Nick Pappas had just crossed to the instrument panel of the Tang Chuh-Chih's lifeboat when he heard a sound behind him. He turned quickly. He had left the airlock between the lifeboat and the ship open. That had been stupid, he realized, but it was too late to correct it now. One of the Tang's two other crew members was approaching down the corridor just beyond the airlock; if he saw the doors slide shut now he'd be immediately suspicious. That would leave Pappas inside the lifeboat, and before