Thirty minutes after the incident with the waiter, the quintet arrived back at Reed and Mary's home. But, they did not return quibble-less.

"Johnny, I don't understand how you and your friends can eat there! That had to be the worst burger I have ever tasted in my life!" Sue exclaimed.

"Guess I forgot to mention that my friends and I don't really eat more than we talk at Artie's."

"Well then, why did'cha bring up tha place kid?" Ben asked.

"It was the only place I knew of right off the bat that was quick, and had food I thought everyone here appreciated! If it's anyone who knows of all of the good places to eat in this town, it's Reed and Mary, not me."

"Look friends, Father and I did not know that the Statewide Kiwanis Club Convention was going to be in town this week, and that its attendants were going to inhabit every single one of our favorite restaurants!"

Reed let out a sigh in agreement with what Mary told their three friends as they approached the mansion's front door. Rex opened the door for the quintet, and greeted them.

"Good evening everyone, and how was dinner?"

"It was everything but pleasurable Rex." Reed responded, as Rex was also met with glares from Sue, Johnny, and Ben; and silence from Mary.

As soon as they were in, Mary immediately headed to the kitchen to see what there was to snack on since she and her stepfather did not have a bite to eat at Artie's. Three minutes later, she was back in the den with a bag of chips, and can of ginger ale. She did as her other friends had already done, and plopped down on a couch beside of Reed, who had resumed smoking his pipe. Ben turned on the television, and began flipping around, until he found "What's My Line?", and settled down in a nearby chair. Except for the roar of the television, Mary's crunching on her chips, and the occasional laugh from the Richards' three chums, silence infiltrated throughout the room for a solid half-hour.

"Boy, this is some party." Johnny muttered.

"The party never even started Johnny." Mary said in between bites.

"Mary, don't you think you have had enough chips for tonight?" Reed asked in a monotone.

"Alright Father." Mary sighed as she folded and closed the potato chip bag's opening, and slowly sipped her ginger ale.

Mary knew from the style her stepfather told her to quit eating so many chips that he was really deep in thought.

"There is no telling what Father could be thinking..." Mary thought to herself.

She resumed staring at the television for another half-hour. It seemed and felt like all they were going to do that night was look at television. Mary and her stepfather's friends appeared as if they were getting ready to leave. But suddenly, Reed got out of his state of brooding, and proclaimed.

"That's it! That's what we should do!"

"We should do what?" Mary asked, startled by Reed's outburst.

"It may not be my most brilliant plan, yet it may be my most remarkable!"

"What Reed? Tell us, what is it?" Johnny interrogated, excitedly.

"Yes Father, tell us, just what is this brilliant and remarkable plan?" Questioned Mary sarcastically.

"Tonight, we will show the government just how wrong they were to cut off my rocket's funding, and not only be the first ones to reach the closest star, but will also beat the Commies to it!"

They could not believe the very words they had just heard come out of Reed's mouth. Even Mary was in disbelief, her stepfather was not the kind of person to want to get revenge or get back at another person or an organization, or was he?

"We? What do you mean we?" Ben asked stunned.

"I mean we, as in you and me Ben." Reed responded, then continued.

"Ben, you do remember how you promised me that you would fly my rocket when the time came earlier, right? Well, that time has come."

"No it ain't Reed. At least, not until you get decent shielding on that rocket. You know without shielding, that rocket is no good when it comes to protection from cosmic rays."

"I have to agree with Ben, Father. What exactly have you been smoking in that pipe today? Whatever it is, I think it has affected your mind." Mary interjected.

Ignoring Mary's comment, Reed answered Ben.

"Ben, you do not have to worry about cosmic rays. They are considerably harmless compared to solar rays, which there also seems to be no threat of currently."

Ben was quiet for a second, as if considering fulfilling Reed's wishes, but then he said.

"If you think I'm gonna find that reassuring, ya got another thing coming pal! Like I said, until you get decent shielding on that vehicle, I am not steppin' a foot into it!"

Reed sighed, and said.

"Ben, Ben, you need to calm down, and quit thinking for yourself. Think of what you will be doing for your country if you go through with this. It will be just like World War II all over again. You will be a hero..."

"Yeah, as long they don't find out about the rocket flight being a hijackin'! Look Reed, face it, you've lost your marbles!" Ben stated.

Reed closed his eyes and breathed heavily. Sternly, he said in reply to Ben's remark.

"I am so sorry to find you so set against me Ben. But somehow, one way or another, my project must go as I have planned."

"You know good and well that more research needs ta be done on those cosmic rays you think are soooo harmless! Listen, if you are SO DESPERATE to FLY TO THE STARS, then YOU PILOT THE SHIP! You can COUNT ME OUT!" Ben retorted as he turned his back to Reed, and prepared to leave. But an obstacle got in his way, Sue.

"Ben, you know how much that project has meant to Reed! You are not only hurting him along with the very friendship both of you share, but you are hurting America, and our chance to beat the Commies to stars! I never thought YOU would be SUCH a COWARD!"

Ben suddenly seemed taken aback by Sue's words. Without even a moment of consideration, Ben uttered.

"THAT'S IT! NOBODY, but NOBODY CALLS ME A COWARD! Lets go to that ship RIGHT NOW, I'll pilot her NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS!"

And with those words, the quintet were automatically leaving the mansion, and hopping into Sue and Johnny's car heading towards the Spaceport.