mr. Fisher about _that_--he
was here all day watching the workers. But there are always minor
changes in plans, of course, as we recognize more of the problems."

Terry Fisher grimaced silently, and followed them into a small
Whirlwind groundcar. The little gyro-car bumped down the road on its
single wheel, down into a gorge, then out onto the flats. Dan strained
his eyes, peering ahead at the spear of Starship gleaming in the
distant night-lights. Pictures from the last Starship Progress Report
flickered through his mind, and a frown gathered as they came closer
to the ship. Then the car halted on the edge of the building-pit and
they blinked down and up at the scaffolded monster.

Dan didn't even move from the car. He just stared. The report had
featured photos, projected testing dates--even ventured a possible
date for launching, wi