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The Scorpius sent its entire complement of snapper-boats to the asteroid for protection, in case Consops made another try, then flamed off to Marsport to put in new supplies to replace those damaged when Rip had forced sudden and disastrous acceleration. The asteroid had reached earth’s orbit before the cruiser returned. Of course, earth was on the other side of the sun.
He directed the placing of a very small charge and was moving away from it so Koa could set it off when Santos suddenly yelled, "Sir! The Connie is coming!" Rip called, "Fire the charge, Koa," then looked up. The Consops cruiser was moving slowly toward them. The canny Connie had been waiting for something to happen on the asteroid, Rip guessed.
He plugged in his helmet circuit and said, "This is Lieutenant Foster. Go ahead." A voice crackled across space from Earth. "This is Terra base. Foster, a Consops cruiser has apparently been hiding behind the sun waiting for you. Our screens just picked it up, heading your way. We've sent orders to the Sagittarius on Mercury to give you cover, and the Aquila has taken off from here.
We’ve sent orders to the Sagittarius on Mercury to give you cover, and the Aquila has taken off from here. But get this, Foster. The Consops cruiser will reach you first. You have about one hour. Do you understand?" Rip understood all right. He understood too well. "Got you," he said shortly. "Now what?" The communicator buzzed. "Take any appropriate action. You’re on your own, Foster. Sorry.
The heavier charge would have reversed it a little. He directed the placing of a very small charge and was moving away from it so Koa could set it off when Santos suddenly yelled, "Sir! The Connie is coming!" Rip called, "Fire the charge, Koa," then looked up. The Consops cruiser was moving slowly toward them. The canny Connie had been waiting for something to happen on the asteroid, Rip guessed.
Now put out a cable from your nose tube. I’ll take ye in tow first." He cut the communicator off, and met Rip’s grin. The two spacemen had figured out the one way to repay the Connie for his attempts on the asteroid. They couldn’t fire on him, but they could fake an "accident" that would cripple him and cost Consops millions of dollars in salvage fees. Nor would Consops refuse to pay.
The Connie teams came quickly and willingly, and they seemed almost glad to give up their pistols and knives. This was not unusual. Rip had seen many Planeteer reports that spoke of the same thing. Many Connies, it seemed, were glad to get away from the iron Consops rule even if it meant becoming Federation prisoners. Inside one of the snapper-boats, a light glowed.
Now, put out a cable from your nose tube. I'll take ye in tow first." He cut the communicator off and met Rip's grin. The two spacemen had figured out the one way to repay the Connie for his attempts on the asteroid. They couldn't fire on him, but they could fake an accident that would cripple him and cost Consops millions of dollars in salvage fees. Nor would Consops refuse to pay.
"Radiation is the least of our problems. I'd rather get an overdose of gamma then get blasted into space." A yell rang in his helmet. "Here comes the Connie!" Rip looked up, startled. The Consops cruiser passed directly overhead, about ten miles away. It was decelerating rapidly. Rip wondered why they hadn't spotted it earlier, then realized the Connie had come from the direction of the hot side.
He hadn't expected such a humane move, after his first meeting with the Connie cruiser when the commander had been willing to sacrifice his own men. This time, however, there was a difference, he saw. The commander would lose nothing by picking up the assault boat, and he would save a few men. Rip supposed that manpower meant something, even to Consops.
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