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"We'll use one hole for all three charges. They don't have to be fired all at once." "How do we fire them?" Koa asked. "Electrically. Who has the igniters and the hand dynamo?" "Dowst has the igniters. One of the Connies is carrying the dynamo." Speaking of the Connies Rip hadn't seen the Consops cruiser recently. He looked up, searching for its exhaust, and finally found it, some distance away.
Koa was waiting to give him a hand into the craft. The Planeteers were standing, except for Dowst. Rip had never seen an old-type railroad or he might have likened the landing boat to a railroad box car. It was about the same size and shape, but it had huge "windows" on both sides and in front of the pilot—windows that were not enclosed. The space-suited men needed no protection.
They were designed for the sole purpose of space hand-to-hand combat. The Planeteers looked at each other. 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.
The reason for collapsing the suit was to deprive the enemy of air instantly, so that he could be tied up while helpless from lack of oxygen. There was enough air in the suit for only a few breaths once the supply was cut off. The Connie on the ground was neatly trussed. Rip's prisoner joined him. Dowst switched off his belt light. "Now what, sir?" Dominico was standing patiently nearby.
Bradshaw needed attention, and now so did Dominico. Dowst reached up, took Rip’s ankle, and pulled him down. Rip held onto his captive. Then the private bound the Connie’s hands, jerked his communicator control completely off, and turned his air back on. Since Rip had been unable to collapse the suit, the Connie was comfortable enough.
Balancing fire came from the other side, and for an instant the three exhausts formed a cross, with the darkness of the Connie's hull in the center. Then they could see only the exhausts from the sides. The stern flame was out of sight. "He's made a full turn to come back this way," Rip stated tensely. "Dowst, get ready." The Connie was perhaps twenty miles away.
It was able to maneuver infinitely faster than the big cruiser. They could put the supplies in the cave, then take to the boat, depending on its ability to turn quickly and on Dowst's skill at piloting to play hide and seek. Dowst certainly could keep the asteroid between them and the cruiser. The plan would fail when the cruiser sent a landing party.
The Connie sensed something and turned, just as Rip and Dowst flashed downward on his two mates. Rip’s boots caught one Connie where his bubble joined his suit, and the impact drove the man downward to the unyielding surface of the asteroid with a soundless smash. Rip threw up his arms to cushion his helmet as he struck the ground beyond his enemy. He threw the air bottles away.
The bubbles were equipped with lights, but they were seldom used. He outlined his plan swiftly. Both Santos and Dowst acknowledged. Koa reported in. "We’re after two more Connies near the wreck of the landing boat, sir." "Be careful. Pederson, go help Koa. Nunez, how are things at the cave?" "Nunez reporting, sir. Two Connies in sight, but they haven’t seen us yet."
He fought to keep his feet under him and almost succeeded, but his knees hit the ground, and pistol and knife bit into them painfully. Two figures came into his view, locked tightly together, arms flailing. It was Dowst and the second Connie. He got to his feet and was moving to the Planeteer's aid when Santos' voice shrilled in his helmet. "Sir! Look left!" Rip whirled.
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