"Looks like your ship would be on the screens by now, doesn't it, Albrekt?" suggested Carrel quietly.
"They don't have to make the rendezvous exactly on time," replied Albrekt, a little uneasily. "They know the orbit. They can pick us up anywhere along it."
"We're not in the orbit," said Carrel flatly.
Albrekt scowled at him, but his eyes were drawn back irresistibly to the screens, empty except for the silvery lithium shield and, perched just above its edge, the small but baleful disc of Jupiter.
"Qoqol checked the blast tapes you used, and we're not in the orbit they're suppose to put us in," insisted Carrel. "Qoqol's been making sightings for the last six weeks. Jupiter's pulled us off orbit, Albrekt."
"Is true," boomed Qoqol. "We long way off."
"This sort of thing's doing you no good," snapped Albrekt. "I'm not a spaceman and I can't check your figures, but I don't think we're off orbit."
"And if your ship doesn't make the rendezvous?" asked Carrel.
"If it doesn't now, it will later on. And, by Saturn, we're going to sit tight in this kettle till it does, Carrel! Last minute propaganda won't work."
There was silence for a few minutes, as the chronometer hand ticked on toward the hour of meeting.