 Would Eric and Nada have been rescued, had the Cosmic Express operator not been drunk?
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. He smiled fondly across to the other of the twin beds, where Nada, his pretty bride, lay quiet beneath light silk covers. The Cosmic Express." Five minutes later Mr. Eric Stokes-Harding and his pretty wife were in street clothes, light silk tunics of loose, flowing lines—little clothing being required in the artificially warmed city. Eric led Nada down a long, carpeted corridor to a wide glass door, which bore the words: COSMIC EXPRESS stenciled in gold capitals across it.
 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.