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You'll be ready to transfer?" "I'll be ready!" and the Quartermaster's ex-clerk went to his quarters and packed his dunnage-bag. In due time the long, slender body of the rocket-plane came into view, creeping 'down' upon the space-ship from 'above, and Cleveland bade his friends good-bye. Donning a space-suit, he stationed himself in the starboard airlock.
Remember that gravity is about double normal here, and conduct yourself accordingly." "But it's supposed to be only about nine-tenths," she objected. "That's at the outer surface of the atmosphere," he replied. "And it's some atmosphere not like the thin layer we've got on Tellus." They went into the airlock, and Stevens admitted air until their suits began to collapse.
He would lose resolution, but he might find something more at the extreme limits of the mike. Something wet and cold gushed into his face. He jerked back, trying to wipe it off, but it was already evaporating, and there was a thick, acrid odor in the cab. He grabbed for his aspirator, then tried to reach the airlock.
If they came up behind him, he was trapped in a crossfire. But if he left his position, more men could come in through the airlock. Even now two more came around the bend, starting up the corridor for him.... Quite suddenly, the lights went out. The men stopped. Sound stopped. The corridor was pitch black.
"Cut your drive," snapped Bors. "Stand by for inspection! Muster your crews. There's a criminal trying to get ashore on Mekin. We'll check your hands. Acknowledge!" "Yes, sir," said the apologetic voice. "Obeying, sir." Bors fretted. The space-boats left the Horus's side. One clamped onto the airlock of the rounded, bulging tramp-ship. The second lifeboat hovered nearby.
The Platform, in fact, became the center of a swarm, a cluster, a cloud of infinitesimal objects which would always accompany it and always be in motion with regard to it. Together, they should make up a screen no proximity fuse bomb could pierce without exploding. Joe heard clankings, transmitted to his body through his feet. "What's that?" he demanded sharply. "It sounds like the airlock!"
It seemed that everyone in the crowd was wishing them the greatest success the best of good things in every wish. "The ultimate in applause! Morey, I'll swear we just received a silent cheer!" exclaimed Arcot, as they stood inside the airlock of the ship once more. It seemed home to them now!
The little excavator toiled over the loose ash for hours before it displaced enough to make the port visible, and the ash was not yet cleared away sufficiently to open the portal when darkness brought a halt to the work. It would be impossible to unearth the spaceship with their low-capacity digger, Kennon decided. It would be difficult enough to clear the emergency airlock in the nose.
It was then that the Phoenix, the three groundcars drawn up with their heavy guns focused, blasted the airlock of the north building. In seconds, the airlock was burned through. There was no emergency barrier down on this ramp. The heavy, Earth-pressured air of the north building whistled out into the desert.
Up front, something seemed to have given way. The dredger went lurching forward, and everything moved off after it. "I get it," I said. "Hallstock's getting ready to dump Ravick out the airlock. He sees, now, that Ravick's a dead turkey; he doesn't want to go into the oven along with him." "Walt, can't you ever give anybody credit with trying to do something decent, once in a while?" Dad asked.
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