'Oh my oath,' one of the officers said, and reached down.

'Christ sake don't drop it.'

I could hardly lift it now, but we managed. Most of them looked as if they'd stopped breathing for a bit. Then they helped me aboard and I nearly fell over and someone had to put out a hand, bloody embarrassing. Braced myself against the rail.

'Ferris,' I said, 'this is Tewson.'

The objective.

The end.