"No. That's all right." It had not been much of a
mine. And it had aged her. They were going home and now there were
lines on Diane's face although she was hardly past twenty-four. They were going home and, Ralph Meeker thought, they
had left more than their second-hand mining equipment on asteroid 4712. "Please. That's over. "We finished," Diane said. He didn't either. Diane cried. The left, Ralph--"
He saw it too. "Will you look at that," Diane said. "Spaceships," Diane said. "Spaceships, Ralph. Hundreds of them." "That's the sargasso," Ralph said. I know it. They were rocketing
on toward the sargasso, rapidly, dangerously. he asked. He was on his knees. "Cold," she said. He had not noticed it, but he was still numb and only half conscious,
half of his faculties working. He felt that now. Air escaping. Diane looked at him. "Find it." They had known it, but confirmation was necessary. They were within the sargasso. Diane asked. He shrugged. "That depends. "You see about the
radar." She's an '87." He shrugged. "We're going to try. Then we start looking." "I mean out there. But it might be our only
chance." "I'll go, of course. Five hours. Then more. And more. "All right. he said. "I can hear you." Her voice was metallic but very clear through the suit
radios. "Then listen. "That's all right," he said. "So am I." Have to look, though." You won't like what's inside." You won't have any trouble." People. They'll all be dead. Diane said. "A body, without air. It isn't pretty. It bloats." "My God, Ralph." "I'm sorry, kid. "I don't know," Ralph admitted. "I love you,
Diane." "Ralph," she said. Her voice caught. Good luck, Ralph. And I--"
"You what." Too slow. He had not liked what he saw, but there was no preventing it. They were dead. They were dead, and they were bloated. Her voice sounded funny. He did not report it to Diane over the intercom. And one of the crew, dying before the others. Cannibalism. "Oh, Ralph. Right in front of
me. "I'm coming," he said. Five hours now. They
did not have much time. It did not drift off gradually. he called. Her voice came suddenly. "Yes, Diane. Yes. The airlock, Ralph." "It opened up on me. It swung out into space, all of a sudden. I'm going
in, Ralph." "Don't," he said. "Wait for
me." "That's silly, Ralph. We barely have time. There. "Ralph. It's here, Ralph. "I'm coming," he said. Ralph--" she screamed, and was silent. Diane, answer me." Silence. Then there was
silence, absolute silence. The
ships crawled by now, crawled. No answer. I love you, Di, he
thought. I love you. We were wrong. We were
crazy wrong. He waited. He did not know. Then it stopped. And then he saw them. Diane. At first he did not know what it was, but he leaped at it. It turned,
snarling. The strength of the insane. Diane asked. "A man," Ralph said. He needed more food--"
"Oh, no. He's dead now." "Yes," she said. He looked at her. What the hell, Di, everybody needs it." "Yes," she said. Us, I mean." "No," she said, and sat up and kissed him. Very, very nice, darling."