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We can see a pair of rocket exhausts, but no boats. Is that you?" "Yes. We’re coming in on propulsion tubes." Koa waited for a long moment, then: "Sir, what if you’re not with us by twenty-three-oh-five?" "You know the answer," Rip retorted crisply. Of course Koa knew. The nuclear blast would send Rip and Santos spinning into outer space, perhaps crippled, burned, or completely irradiated.
He reached the snapper-boat and squeezed in, Santos close behind him. As he strapped himself into the seat he called, "Koa! Get this, and get it straight. At twenty-three-oh-five, fire the bomb. Fire it whether I'm back or not." Koa replied, "Got it, sir." That would give the Planeteers a minute's leeway.
We got some prompt radiation. I don’t know how much." "When was that? The exact time?" Rip tried to remember. He felt horrible. "It was twenty-three-oh-five." "Bad," the voice said. "He must have taken enough roentgens of gamma and neutrons to reach or exceed the median-lethal dose." Rip found his voice again. "Santos," he said urgently. "On the asteroid. He got it, too. The rest were shielded.
Get this, and get it straight. At twenty-three-oh-five, fire the bomb. Fire it whether I’m back or not. Got that?" Koa replied, "Got it, sir." That would give the Planeteers a minute’s leeway. Not much of a safety margin, especially when he wasn’t sure how much power the improvised atomic charge would produce. He plugged into the snapper-boat’s communicator and called, "Ready, Santos?"
Don't fail to explode that charge at twenty-three-oh-five. Can you see us?" The reply was very slightly stronger. "I will explode the charge as ordered, Lieutenant. We can see a pair of rocket exhausts, but no boats. Is that you?" "Yes. We're coming in on propulsion tubes." Koa waited for a long moment, then asked, "Sir, what if you're not with us by twenty-three-oh-five?"
He turned up his helmet communicator to full power and called, "Koa, can you hear me?" The sergeant-major’s reply was faint in his helmet. "I hear you weakly. Do you hear me?" "Same way," Rip replied. "Get this, Koa. Don’t fail to explode that charge at twenty-three-oh-five. Can you see us?" The reply was very slightly stronger. "I will explode the charge as ordered, Lieutenant.
We got some prompt radiation." "When was that? The exact time?" Rip tried to remember. He felt horrible. "It was twenty-three-oh-five." "Bad," the voice said. "He must have taken enough roentgens of gamma and neutrons to reach or exceed the median-lethal dose." Rip found his voice again. "Santos," he said urgently. "On the asteroid. He got it, too. The rest were shielded." MacFife snapped orders.
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