"I'd like to come up," Norma repeated.
"We've already given the official tour for today."
"I have an authorization from our government. I'd like to talk to Herb. You tell him I'm from Senator Council. It's about the report."
"Just a moment." He disappeared inside. Norma teetered nervously back and forth. Wonderingly she put out her hand to touch the hard, icy metal of the ladder.
"Come up."
She began to climb toward the opening. Looking behind her, she saw Washington, real and solid and reassuring.
The starman at the top helped her inside.
Herb was coming down the narrow corridor. She smiled at him. "Hello."
"Hello...."
"I want to talk to you a moment."