CHAPTER 9
"Blast off!"
Without any preliminaries, Kit Barnard's order sent the _Good Company_hurtling spaceward. Astro had just enough time to throw himself into anacceleration chair before the ship shot away from the Deimos spaceporttoward the wreckage of the _Space Lance_.
"Braking rockets!" roared Kit. "Hit them hard, Sid."
The ship bucked under the force of the counter-acceleration, and theveteran spaceman fought to keep her under control. He snapped outanother order. "Cut all rockets!"
The ship was suddenly quiet, hanging motionless in space in the middleof the still-twisting wreckage. The huge bank of atomic motors, thelargest single unit on the ship, had already begun to swing around thesmall moon Deimos in an orbit, while other shattered remains of the oncesleek ship began a slow circle around the motors themselves.
Astro was struggling into a space suit when Sid and Kit joined him inthe air lock. Quickly the three spacemen clamped their space helmetsclosed and adjusted the oxygen nozzles. Then, after testing their suitintercoms, they closed the inner-portal air lock, reduced the airpressure, and opened the thick pluglike outer portal. They stared out atthe gruesome spectacle of torn hull plates, twisted spars, and brokenpieces of equipment floating gently in the velvet space, outlinedagainst the reddish hue of the planet Mars.
"Astro! Kit!" shouted Sid through the suit intercom. "Look, there'sSticoon! Over there near that tube." Following Sid's pointing finger,Astro and Kit turned toward an exhaust tube that had been ripped in halfby the explosion. The Martian spaceman's body floated next to it, limpand broken. Astro shuddered. If Sticoon was dead, then there was littlehope for Tom. The big Venusian fought back tears.
Maneuvering themselves away from the ship with the aid of the small jetpacks strapped to their shoulders, they reached the dead spaceman. Sidcarried him back to the ship while Astro and Kit remained to search thewreckage for Tom.
By now, three small jet boats and two rocket scouts had blasted off fromDeimos, bringing emergency rescue equipment. More than a dozen menpoured out of the ships and joined in the search. The work was carriedon in silence. No one spoke.
Astro and Kit worked side by side, pushing their way gently through thetwisting mass that was once a proud spaceship, to the heart of thespiraling wreckage, down toward the bank of atomic motors that wasattracting all the lesser pieces. Suddenly Astro paled. He gripped theveteran's arm and gestured toward a large section of the ship on theother side of the motors that they had not seen before.
"By the stars," Kit gasped, "it's the air lock! All in one piece!"
"If Tom managed to get in there, or if he was in there when the shipexploded, maybe he has a chance."
"You're right, Astro," said Kit hopefully.
"But we can't open it out here," said Astro. "If Tom is inside, we haveto take it down to Deimos. If we open it here, and he doesn't have aspace suit on, he'd suffocate."
"He'd freeze solid before that," said Kit, not mentioning thepossibility that Tom might very well be frozen already, since theship's heating units had been torn away from the air lock.
Quickly Astro hailed the members of the emergency crews that hadrocketed up from Deimos and told them of the possibility that Tom wasinside the chamber. They all agreed, since they had failed to find thecadet anywhere.
Kit and Astro immediately took charge of getting the bulky boxlikechamber back to Deimos where it could be opened safely. Two of the jetboats were jockeyed into position on either side of the chamber andseveral lengths of cable were stretched between them, forming a cradlefor the chamber. Since the jet boats were equipped with foldaway wings,which, when extended, would enable them to fly at slower speed throughatmosphere, they hoped to make a glider landing at the Deimos spaceport.
Astro would not let anyone handle the boats but Kit and himself, andonly by threat of physical violence was he able to keep the regularpilots out of the control chairs on the speedy little ships. He mightsuffer for it later when the officers reported his actions, but the bigVenusian was beyond caring. If Tom was not safe inside the vacuumchamber, he felt there wasn't much use in being a cadet any longer.Fleetingly he thought of Roger, who didn't stand a chance of reachingGanymede on a single solo hop from Earth in a ship the size of the_Space Knight_. The _Polaris_ unit seemed doomed.
With Kit Barnard in one jet boat, Astro strapped himself into thecontrol chair of the other, and intercoms on, they gently fed power intotheir ships. Coordinating perfectly in their maneuvers, they headed backto the spaceport with their strange cargo.
Slowly and gently, Kit and Astro circled lower and lower until the twojet boats were directly over the Deimos spaceport. They circled wide andshut off power together, coming down in a long, easy glide. Keeping thecables taut between them, so the chamber wouldn't touch the concretestrip, the two spacemen made perfect landings, coming to a stop directlyin front of the control tower. Astro was out of his ship in a flash andalmost immediately Kit was beside him. They took no notice of the stereoreporter who was focusing his camera on their efforts to force open theportal on the chamber. Nor did they notice the immense crowd, standingbehind police lines, watching and waiting in silence.
"A cutting torch!" bellowed Astro to the emergency crew below. "Get me acutting torch."
In an instant the torch was handed to him, and ripping the space glovesoff his hands, the big cadet began cutting into the tough metal side ofthe chamber.
The seconds ticked into minutes. The crowds did not move, and only thelow comments of the stereo reporter talking over an interplanetarynetwork could be heard above the hiss of the torch as Astro bent to histask. A half hour passed. Astro didn't move or turn away from theblinding light of the torch as he cut into the section of the chamberwhere the portal locks would be. He did not notice that the _GoodCompany_ and the emergency fleet had returned to the spaceport, nor thatSid was now beside him with Kit.
An hour passed. It seemed to the big cadet that the metal he wascutting, alloyed to protect spacemen against the dangers of the void,was now threatening to cost Tom's life, if indeed he still survived. Noone could live long under such conditions unless they had a fresh supplyof oxygen. Kit tried to take the torch away from Astro, but the giantVenusian would not let him have it. Again and again, the tanks of fuelsupplying the torch were emptied and quickly replaced with fresh ones.
There was something awe-inspiring about the big cadet as he crouchedover the torch, its white-hot flame reflected in his grim features.Everyone around him watched in silent fascination, aware that this was arare exhibition of devotion toward a comrade. They all were certainthat Astro would reach Tom--or die in the attempt.
* * * * *
"Touchdown!" Captain Strong called into the ship's intercom. "Securestations."
The rocket cruiser _Polaris_ had just settled on the blast-stainedconcrete of the Titan spaceport after a blazing flight nonstop fromEarth. A Solar Guard cruiser, the most powerful class of spaceship inthe Solar Alliance, the _Polaris_ was also equipped with hyperdrive, awell-guarded secret method of propulsion, enabling Solar Guard ships totravel through space faster than any other craft known. Many commercialshipping companies, including those entered in the race to Titan, hadpleaded for the use of hyperdrive on their ships but were summarilyrefused. It was one of the strongest weapons in the entire SolarAlliance.
As Commander Walters released the straps holding him securely in hisacceleration chair and stepped up beside Strong, the Solar Guard captaingestured toward the teleceiver screen on the bulkhead.
"We're being met by the local officials, sir," he said.
"Ummm," was the commander's laconic reply as he studied the screen."There's Captain Howard."
"He doesn't look any too happy, sir," commented Strong.
"How would you feel if you had just spent seven years building up themine operations here on Titan and then have something like this happento you?"
Strong shook his head. "You're right, sir. I fo
rgot that Howard askedfor this duty."
"It's strange how a man will take to a place," mused Walters. "Thefirst time he returned to the Academy, after a tour of duty here onTitan, he looked like a man who had just fallen in love." Walterschuckled. "And in a way I guess he had. He put in for immediatepermanent duty here and went back to school to learn all about themining operations. He, more than anyone else in the Solar Guard, isresponsible for our success here."
"Well, are you ready to leave the ship, sir?" asked Strong.
"Yes," replied the commander, but he continued to stare at theteleceiver screen. Strong waited respectfully and finally Walters turnedback to him, shaking his head. "The spaceport looks pretty deserted,"was his only comment.
Strong had already noticed the desolate appearance of the ordinarilybuzzing spaceport and it troubled him more than he would show. He knewthat unless the defect in the force fields was corrected soon, theouter-space colony would have to be abandoned to the deadly methaneammonia atmosphere. And to Strong, who had seen the dead satellitebefore the Solar Guard had discovered crystal there, it was like seeingan old friend sick with a deadly disease. In addition, the hundreds ofthousands of colonists would have to be relocated if the force fieldscould not be repaired and the effect on the economy of the whole SolarAlliance would be disastrous.
Walters and Strong were met at the air lock by Captain Howard. "I'mawfully glad to see you, sir," he said, coming to attention and salutingsmartly. "Hello, Steve. Welcome to Titan."
"Glad to be here, Joe," said Strong.
"We came out as soon as we received your report that you had startedevacuation," said Walters. "Have you discovered anything new?"
Howard shook his head. "Not a thing, Commander," he replied. "We've donejust about everything but take the force-field projectors apart, but sofar we haven't found a thing wrong."
"Any word on the race, Joe?" asked Strong.
Howard looked surprised. "By the stars, I almost forgot. One of theships is trying to make it to Ganymede without stopping at Deimos forrefueling. And another blew up."
Strong gasped. "Which one?"
"_Space Lance_," said Howard. "Exploded over Deimos right afterblast-off. _Knight_ is the one that's trying the long solo hop. Haven'treceived any word from him yet."
"But what about the crew of the _Space Lance_?" demanded Strong with aglance at Walters.
"The pilot, Sticoon, was killed, and they haven't found Cadet Corbettyet." And then understanding flashed in Howard's eyes. "Say, that's oneof the boys in your unit, isn't it, Steve?" he asked.
"Yes," said Strong grimly. He turned to Walters. "Have I your permissionto contact Deimos for the latest details, sir?"
"Of course, Steve. Go ahead."
Strong turned quickly and climbed into a nearby jet boat. The enlistedspaceman at the controls sent the tiny vessel skimming across the broadexpanse of the spaceport toward the control tower.
Walters and Howard watched him leave. "I hope nothing has happened tothat boy," said Walters. "Corbett is one of the finest cadets we have."
"I'm afraid it doesn't look too good, sir," Howard answered.
"Well, what about the other ship, _Space Knight_?" asked Walters. "CadetManning is on that one. Any report on where they are?"
"Nothing, sir," replied Howard. "We just heard that he was by-passingDeimos and going on right through to Ganymede, hoping to get a jump onthe other two."
"Did Cadet Manning make that report?" asked Walters.
"No, sir. It was the pilot. Quent Miles. There was no mention of CadetManning, sir."
Walters shook his head. "Certainly is strange," he mused aloud. Then hebarked, in his usual brusque manner, "Well, we've got this problem hereto worry about now. All mining operations have stopped, I suppose?"
"Yes, sir. The men won't work unless they have a guarantee that theirwives and children are safe."
"Can't blame them," said Walters, surveying the quiet spaceport.
The two Solar Guard officers climbed into another waiting jet boat andshot away from the _Polaris_ toward the tower.
Inside the shimmering crystal control tower, Steve Strong paced up anddown behind the enlisted spaceman trying to contact the Deimos spaceportacross the millions of miles of space.
"This is Titan spaceport calling Deimos spaceport! Come in, Deimosspaceport."
There was a flood of static, and then, very faintly, the voice of thetower operator on Deimos answered. "This is Deimos spaceport. Go ahead,Titan."
"Transmitting request for information by Captain Steve Strong of theSolar Guard," the Titan operator called into the microphone."Information concerning explosion of rocket ship _Space Lance_. Pleasegive details on survivors."
There was a momentary pause and the loud-speaker crackled with static.The voice of the Deimos operator broke through. "Captain Sticoon dead.Cadet Corbett believed trapped in air-lock chamber. They have just cutthrough the chamber. It will be a few minutes before I can give you anyfurther information."
"Very well, Deimos. I will hold this channel open."
Walters and Howard entered the room. "Any word, Strong?" asked thecommander. Strong shook his head.
The loud-speaker over the control panel crackled into life again."Ganymede station to Titan spaceport! Come in, Titan!"
The three Solar Guard officers looked at each other in surprise as theTitan operator acknowledged the call. "This is Titan. Go ahead,Ganymede."
"We have just received word that the rocket ship _Space Knight_ iswithin five minutes of a touchdown this spaceport. Will probably blastoff again immediately after refueling. Acknowledge, Titan!"
"I read you, Ganymede!" replied the Titan operator.
"What is your estimated time of arrival at Titan?"
The Ganymede operator was silent a moment, then announced a time thatmade Strong and Walters blink in amazement. "It is based on his speedfrom Earth to this point, Titan."
"Very well, Ganymede. End transmission," said the Titan man, closing hiskey.
Captain Howard stared at Strong and Walters in amazement. "I can'tbelieve it." Strong shook his head. "It's fantastic!"
"I know it is, gentlemen," said a voice in back of them. "Butnevertheless the Ganymede station confirms it."
Strong, Walters, and Howard spun around to look into the smiling face ofCharley Brett.
Before anyone could say anything, the voice of the Deimos operator brokethe stunned silence. "Deimos to Titan, I have your information now. Areyou ready, Titan?"
"Go ahead, Deimos," said the Titan man.
And then, as Strong held his breath, the metallic voice from theloud-speaker reported on the final result of the tragic explosion overDeimos.