"Having switched off the first fuse the pilot will get the ship into position and then activate a second, timed to blow in ten minutes. He will then leave the ship. When the antigrav is destroyed the ship will, of course, fall into the sea.
"Six. The pilot of _Gilgamesh_ will wear a spacesuit of the pattern used by the original crew and will carry Personal Background Set number 23. Should he fail to escape from the ship the crew of the hopper will on no account attempt to rescue him."
The colonel takes up the paper, folds it in half and puts it down one inch further away.
"The hopper's crew," he says, "will give the whole game away should one of them fall into Incognitan hands, alive or dead. Therefore they don't take any risks of it."
He lifts his gaze ceilingwards. "I'm asking for three volunteers."
Silence. Manning the hopper is definitely second best. Then light suddenly bursts on me and I lift my hand and hack B on the ankle.
B gives me a most dubious glance and then lifts her hand, too.
Cray on the other side of the table is slowly opening his mouth when there is an outburst of waving on the far side of B.
Mr. Yardo proceeds to explain that his special job is over and done, he can be more easily spared than anybody, he may be too old to take charge of _Gilgamesh_ but will back himself as a hopper pilot against anybody.
The colonel cuts this short by accepting all three. He then unfolds his paper again.
"Piloting _Gilgamesh_," he says. "I'm not asking for volunteers now. You'll go to your cabins in four hours' time and those who want to will volunteer, secretly. To a computer hookup, Computer will select on a random basis and notify the one chosen. Give him his final instructions, too. No one need know who it was till it's all over. He can tell anyone he likes, of course."
A very slight note of triumph creeps into the next remark. "One point. Only men need volunteer."
Instant outcry from Kirsty and Dilly: B turns to me with a look of awe.
"Nothing to do with prejudice," says the colonel testily. "Just facts. The crew of _Gilgamesh_ were all men. Can't risk one solitary woman being found on board. Besides--spacesuits, personal background sets--all designed for men."
Kirsty and Dilly turn on me looks designed to shrivel and B whispers "Lizzie how wonderful you are."