"Sir?"
"Tell Captain—" Jerry began, then realized his voice was nearly a ragged shout, and lowered it. "Would you please tell the captain to speed things up if he can, Ollie?"
Ollie hesitated. "The vector—" he started, then stiffened militarily and replied, "Yes, sir. At once, sir."
"No," Jerry groaned, closing his eyes and hanging onto the metal edge of the doorframe. "Forget it. He's got a course to follow in. He can't get there any faster."
Ollie, knowing this already, just stood there.
"Just go have a cup of coffee," Jerry added, lamely. "And about what I said—"
"You know I wouldn't say anything about it, sir," Ollie said.
"I know," Jerry admitted. "Sorry. Space nerves or something of the sort, I guess."
"Sure, sir."
The mess boy turned and continued down the passageway. Jerry shut the door slowly, then sat down in his chair once more, and stared at the clock, and sipped the hot coffee, and fought the cold needle-pricks of fear in every muscle and joint of his body....