He raced to the control room, punched savagely at the button that closed the spacelock, and fired up the communications radio.
"Lancaster Eighty-One calling Tower."
"Go ahead, Lancaster."
"Request take-off instructions. Course, Terra."
"Lancaster, is your passenger aboard?"
"Passenger?"
"Check Stateroom Eight, Lancaster. Your passenger informed us that she was going into town on an errand, that you were not to leave without her."
"Aye-firm. I will check." Farradyne grimaced at the closed microphone. Willfully marooning a passenger would get him into more trouble than trying to account for the presence of his guest. Norma had done a fine job of bolting the Lancaster to the landing block in her absence.
He waited fifty seconds. "Tower from Lancaster Eighty-One. I will wait. My passenger is not aboard."
"Lancaster. Hold-down Switches to Safety, Warm-Up Switches to Stand-By. Power Switches to Off. Open your port for visitor."