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He kicked away from the ceiling, landing accurately at Rip’s side. He added in a hard voice all could hear, "They sure are a nice gang, these spacemen. They never say anything about Planeteers." No spaceman answered, but Koa’s meaning was clear. No spaceman had better say anything about the Planeteers!
Rip slid to the floor next to the sergeant-major and stuck out his hand. He sensed the strength in Koa’s big fist as it closed over his. Koa said, "Sir, that was the best fleedle I’ve ever seen an earthling make. You been on Venus?" Rip eyed him suspiciously, wondering if the big Planeteer was laughing at him. Koa was grinning, but it was a friendly grin. "What is a fleedle?" Rip demanded.
He was picked up bodily and flung into space, whirling end over end. Koa’s voice rang in his helmet. "Watch it! They’re firing back!" Rip tugged frantically at an air bottle in his belt. He pulled it out and used it to whirl him upright again, then its air blast drove him back to the surface of the asteroid.
What would his next step be? The snapper-boats hadn’t drawn fire, even when a drone was sent over at low speed. The next thing would be to send a piloted boat over slowly enough to take a look. Rip hoped O’Brine would hurry. There was no longer any feeling in his arm below Koa’s safety line. That meant the arm had frozen. He had to get medical attention from the Scorpius pretty soon.
Rip saw his meaning instantly and they raced to the side of the asteroid, away from the ship. As they crossed into the dark half, Rip looked back. He couldn’t see the cruiser from here. But he looked out into space, across the horizon, and knew that Koa’s guess had been right. The distinctive glow of a nuclear drive cruiser was clear among the stars. The Scorpius had returned!
No leaks in suit or helmet. He let the pressure go down to normal. Koa’s voice buzzed in his ears. "Hear me, sir?" Rip turned the volume of his communicator down a little and spoke in a normal voice. "I hear you. Am I clear?" "Yessir. All men dressed and ready." Rip made a final check. He counted his men, then personally inspected their suits. The boats were next.
The Planeteer officer knows what brennschluss is. He doesn’t look old enough to know which end his bubble goes on." Rip started to his feet, but Koa’s hand on his arm restrained him. With a violent kick the big sergeant-major shot through the air. His line of flight took him by the spaceman, and somehow their arms got linked.
Rip looked him over carefully. There was a saying among the Planeteers that an officer was only as good as his senior sergeant. Koa’s looks were reassuring. His face was good-humored, but he had a solid jaw and a mouth that could get tough when necessary. Rip wondered a little at his size. Big men usually didn’t go to space; they were too subject to space sickness. Koa must be a special case.
The spaceman was jerked from his post and the two came to a stop against the ceiling. Koa’s voice echoed through the ship. "Sorry. I’m not used to no-weight. Didn’t mean to grab you. Here, I’ll help you back to your post." He whirled the helpless spaceman like a bag of feathers and slung him through the air.
Nuclear drive cruisers didn’t have exhausts of that color, and there was only one rocket-drive ship around, so far as they knew. Rip said softly, "Let’s get our house in order, gang. Looks like we’re going to get a visit from our friends the Connies!" Sergeant-major Koa’s great frame loomed in front of Rip. "Think they’ve spotted us, sir?" Rip hated to say it. "Probably.
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