 Why did Capt. Lawler and Lt. Chandler return with a fifty-five gallon drum of calking compound rather than the needed cup?
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, September 1962. General Finogenov notified Major Winship that the underground blast was scheduled for the following morning. Major Winship, after receiving the message, discussed precautions with the three other Americans. Next morning, before the sunlight exploded, the four of them donned their space suits and went and sat outside the dome, waiting. Major Winship attempted unsuccessfully to communicate with Base Gagarin. "Help?" " Nyet ," said Major Winship, exhausting his Russian. "He's done it deliberately," said Capt. Wilkins, the eldest of the four Americans. Ultimately, Lt. Chandler said, "This is a little ridiculous. "Ah, it's all Russian. "Let's all go in," said the fourth American, Capt. Lawler. "I'll try again," Major Winship said and switched to the emergency channel. "Tell him, 'Help'," said Capt. Wilkins, "so he'll get somebody we can talk to." "Hell, Charlie, I feel stupid sitting out here," Capt. Lawler said. "Maybe," Lt. Chandler said, "it's buried too deep." He crossed with the floating moon-motion to the airlock and entered, closing the door behind him. The darkness slowly filled with air, and the temperature inside the suit declined steadily. His foot was lifted for the second step when the floor beneath him rose and fell gently, pitching him forward, off balance. It then abated to something in excess of normal. "Well," Lt. Chandler commented, "even though we didn't build this thing to withstand a moonquake, it seems to have stood up all right." Air currents whisked it away and plastered it against a riveted seam of the dome. It pulsed as though it were breathing and then it ruptured. Major Winship moved quickly to cut out the emergency air supply which had cut in automatically with the pressure drop. It's on your right side, midway up. Major Winship said, "they should have made these things more flexible." The sheet began slowly to slide downward, then it fell away completely and lay limply on the floor. Lt. Chandler mounted one of the bunks to give them more room. When no comment was forthcoming, he continued: "Perhaps we built a bit more strongly, Major." After repeatedly assuring you there was no danger of a quake—and then to have something like this happen.
 They could only obtain the 55-gallon drums
 The steel drum offered the extra, needed weight.  They could only obtain the 55-gallon drums  They needed the full fifty-five gallons for repairs  They needed the drum for a chair.