 Would Eric and Nada have been rescued, had the Cosmic Express operator not been drunk?
Experimenter Publications Inc. The Cosmic Express By JACK WILLIAMSON Introduction by Sam Moskowitz When the vogue for science-fantasy altered to super science, he created the memorable super lock-picker Giles Habilula as the major attraction in a rousing trio of space operas , The Legion of Space, The Cometeers and One Against the Legion. Finally, when only psychological studies of the future would do, he produced "With Folded Hands ..." "... The Cosmic Express is of special interest because it was written during Williamson's A. Merritt "kick," when he was writing little else but, and it gave the earliest indication of a more general capability. It is especially important because it stylistically forecast a later trend to accept the background for granted, regardless of the quantity of wonders, and proceed with the story. With only a few thousand scanning-disk television sets in existence at the time of the writing, the surmise that this media would be a natural for westerns was particularly astute. "My days were filled," he remembers, "with monotonous rounds of what seemed an endless, heart-breaking war with drought and frost and dust-storms, poison-weeds and hail, for the sake of survival on the Llano Estacado." Mr. Eric Stokes-Harding tumbled out of the rumpled bed-clothing, a striking slender figure in purple-striped pajamas. He smiled fondly across to the other of the twin beds, where Nada, his pretty bride, lay quiet beneath light silk covers. But after a few half-hearted movements, he gave it up, and walked through an open door into a small bright room, its walls covered with bookcases and also with scientific appliances that would have been strange to the man of four or five centuries before, when the Age of Aviation was beginning. Yawning, Mr. Eric Stokes-Harding stood before the great open window, staring out. Beyond, the park stretched away in illimitable vistas, broken with the graceful columned buildings that held up the great glass roof.
 No. The official only checked the logs because the operator was drunk.
 Yes. Eventually, someone would have checked the logs and recovered their bodies.  No. The official only checked the logs because the operator was drunk.  No. The operator told them he wouldn't be responsible.  Yes. Eventually, someone would have checked the logs and started a search.