〃Born in the air and flies by the seat of his pants。〃 He slapped the table and the cards jumped； but no one shared his high humor。 〃You're off to a fine start； mister！〃
〃Must I hold a candle to my shame？〃 Chaney asked。
The woman said again： 〃Mr。 Chaney； please。〃
He gave her his attention； and she introduced him to the card players。
Major William Theodore Moresby was the disapproving Air Force career man； now in his middle forties； whose receding hairline accented his rather large and penetrating gray…green eyes。 The ridge of his nose was sharp； bony； and had once been broken。 There was the suspicion of a double chin； and another suspicion of a building paunch beneath the summer shirt he wore outside his trousers。 Major Moresby had no humor； and he shook hands with the tardy newer with the air of a man shaking hands with a draft dodger newly returned from Canada。
The younger man with the bronzed muscular frame and the prominent dental work was Lieutenant mander Arthur Saltus。 He congratulated Chaney on having the good sense of being reluctant to leave the sea； and said he'd been Navy since he was fifteen years old。 Lied about his age； and furnished forged papers to underscore the lie。 Even in the windowless room his eyes were set against the bright sunlight on the water。 He was likable。
〃A civilian？〃 Major Moresby asked gravely。
〃Someone has to stay home and pay the taxes；〃 Chaney responded in the same tone。
The young woman broke in quickly； diplomatically。 〃Official policy； Major。 Our directive was to establish a balanced team。〃 She glanced apologetically at Chaney。 〃Some people in the Senate were unhappy with the early NASA policy of selecting only military personnel for the orbital missions； and so we were directed to recruit a more balanced crew to…to avert a possible future inquiry。 The Bureau is mindful of Congressional judgments。〃
Saltus： 〃Translation： we've got to keep those funds rolling in。〃
Moresby： 〃Damn it！ Is politics into this thing？〃
〃Yes； sir； I'm afraid so。 The Senate submittee overseeing our project has posted an agent here to maintain liaison。 it is to be regretted； sir； but some few of them profess to see a parallel to the old Manhattan project； and so they insisted on continuous liaison。〃
〃You mean surveillance；〃 Moresby groused。
〃Oh； cheer up； William。〃 Arthur Saltus had picked up the scattered cards and was noisily shuffling the deck。 〃This one civilian won't hurt us； we outnumber him two to one； and look at the rank he hasn't got。 Tailend of the team； last man in the bucket； and we'll make him do the writing。〃 He turned back to the civilian。 〃What do you do； Chaney？ Astronomer？ Cartographer？ Something？〃
〃Something；〃 Chaney answered easily。 〃Researcher； translator； statistician； a little of this and that。〃
Kathryn van Hise said： 〃Mr。 Chaney authored the Indic report。〃
〃Ah；〃 Saltus nodded。 〃That Chaney。〃
〃Mr。 Chaney authored a book on the Qumran scrolls。〃
Major Moresby reacted。 〃That Chaney？〃
Brian Chaney said： 〃Mr。 Chaney will walk out of here in high pique and blow up the building。 He objects to being the bug under the microscope。〃
Arthur Saltus stared at him with round eyes。 〃I've heard about you； mister！ William has your book。 They want to hang you up by your thumbs。〃
Chaney said amiably： 〃That happens every now and then。 St。 Jerome upset the Church with his radical translation in the fifth century； and they were intent on stretching more than his thumbs before somebody quieted them down。 He produced a new Latin translation of the Old Testament； but his critics didn't exactly cheer him。 No matter…his work outlived them。 Their names are forgotten。〃
〃Good for him。 Was it successful？〃
〃It was。 You may know the Vulgate。〃
Saltus seemed vaguely familiar with the name； but the Major was reddened and fuming。
〃Chaney！ You aren't paring this poppycock of yours to the Vulgate？〃
〃No； sir；〃 Chaney said softly to placate the man。 He now knew the Major's religion； and knew the man had read his book with loose attention。 〃I'm pointing out that after fifteen centuries the radical is accepted as the norm。 My translation of the Revelations only seems radical now。 I may have the same luck； but I don't expect to be canonized。〃
Kathryn van Hise said insistently： 〃Gentlemen。〃
Three heads turned to look at her。
〃Please sit down； gentlemen。 We really should get started on this work。〃
〃Now？〃 Saltus asked。 〃Today？〃
〃We have already lost too much time。 Sit down。〃
When they were seated； the irrepressible Arthur Saltus turned in his chair。 〃She's a hard taskmaster； mister。 A martinet； a despot…but she's trim for all of that。 A really shipshape civilian； not an ordinary government girl。 We call her Katrina…she's Dutch； you know。〃
〃Agreed；〃 Chaney said。 He remembered the transparent blouse and the delta pants； and nodded to her in a manner that might be the beginning of a bow。 〃I treasure a daily beauty in my life。〃 The young woman colored。
〃To the point！〃 Saltus declared。 〃I'm beginning to have ideas about you； civilian researcher。 I thought I recognized that first one you pulled； that candle thing。〃
〃Bartlett is a good man to know。〃
〃Look； now； about your book； about those scrolls you translated。 How did you ever get them declassified？〃
〃They were never classified。〃
Saltus showed his disbelief。 〃Oh； they had to be！ The government over there wouldn't want them out。〃
〃Not so。 There was no secrecy involved； the documents were there to read。 The Israeli government kept ownership of them； of course； and now the scrolls have been sent to another place for safekeeping for the duration of the war； but that's the extent of it。〃 He glanced covertly at the Major。 The man was listening in sullen silence。 〃It would be a tragedy if they were destroyed by the shelling。〃
〃I'll bet you know where they are。〃
〃Yes； but that's the only secret concerning them。 When the war is over they'll be brought out and put on display again。〃
〃Hey…do you think the Arabs will crack Israel？〃
〃No； not now。 Ten； twenty years ago； they may have； but not now。 I've seen their munitions plants。〃
Saltus leaned forward。 〃Have they got the H…bomb？〃
〃Yes。〃
Saltus whistled。 Moresby muttered： 〃Armageddon。〃
〃Gentlemen！ May I have your attention now？〃
Kathryn van Hise was sitting straight in her chair； her hands resting on the brown envelopes。 Her fingers were interlaced and the thumbs rose to make a pointed steeple。
Saltus laughed。 〃You always have it； Katrina。〃
Her responding frown was a quick and fleeting thing。 〃I am your briefing officer。 My task is to prepare you for a mission which has no precedent in history； but one that is very near culmination。 It is desirable that the project now go forward with all reasonable speed。 I must insist that we begin preparations at once。〃
Chaney asked： 〃Are we working for NASA？〃
〃No； sir。 You are directly employed by the Bureau of Standards and will not be identified with any other agency or department。 The nature of the work will not be made public； of course。 The White House insists on that。〃
He knew a measure of relief when she answered the next question； but it was of short duration。 〃You're not going to put us into orbit？ We won't have to do this work on moon； or somewhere？〃
No； sir。
〃That's a relief。 I won't have to fly？〃
She said carefully： 〃I cannot reassure you on that point； sir。 If we fail to attain our primary objective； the secondary targets may involve flying。〃
〃That's bad。 There are alternatives？〃
〃Yes； sir。 Two alternatives have been planned； if for any reason we cannot acplish the first objective。〃
Major Moresby chuckled at his disfiture。
Chaney asked： 〃Do we just sit here and wait for something to happen…wait for that vehicle to work？〃
〃No； sir。 I will help you to prepare yourself； on the assurance that something will happen。 The testing is nearly pleted and we expect the conclusion at any time。 When it is pleted； all of you will then acquaint yourselves with vehicle operation； and when that is done a field trial will