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Updated: May 21, 2025
He put his toe on the place where the crosslines met. Dowst used a spike to make an X in the metal ground. "All set," Rip announced. "You four men can move now. Let's have the cutting equipment over here, Koa." The Planeteers were all waiting for instructions now. In a few moments the equipment was ready, fuel and oxygen bottles attached. "Who's the champion torchman?" Rip asked.
The next step was for Kemp to cut holes with his torch, so that the thrust of the rocket fuel would be counter to the direction in which the asteroid was spinning. Rip explained to all hands what had to be done. The burden would fall on Kemp, who would need a helper. Rip took that job himself. He took one oxygen tank from Kemp. Koa took the other, leaving the torchman with only his torch.
Kemp sliced another round block of thorium out of a near-by crystal and fitted the second wedge of plutonium into it. At first Rip had worried about the two pieces of plutonium making a good enough contact, but Kemp’s skillful hand and precision eye removed that worry. The torchman finished fitting the plutonium and carried the block to the tube opening.
Rip shook his head. "Not strong enough. They're designed to withstand the slow push of rocket fuel, not the fast rap of an explosion. When I say slow, I mean slow-burning when compared with explosive. Any more ideas?" Kemp, the expert torchman, said, "Sir, I can burn you a tube into the asteroid." Rip grabbed the Planeteer so hard they both floated upward. "Kemp, that's wonderful! That's it!"
Rip shook his head. "Not strong enough. They’re designed to withstand the slow push of rocket fuel, not the fast rap of an explosion. When I say slow, I mean slow-burning when compared with explosive. Who has another idea?" Kemp, the expert torchman, said, "Sir, I can burn you a tube into the asteroid." Rip grabbed the Planeteer so hard they both floated upward. "Kemp, that’s wonderful!
This generally caught immediately, but after a while some one introduced the idea of having burning sticks in the trench, and a "torchman" would pass down the trench lighting each fuse. One man was not sure that the spark had caught and began blowing on it and was surprised when it blew his hand off.
Kemp sliced another round block of thorium out of a nearby crystal and fitted the second wedge of plutonium into it. At first Rip had worried about the two pieces of plutonium making a good enough contact, but Kemp's skillful hand and precision eye removed that worry. The torchman finished fitting the plutonium and carried the block to the tube opening.
The next step was for Kemp to cut holes with his torch, so that the thrust of the rocket fuel would be counter to the direction in which the asteroid was spinning. Rip explained to all hands what had to be done. The burden would fall on Kemp, who would need a helper. Rip took that job himself. He took one oxygen tank from Kemp. Koa took the other, leaving the torchman with only his torch.
At his direction, the torchman sliced a thin slot up the face of the crystal. Rip fitted the wires into it and held them in place with a small wedge of thorium. Kemp cut a plug, fitted it into the hole, and welded the seams closed. The tube was sealed. When electric current fired the rocket head, the thorium carrying the plutonium wedge would be driven forward to meet the wedge in the back.
He put his toe on the place where the cross lines met. Dowst took a spike from his belt and made an X in the metal ground. "All set," Rip announced. "You four men can move now. Let’s have the cutting equipment over here, Koa." The Planeteers were all waiting for instructions now. In a few moments the equipment was ready, fuel and oxygen bottles attached. "Who’s the champion torchman?" Rip asked.
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