said。 〃Look at this leather on these seats。 It's brand…new。〃
〃Maybe it was a new ship。〃
＇＇78＇＇ 〃No； I mean really brand…new。 This leather doesn't show any scratches； any cuts； any coffee…cup spills or stains。 There is nothing to suggest that these seats have ever been sat in。〃 〃Maybe there wasn't any crew。〃
〃Why would you have seats if there wasn't any crew？〃
〃Maybe they took the crew out at the last minute。 It seems they were worried about radiation。 The inner hull's leadshielded； too。〃
〃Why should there be radiation associated with time travel？〃
〃I know；〃 Ted said。 〃Maybe the ship got launched by accident。 Maybe the ship was on the launch pad and somebody pressed the button before the crew got aboard so the ship took off empty。〃
〃You mean； oops； wrong button？〃
〃That'd be a hell of a mistake；〃 Norman said。
Barnes shook his head。 〃I'm not buying it。 For one thing； a ship this big could never be launched from Earth。 It had to be built and assembled in orbit； and launched from space。〃
〃What do you make of this？〃 Beth said； pointing to another console near the rear of the flight deck。 There was a fourth chair； drawn up close to the console。
The leather was wrapped around a human form。
〃No kidding。。。〃
〃There's a man in there？〃
〃Let's have a look。〃 Beth pushed the armrest buttons。 The chair whirred back from the console and unwrapped itself。 They saw a man； staring forward； his eyes open。
〃My God； after all these years； perfectly preserved；〃 Ted said。
〃You would expect that；〃 Harry said。 〃Considering he's a mannequin。〃
〃But he's so lifelike…〃
〃Give our descendants some credit for advances；〃 Harry said。 〃They're half a century ahead of us。〃 He pushed t