"
The Starmen looked at one another, then at the crew of Z25. St. George
was already walking toward his acceleration couch. Each of them could
feel his heart suddenly beating a little faster. They strapped
themselves into their couches. Zip looked out of the window but saw
nothing out of the ordinary.
A moment later, the rockets on the Silver Cloud ignited and the ship
began to slow. About half an hour later, the had slowed to a crawl and
the view of the stars disappeared. It became apparent to the prisoners
that they had entered a tunnel. After a few seconds, the ship touched
down and secured itself to the landing pad. The prisoners waited. No
one spoke.
Minutes passed, then the door to their quarters opened. Spelford stood
in the opening, with several other men behind him. All were armed.
"Time to go," Spelford announced. The prisoners were escorted single
file through the ship and down the access ladder to the floor of the
landing pad. They were under observation at all times by armed men in
front of them and behind.
Joe reached the bottom of the ladder and turned to look around. To his
right was an enormous clear wall which sealed off the landing area from
the immense tunnel through which the ships had come. In front of him
and to his left was a complex of charcoal-dark structures, lined with
silver trim and glinting with many panels of glass.
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