Wade first met Harry Lowe a long time ago when the project was just a dream on the drawing boards. Since that time he had come to know the Secretary intimately. Now, suddenly, he felt awkward before the man. Perhaps it was because Lowe seemed to have a special talent for reading peoples' expressions, converting them into sentences. Like now, Wade felt the man was reading his face like a book.
"That's right, Harry. History is being made isn't it?"
The Secretary's face became very serious. "More than that, Wade. Perhaps salvation depends on it."
"Ten minutes," a voice said.
Wade nodded at the technician. Tiny lights came into play on the control panel as Major Gormely began closing circuits. The communications man made a final type check on the huge P.C.R. set.
"Starfrost. This is Mother. How do you read me? Over."
"Mother. This is Starfrost. Loud and clear. Five by five." Ackerson's strong voice came from the loud-speaker located in the center of the equipment. "Oxygen checks. I've bedded down. Give the Colonel my love."
The radio man looked at Wade. There had been no mistaking the sarcasm in Ackerson's voice. Wade felt his face grow red.
"He hasn't changed," he heard the Secretary say.
"No. He hasn't changed." Wade said softly.