Jasperson shuddered. "So many people! And so close together! I can't bear crowds, Josiah, you know that. They make me feel sick and confused. It will be terrible!"
"Whether you like it or not, there's nothing else to do if we want to save lives. I'll sound the alarm in a quarter of an hour. Get yourself ready, but whatever you do, don't tell the others yet. I don't want a panic on my hands until I'm ready to deal with it."
Biting his lip, Jasperson turned, without a word, and shuffled out of the cabin.
Once in the corridor, he began to run, a shrivelled old man waddling on wings of fear down the hall to the dining room where empty tables waited in the elegant silence of gleaming silver and crisp white linen for the breakfast hour.
Davis was standing at the sideboard, staring blankly at the flashing red light above the door.
Jasperson ran up to him and clutched his arm. Looking around cunningly to see that they were alone, he whispered.
"Davis, I want to talk to you."
"Later, sir. That red light means I'm wanted at the briefing room."
"Yes, but wait a minute!"