"Could you give me some information? I'd like to know when the next liner leaves for Earth. I find I have to cut short my trip."
The guard frowned. "Liner service to Earth is temporarily discontinued, sir. Didn't you hear the notice?"
"What?"
"That's right," the guard said. "Emergency Provision 104b has been put into operation. The Space-Station is temporarily quarantined."
"Can you tell me why?" Conroy asked.
"Something to do with an inspection sir. That's all I can say."
Putting a tone of easy conspiracy in his voice, Conroy whispered, "I hear some convicts down below staged a rebellion a little while ago. This wouldn't have anything to do with it, would it?"
The guard shook, his head in immediate denial. "Oh, no, sir. That was strictly a brief flare-up; it's all been smoothed over now."
"Oh. Thanks," Conroy said. "Thanks very much." He smiled to the guard and walked past him into the lounge.
So the "brief flare-up" was all over with, eh? Obviously they were keeping it quiet as far as the passengers were concerned. Probably that guard was wondering how Conroy had heard of it in the first place.