Joe would have done well to let it go at that. But he was nettled.

"We set off the last bombs," he said doggedly, "by shooting our landing
rockets at them. They didn't collide with the bombs. They simply
touched off the bombs' proximity fuses. If we surround the Platform with
a cluster of tin cans and such things, they may do as well. Things we
throw away won't drop to Earth. Ultimately, they'll actually circle us,
like satellites themselves. But if we can get enough of them between us
and Earth, any bombs that come up will have their proximity fuses
detonated by the floating trash we throw out."

Sanford laughed.

"We might ask for aluminum-foil ribbon to come up in the next supply
ship," said Joe. "We could have masses of that, or maybe metallic dust
floating around us."

"I much prefer used tin cans," said Sanford humorously. "I'll take the
watch here and let everybody go out with you. By all means we must
defend ourselves. Forward with the garbage! Go ahead!"

His eyes were almost hysterically scornful as he waited for Joe to
leave. Joe did not like it at all, but there was nothing to do but get
out.

He found the Chief with a net bag filled with emptied tin cans. Haney
had another. There were two more, carried by members of the Platform's
four-man crew. They were donning their space suits when Joe came upon
them. Mike was grotesque in the cut-down outfit built for him. Actually,
the only difference was in the size of the fabric suit and the length of