Burst into tears, and resign.

"I can't believe this!" Halley found herself bursting into tears for the second time that day, realising she was being put into an impossible position. "How can you even ask that! I refuse. That's outrageous."

The old woman didn't look impressed. In fact, her look suggested she'd already run out of time or patience for Halley. Had this all just been a ruse to trap her, and **** her out?

"Then you resign," Martel waved her away. "Suit yourself. If you can't meet basic expectations, we might as well not draw anything out." She pushed a form across her desk towards Halley. "Sign here, and we'll have you on the elevator before the end of today."

With shaking hands, Halley found herself compelled to sign, even as she whimpered out her final protest,

"All I ever wanted was to work up here."

Martel cocked her head unsympathetically,

"Then, you would have thought you might have had the stomach for even a little deprivation, huh? If you can't do this, what else would you find that also doesn't suit, as we went along? Better you find something more suited, than waste any more time with us."

"Isn't there... anything else I can do?" Halley plead, one last time.

Martel slowly shook her head, her mind clearly closed to any further appeals.

Sure enough, not even six hours later, Halley found herself in a seat dropping back to earth down the space-elevator.

Who would have known you had to crap yourself to be an astronaut?