“I’ll call you!” said Joe.
Then somebody approached to take him to the pushpot airfield. They separated very formally under the eyes of the impersonal security officer who would drive Joe to his destination.
It was a tedious journey through the darkness. This particular security officer was not companionable. He was one of those conscientious people who think that if they keep their mouths shut it will make up for their inability to keep their eyes open. Socially he treated Joe as if he were a highly suspect person. It could be guessed that he treated everybody that way.
Joe went to sleep in the car.
He was only half-awake when he arrived, and he didn’t bother to rouse himself completely when he was shown to a cubbyhole in the officers’ barracks. He went to bed, making a half-conscious note to buy himself some clothes—especially fresh linen—in the morning.
Then he knew nothing until he was awaked in the early morning by what sounded exactly like the crack of doom.
9
It was not, however, the crack of doom. When Joe stared out the window by the head of his cot, he saw gray-red dawn breaking over the landing field. There were low, featureless structures silhouetted against the sunrise. As the crimson light grew brighter, Joe realized that the angular shapes were hangars. Improbable crane poles loomed above them. One was in motion, handling something he could not make out, but the noise that had awakened him was less, now. It seemed to circle overhead, and it had an angry, droning, buzzing quality that was not natural in any motor he had ever heard before.