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Bart read it through, seeing that it was made out to the equivalent of Astrogator, First Class, Bartol. "That's your name now, the name your father would have used. Memorize it, get used to the sound of it, practice writing it. Don't worry too much about the rating; it's an elementary one, what we'd call Apprentice rating, and I have a training tape for you anyhow.
But if the Captain collapsed the whole responsibility for the snap-out would fall directly on Shannon. An infinitesimal error would condemn them to almost hopeless wandering perhaps for ever. Dane and Ali relieved Rip of all duty but that which kept him chained in Wilcox's chair before the computers. He went over and over the data of the course the Astrogator had set.
Suddenly, in spite of the cold weight on his chest, the pain, the struggle, he felt as if he were floating. He managed a long, luxurious breath. He could handle it. He knew what he was doing. He was an Astrogator....
He hated to go back to the room, because he knew he would think about Tom and Astro and the Space Academy. Now he couldn't allow himself to think about it any more. It was past. Finished. "You got who?" asked Loring. "I said I got the best astrogator in the deep for ya!" snapped Shinny. Loring looked at Mason and then suddenly burst out laughing, dropping his head on the table.
Since Queex would not be howling in that fashion if its master was present, Dane kept on to the control cabin where he blundered in upon an executive level conference of Captain, Cargo-master and Astrogator. "Well?" Jellico's blaster scarred left cheek twitched as he snapped that impatient inquiry at the messenger. "Eysie Captain below, sir. With his Cargo-master. They want to see you "
And the handicap is just as real as if he had a physical flaw. "Well, what do you want to do?" asked Tom finally. "Go see Captain Strong. Give it to him straight. Tell him we want a transfer." "But tomorrow we blast off. We might not have another chance for months! Certainly not until we get a new astrogator."
"But I had to!" protested Maril. "Because I I've been eating all I wanted to, on Weald and in the ship, and I'm ashamed because they're half-starved and I'm not. And when you see what hunger does to them ... It's terrible to be half-starved and not able to think of anything but food!" "I hope," said Calhoun, "to do something about that. If I can get hold of an astrogator or two."
"Unfortunately, when the miners panicked, they stampeded into the ship. Also unfortunately, panic-gas got into the ship with them. So they stayed panicked while the astrogator in panic! took off and headed for Weald and threw on the overdrive which would be set for Weald anyhow because that would be the fastest way to run away from whatever he imagined he feared.
He paused and then continued thoughtfully, "You know, sir, with the exception of Manning, I'd be willing to recommend Solar Guard commissions for the unit right now." Walters snorted. "Manning! By the stars, he could be the best astrogator in the universe, but but he's so undisciplined." "Excuse me, sir," the enlisted spaceman interrupted.
I'll buy that, but there wouldn't be enough plunder to " "Just a sec. So he's a pretty good rule-of-thumb astrogator, too, and we're computing every element of the flight. As for motive salvage. With either of us alive, none. With both of us dead, can you guess within ten million bucks of how much they'll collect?" "Blockhead!" Deston slapped himself on the forehead.
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