"Is everything all right?"
Major Winship was squirming nervously, obviously perturbed.
"A-Okay," he said. "Just a moment."
"What's wrong?" came the worried question. In the background, he heard someone say, "I think there's something wrong."
Capt. Wilkins peered intently. Major Winship contorted his face in a savage grimace.
Capt. Wilkins raised his eyebrows in alarm. They were face to face through their helmets, close together. Each face appeared monstrously large to the other.
Major Winship made a strangling motion and reached for his throat. One arm tangled a cable and jerked the speaker jack loose. Major Winship could no longer hear the alarmed expressions from the Cape. The effort was not entirely subvocal, since he emitted a little gasping cry in involuntary realism.
This, in the course of some 90 seconds, was transmitted to Earth.
Capt. Wilkins's lips were desperately forming the word "Leak?"
Air, Major Winship said silently.