"Yes, Filo," Captain Martin was screaming. "Yes, yes, I know. A horrible mistake has been made. I will correct it."
"See that you correct it immediately!" Filo's angry voice whispered in the air.
Captain Martin leaped up the runway. "Back into the ship!" he shouted at the crew. He ran up the ramp toward the open lock.
Ponderously, the lock swung shut in front of him.
He stopped, dazedly stared at it. The lock could be opened or closed from the control room. He suspected he knew what had happened.
Filo's voice raged at him. "Get into this ship instantly."
"But, I can't! Open the lock for me."
"I can't open it, you fool! Someone has jammed the controls!"
"Ah—" Captain Martin said. The single sound had all the overtones of a prayer.
Craig got to his feet, wobbled up the gangway in time to hear the last of the conversation. He caught Captain Martin's arm. "We've got to get out of the hangar," he whispered. "If we don't—" He whispered what was going to happen next.