Jordan shuffled the cards and dealt them out, three at a time. He was troubled by his own thoughts, and so preoccupied that he scarcely followed the game.
"Spades, again," the pilot commented gleefully. "Well, ain't that too bad for you." He gave his cigar a few chomps and played a card.
Jordan had been looking out of the window. The ship had tilted and he could see without rising the rim of Earth forming a beautiful geometric arc, hazy and blue in its shimmering atmosphere.
"Come on, play," the pilot said, impatiently. "I just led an ace."
Jordan put down his cards. "I guess I better quit," he said.
"What the devil!" the pilot said angrily. "You can't quit like that in the middle of a deal. I got a flush and aces."
"I'm sorry," Jordan said, "but I'm going to lie down in my cabin until we are given clearance."
He opened the door of the little room and went into the hall. He walked down past his own cabin and stopped in front of another door, a new one that was sheathed in permallium. He hesitated a few moments; then he snapped open the outside latch and walked in, letting the door swing closed behind him.
Hall lay unmoving in the middle of the floor, his legs and arms fastened in greaves of permallium.