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Updated: June 5, 2025
The Connie was on his knees, both gloves pressed tightly to his side. Dowst was just finishing a knot in the safety line that bound a second enemy's hands. The Connie Rip had rocketed down on was still lying where he had fallen. And Corporal Santos, the enemy's pneumatic chatter gun at the ready, was standing guard. Rip turned up the volume in his communicator.
He said nothing. Rip knew that no more could be done for the Italian at present. "Go back to the cave, Dominico," he ordered. "I can stay with you, sir." "No, Dominico. Thanks for the offer, but we'll get along. Go back to the cave." "Yes, sir." Rip was a little worried. He had heard nothing from Koa since that first exchange. He told Dowst as much. But Koa himself heard and answered.
Now the nose tube was blasting, slowing the cruiser down. He sighted, holding out one glove and gauging the Connie’s distance above the horizon, and his heart speeded. The Connie was right on the horizon! "Ram it!" Rip called. "Around the asteroid. Quick!" Acceleration jammed him back against his men as Dowst blasted.
"Are their belt lights on?" "Yes." "Then keep out of the beams. Don't let them walk into you. Keep low, and keep moving. Stay on the dark side." "We'd better get to the dark side ourselves," Koa warned. He was right, Rip knew. The Connies didn't have far to search before reaching the sun side. "Koa, you take Trudeau and Kemp. I'll take Dowst and Dominico.
"Dowst, be ready to take off at a moment’s notice. You’ll have to buck this box around like never before." He explained to the pilot his plan to dodge, keeping the asteroid between the boat and the cruiser. "We’ll make it, sir," Dowst said. "I’m not worried," Rip replied, and wished it were true. He looked up at the Connie again. It was getting larger.
In a moment they topped the horizon and, standing with only helmets visible from the snapper-boats, looked the situation over. The three Connies were standing between them and the boats. To the left of the boats was the second crater. Rip studied the ground as best he could in the Connie belt lights and decided on a plan of action. Calling to Dowst, he circled again.
What were they up against, that such equipment was needed on a barren asteroid? Private Dowst opened a box that contained a complete tool kit, the tools designed to be handled by men in space suits. Yards of wire, for several purposes, were wound on reels. Two hand-driven dynamos capable of developing great power were included.
He was selecting the location for a base when Dowst suddenly called. "Lieutenant! Lieutenant Foster!" There was urgency in the Planeteer’s voice. "What is it, Dowst?" "Sir, take a look, about two degrees south of Rigel!" Rip found the constellation Orion and looked at bright Rigel. For a moment he saw nothing; then, south of the star, he saw a thin, orange line.
Of course, that would not be dangerous, since space suits were equipped with six small compressed-air bottles for emergency propulsion. But it would be embarrassing. Inside the boat, Dowst and Nunez were setting up the compartment. Sections of the rear wall swung out and locked into place against airtight seals, forming a box at the rear end of the boat.
"Sir, I'm beyond the first, between two crystals. Pederson is near you somewhere." "Good. When I give the word, turn up your helmet light until they can see a pretty good glow. Keep watching them." The bubbles were equipped with lights, but they were seldom used. He outlined his plan swiftly. Both Santos and Dowst acknowledged. Koa reported in.
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