He stole a ride to the Moon in search ofglory, but found a far different destiny.
His eyes were a little feverish—asthey had been of late—andhis voice held a continuousintensity—as though he wereimparting a secret. "I've got to geton that ship! I've got to, I tell you!And I'm going to make it!"
Different members of the groupregarded him variously, some withamusement, some with contempt,others with frank curiosity.
"You're plain nuts, Joe. What doyou want to go to the Moon for?"
"Sure, why you wanna go? Whatthey got on the Moon we ain't gotright here?"
There was general laughter fromthe dozen or so who sat eating theirlunch in the shade of Building B.They all thought that was a prettygood one. Good enough to repeat."Sure, what they got on the Moonwe ain't got here?"
But Joe Spain wasn't in themood for jokes. He burned witheven greater conviction and stoodup as though to harangue theworkers. "You wanta know why Igot to go to the Moon? Why I'vegot to get on that ship? Then I'lltell you. It's 'cause I'm a little guy—that'swhy! Joe Spain—workingstiff—one of the great inarticulatemasses."
More laughter. "Where'd you getthose big words, Joey? Out of abook? Come on—talk English!"
Joe Spain pointed to the huge,tubelike Building A, off across thedesert; the building you had tohave two different passes and awritten permit to enter. The mysterybuilding where even newspaperreporters were barred. "It'sonly the big shots they let in thereain't it? Only them that's got adrag or went to college or something.Us little guys they tell go toblow—ain't that right?"
"Who the hell cares? Maybe it'sa damn good place to stay awayfrom. Maybe it'll explode or something.Who wants to die and collecthis insurance?"
"I got to get on that ship when itblasts off because they can't pushthe masses around! We got a rightto be represented even if we got tosneak in!"
"Me—I'll stay on the ground."
"And besides there's the glory!You guys are too stupid to see thatbut it's there. The glory of beingon the first rocket ship to theMoon. The name of Joe Spainwritten down in the history booksand said over by people and schoolkids for thousands of years! Immortality!That's the word!"
"Well, just forget about it, Joe,'cause you ain't going."
Joe Spain's eyes burned brighter."Joe Spain, coming down the rampwith the big shots when it's allover. News cameras snapping! Peopleasking for interviews!"
"But you ain't going 'cause—"
Joe shouted the man down. "Andanother thing. Us little people areentitled to a representative aboardthat ship. We got a right to knowwhat's going on. How come there'snothing about it in the papers?Only the big shots knowing aboutit and whispering among themselves?It's because they're tryingto snag it all and freeze us out!"
"You're crazy. It's for securityreasons. It's all hush-hush so itwon't leak out like the atom bombdid. The big boys are being smartthis time."
"And you ain't getting on," theinterrupted man repeated doggedly,"because there ain't a way inGod's world to get on. With triplesecurity all around the building,just tell me a way to get in. Justtell me one."
"I'm going to get on that ship,"Joe Spain said. Then he clammedup suddenly. Joe Spain wasn'tstupid. He was a talker, but heknew when to stop sounding off.
The men went back to workshifting the big aluminum barrelsfrom trucks into Building B. Carryingthe wooden crates and the paper-wrappedparcels up the rampsand to the side of the building facing thebig secret structure labeled A.They work