21.   For the first time in days, the sky was clear this morning as NASA began pumping more than a half-million gallons of fuel into Atlantis.

22.   That morning began just like any other for the government contract employee assigned to the Air Force Post Office.

23.   The morning began with a laugh.

24.   Those details are stark reminders of the reason why the cafe manager must shoo away foreign reporters and close even as the morning is just beginning.