"That's what I meant," said Willard.
There was no doubt that the influence behind Willard had held the ship for them. It rose as soon as they could reach a pair of tiny cabins. Later, after the first surge of the take-off, there were a number of delays stretching between minor course corrections.
Finally, it was announced over the public address system that because of precautionary checking of the course, there would be no spin to simulate planetary gravity for about two hours. Maria hoped that she would not be revealed as the cause to the disgruntled passengers.
She was still considering this and trying to disentangle herself from the acceleration net slung in the ten-foot cubicle they were pleased to call a cabin, when Willard arrived.
"I made friends with some of the crew," he announced. "Everybody likes to help out a D.I.R. agent. It must strike them as romantic."
"They should know," said Maria, thinking of the long, suspenseful walk through Greenhaven's streets.
"There was a stewardess who had extra slacks and blouse about your size."
"You must have a good eye," she told him. "Or think you have, anyhow. First, get me out of this thing. What with this Greenie outfit too, I might as well be in a straitjacket!"
He pushed himself over to the net and began to open the zipper. She saw that he had taken time to remove his "Greenie" face.
Her first motion, when the net was open, sent her tumbling head over heels to the far bulkhead.