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bacteria had been recovered from Egyptian tombs； where they had been sealed for thousands of years。 These bacteria were still viable。
The secret lay in the bacteria's ability to form spores； molding a hard calcific shell around themselves。 This shell enabled the organism to survive freezing or boiling； and； if necessary； thousands of years without food。 It bined all the advantages of a space suit with those of suspended animation。
There was no doubt that a spore could travel through space。 But was another planet or galaxy the most likely source of contamination for the earth？
Here； the answer was no。 The most likely source was the closest source the earth itself。
The report suggested that bacteria could have left the surface of the earth eons ago； when life was just beginning to emerge from the oceans and the hot； baked continents。 Such bacteria would depart before the fishes； before the primitive mammals； long before the first ape…man。 The bacteria would head up into the air； and slowly ascend until they were literally in space。 Once there； they might evolve into unusual forms； perhaps even learning to derive energy for life directly from the sun； instead of requiring food as an energy source。 These organisms might also be capable of direct conversion of energy to matter。
Leavitt himself suggested the analogy of the upper atmosphere and the depths of the sea as equally inhospitable environments； but equally viable。 In the deepest； blackest regions of the oceans； where oxygenation was poor； and where light never reached； life forms were known to exist in abundance。 Why not also in the far reaches of the atmosphere？ True； oxygen was scarce。 True； food hardly existed。 But if creatures could live miles beneath the surface； why could they not also live five miles above it？
And if there were organisms out there； and if they had departed from the baking crust of the earth long before the first men appeared； then they would be foreign to man。 No immunity； no adaptation； no antibodies would have been developed。 They would be primitive aliens to modern man； in the same way that the shark； a primitive fish unchanged for a hundred million years； was alien and dangerous to modern man； invading the oceans for the first time。
The third source of contamination； the third of the vectors； was at the same time the most likely and the most troublesome。 This was contemporary earth organisms； taken into space by inadequately sterilized spacecraft。 Once in space； the organisms would be exposed to harsh radiation； weightlessness； and other environmental forces that might exert a mutagenic effect； altering the organisms。
So that when they came down； they would be different。
Take up a harmless bacteria such as the organism that causes pimples； or sore throats and bring it back in a new form； virulent and unexpected。 It might do anything。 It might show a preference for the aqueous humor of the inner eye； and invade the eyeball。 It might thrive on the acid secretions of the stomach。 It might multiply on the small currents of electricity afforded by the human brain itself； drive men mad。
This whole idea of mutated bacteria seemed farfetched and unlikely to the Wildfire people。 It is ironic that this should be the case； particularly in view of what happened to the Andromeda Strain。 But the Wildfire team staunchly ignored both the evidence of their own experience that bacteria mutate rapidly and radically and the evidence of the Biosatellite tests； in which a series of earth forms were sent into space and later recovered。
Biosatellite II contained； among other things； several species of bacteria。 It was later reported that the bacteria had reproduced at a rate twenty to thirty times normal。 The reasons were still unclear； but the results unequivocal： space could affect reproduction and growth。
And yet no one in Wildfire paid attention to this fact； until it was too late。
***
Stone reviewed the information quickly； then handed each of them a cardboard file。 〃These files；〃 he said； 〃contain a transcript of autoclock records of the entire flight of Scoop VII。 Our purpose in reviewing the transcript is to determine；
if possible； what happened to the satellite while it was in orbit。〃
Hall said； 〃Something happened to it？〃
Leavitt explained。 〃The satellite was scheduled for a six…day orbit； since the probability of collecting organisms is proportional to time in orbit。 After launch； it was in stable orbit。 Then； on the second day； it went out of orbit。
Hall nodded。
〃Start；〃 Stone said； 〃with the first page。〃
Hall opened his file。
AUTOCLOCK TRANSCRIPT
PROJECT： SCOOP VII
LAUNCHDATE：
ABRIDGED VERSION。 FULL TRANSCRIPT
STORED VAULTS 179…99；
VDBG PLEX EPSILON。
HOURS MIN SEC PROCEDURE
T MINUS TIME
0002 01 05 Vandenberg Launch pad Block 9； Scoop Mission Control； reports systems check on schedule。
0001 39 52 Scoop MC holds for fuel check reported from Ground Control。
STOP CLOCK STOP CLOCK。 REALTIME LOSS 12 MINUTES。
0001 39 52 Count resumed。 Clock corrected。
0000 41 12 Scoop MC holds 20 seconds for Launch pad Block 9 check。 Clock not stopped for built…in hold。
000030 00 Gantry removed。
000024 00 Final craft systems check。
000019 00 Final capsule systems check。
000013 00 Final systems checks read as negative。
000007 12 Cable decoupling。
000001 07 Stat…link decoupling。
000000 05 Ignition。
000000 04 Launch pad Block 9 clears all systems。
000000 00 Core clamps released。 Launch。
T PLUS TIME
000000 06 Stable。 Speed 6 fps。 Smooth EV approach。
000000 09 Tracking reported。
000000 11 Tracking confirmed。
000000 27 Capsule monitors at g 1。9。 Equipment check clear。
0000 01 00 Launch pad Block 9 clears rocket and capsule systems for orbit。
〃No point in dwelling on this；〃 Stone said。 〃It is the record of a perfect launch。 There is nothing here； in fact； nothing for the next ninety…six hours of flight； to indicate any difficulty on board the spacecraft。 Now turn to page 10。〃
They all turned。
TRACK TRANSCRIPT CONT'D
SCOOP VII
LAUNCHDATE：
ABRIDGED VERSION
HOURS MIN SEC PROCEDURE
10 12 Orbital check stable as reported by Grand Bahama Station。
009634 19 Orbital check stable as reported by Sydney。
009647 34 Orbital check stable as reported by Vdbg。
0097 04 12 Orbital check stable but system malfunction reported by Kennedy Station。
0097 05 18 Malfunction confirmed。
0097 07 22 Malfunction confirmed by Grand Bahama。 puter reports orbital instability。
0097 34 54 Sydney reports orbital instability。
0097 39 02 Vandenberg putations indicate orbital decay。
0098 27 14 Vandenberg Scoop Mission Control orders radio reentry。
009912 56 Reentry code transmitted。
0099 13 13 Houston reports initiation of reentry。 Stabilized