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Updated: May 2, 2025
But the Planeteers wouldn’t get enough of a dose to do any harm at all. The alpha count was high, but so long as they didn’t breathe any of the dust it was not dangerous. The Scorpius had six tubes. Rip divided the Planeteers into two squads, one under his direction and one under Koa’s. Each tube took a couple of hours’ hard work.
The two of them stepped away from the cave and stood in full view as the snapper-boat moved cautiously down toward the asteroid. Rip planned what he would say. "Commander O’Brine, this is Foster!" No, that wouldn’t do. Connies would know that Kevin O’Brine commanded the Scorpius, and if they had taken over the Planeteers on the asteroid, they would also have learned Rip’s name.
The pain in his arm was less now, and he knew the cold was setting in. He was getting light-headed, and most of all he wanted to sleep. Well, why not? He slumped a little inside the suit. He awoke with Koa shaking him violently. Rip stood upright and shook his head to clear his vision. "What is it?" "Sir, the Scorpius has returned."
If the Connie took time to tow the remains of the Scorpius deep into the asteroid belt, it likely would never be found, no matter how the Federation searched. They had to warn the ship. But how? Their helmet communicators wouldn’t reach it until it was right at the asteroid, and that would be too late. They had no other radio.
He could imagine the speed with which the specialists at Terra base had acted. They had sent orders instantly to the fastest cruiser in the area, the Scorpius, to stand by for further instructions. Then their personnel machines must have whirred rapidly, electronic brains searching for the nearest available Planeteer officer with an astrophysics specialty and astrogation training.
The male of the Cottus scorpius, or sea-scorpion, is slenderer and smaller than the female. There is also a great difference in colour between them. It is difficult, as Mr. Both sexes of the Labrus mixtus, although very different in colour, are beautiful; the male being orange with bright blue stripes, and the female bright red with some black spots on the back. Xiphophorus Hellerii.
"I've got to find nine Planeteers and get them on the Scorpius before it flames off." The spaceman's face cleared. "Oh. You mean Koa's detachment. They left a few minutes ago." "Where. Where did they go?" The spaceman shrugged. The doings of Planeteers were no concern of his. His shrug said so. Rip realized there was no use talking further.
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 solar orbit before the cruiser returned, though Earth itself was on the other side of the sun.
Commander Jennsen looked up and saw Rip waiting. He snapped, "Did you get all of that?" "Y-Yes, sir." "You'll get written copies on the cruiser. Now flame out of here. Collect your men and get aboard. The Scorpius leaves in five minutes." Rip ran. The realization hit him that the big nuclear cruiser had stopped at the platform for the sole purpose of collecting him and nine enlisted Planeteers.
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!
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