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A,we have a copy on your telemetry. Copernicus Base is standing by until you have visual confirmation.”
    “We copy,” said Melendez. “SP2 double A, standing by.”
    Kemp leaned back in his console chair and exhaled slowly. The feelings of tenseness mixed with ennui had been extinguished — at least for the moment. Memories flashed through his mind, and he briefly recalled scenes from his years in space. The claustrophobic cabins, the eternal night always threatening to swallow you up, tension as thick as the smell of your sweat. Kemp remembered and he wished that it was him in that Snipe, drawing close to the unknown object.
    A door slid open at the far end of the chamber. Turning, Kemp saw the other members of the Staff enter quickly. The expression on their faces betrayed anxiety mixed with excitement.
    Kemp motioned them over to the console, and began to explain the current situation.

    * * *

    After keying outthe throat mike, Melendez turned to O’Hara. “Kemp! Colonel Phineas Kemp. Commander of Copernicus Base, and he was talking to us on Priority Channel.”
    O’Hara was staring straight ahead as though afraid of what he might see looming from the darkness. “I don’t like it,” he said softly. “We’ve been thrown inta something big, Melendez. Why else would the top brass be interested in what we’re doin’?”
    “Yes. My feeling exactly. For once in my life, I think I agree with you.” Melendez smiled to relieve the growing tension, but O’Hara was in no mood for it. The larger man grimaced and returned his gaze to the forward viewing port.
    “Jeez! What’s that? See it? Something just flashed!”
    Melendez had trouble speaking. “Yes. We’re closing in on it. Relative velocity down to five KPS plus. Hang on . . .”
    O’Hara obeyed, then breathed deeply several times, nervously rubbing his lips with the back of his hand. “Bigger every second. Christ almighty, that’s it! Look!”
    Staring into the speckled night, Melendez concentrated on something shining with grey-whiteness . . . a metallic glint. The object appeared to be a rectangle, much longer than it was wide, growing larger. As the Snipe homed in on the object, the resolution became more clear, the configuration more distinct.
    An immense cylinder. Slowly tumbling, end-over end . . .
    O’Hara cleared his throat. “I seen a lotta rocks in my time, but I ain’t seen nothin’ like that. Ain’t no asteroid, that’s for sure.”
    Melendez realized he was gawking. “I’d better get Copernicus back on line.” Unsteadily, he keyed in the mikes, and spoke his identification, following it with: “We have a visual.”
    “We copy, SP2 double A. We have your current velocity at 5.3 kilometers per second. Distance from the object 2.67 thousand kilometers. Do you copy that?”
    “Affirmative, Copernicus,” Melendez said after a glance at his readouts. “Do you suggest deceleration and manual control at this time?”
    “Affirmative. Cameras on, now. We want to see that thing.”
    “I’m switching to VOR transmission immediately.”
    The instructions were quickly punched into the instruments. In addition to the omnifrequency scanners, sensors, spectrometers, and other analyzing instruments, three high-resolution Hitachi-Kodak VOR cameras zoom-focused on the object. One camera transmitted crystal-clear images in the visible spectrum, while the others produced infrared and ultraviolet images.
    “All right, SP2 double A. We have a signal. Good hard line. Continue to monitor your telemetry and approach the object on manual.”
    “Switching,” said Melendez as he nodded to O’Hara, who punched out the autoguidance and assumed control of the small ship .
    “SP2 double A standing by,” he said, then keyed out the throat mikes. The cylinder was already much larger, he noticed. Its dimensions were staggering . . . and they still had more than a thousand kilometers to go! “How’s it going?” he asked O’Hara.
    “Fine.” O’Hara