"You were right, captain," the voice laughed.
"Who'd think Conally would try a trick like that?" Altman taunted, extending a spacesuit clad leg across the hatch ledge.
"You would and did.... He'll probably be right behind the hatch to the left there, boss."
Brad sprang forward.
But Altman turned suddenly in his direction and pointed a gun at Brad's stomach. It checked the attack. Brad backed away hopelessly.
"Okay," Altman jerked his head in the confines of the helmet, "go to work."
The crewman from the Queen stepped into the control cabin and walked toward the passageway aft while Altman held the gun on Brad.
"Think you can do it quick enough?" Altman asked the crewman. "Radiation, you know."
The crewman thrust the wide-mouthed gun above his shoulder where Altman could see it. "It'll just take one shot with this."
He disappeared down the passageway.