"Sanford had made a wisecrack," said Joe. "And it just happened that it
made sense that he hadn't noticed." He grimaced. "You say something like
that, now...."

Sally looked at him with soft eyes. It wasn't really his job, this
worrying. The top-level brains of the armed forces were struggling with
it. They were trying everything from redesigned rocket motors to really
radical notions. But there wasn't anything promising yet.

"What's really needed," said Sally regretfully, "is a way for ships to
go up to the Platform and not have to come back."

"Sure!" said Joe ironically. Then he said, "Let's go down!"

They started down the long, winding ramp which led between the two skins
of the Shed's wall. It was quite empty, this long, curving, descending
corridor. It was remarkably private. In a place like the Shed, with
frantic activity going on all around, and even at Major Holt's quarters
where Sally lived and Joe was a guest, there wasn't often a chance for
them to talk in any sort of actual privacy.

But Joe went on, scowling. Sally went with him. If she seemed to hang
back a little at first, he didn't notice. Presently she shrugged her
shoulders and ceased to try to make him notice that nobody else happened
to be around. They made a complete circuit of the Shed within its wall,
Joe staring ahead without words.

Then he stopped abruptly. His expression was unbelieving. Sally almost
bumped into him.