Part 2 (1/2)

Schultz checked the verniers again. 'Nope. It's four, three, two.'

For a moment, the other astronaut's composure broke. 'Ah, come on man, it can't be. Try again.'

'O.K.' He manipulated the small telescope again.

'And get a move on. We'll be back in the sunrise shortly.'

Schultz glanced out of the corner of his eye at the younger man. 'Take it easy, Glyn. We've time.'

For a moment Williams struggled with his feelings and then, leaning forward slightly to speak into the mike to Snowcap base, he became the impersonal, all-systems-go astronaut.

'Did you hear that conversation?'

Dyson's voice came through on the loudspeaker. 'Yes, Colonel. We're getting a Mars fix, too. We'll call back.'

'O.K.' Williams nodded and tried relaxing back; into his scat. 'I guess it's just...' he began, turning his, head to Schultz. But his eye suddenly caught something rigid and fixed in the older man's stance as he twisted round to look through the telescope.

'Glyn?'

'Yes?' Williams felt a sudden p.r.i.c.kle of fear. A new, grim note had crept into the astronaut's voice. If there was one man in the whole s.p.a.ce establishment who never allowed the slightest emotion to show, it was the veteran Schultz.

'Now take it easy, but...'

'For Christ's sake what is it?' Williams flared.

The older man turned round, eyes wide, face tautened. 'That wasn't Mars I had...'

'Is that all?' Williams forced himself to relax. 'Well that explains it, doesn't it? C'mon, try again.'

Without turning, the other man slowly shook his head. 'No, listen, Glyn-there's something else out there.'

'Something else? What?'

'Another planet.'

'Another... That's crazy! How can there be?'

For answer, Dan Schultz swung the telescope over to Williams' side on its hinged arm.

The younger man grabbed it and studied the object Schultz indicated through the capsule window. After a long minute, he slowly pushed the telescope aside, and turned to the veteran astronaut. 'You're right, Dan. There is something there. I can't see it properly, but it reads as if it were in orbit between Mars and Venus.'

Schultz nodded. 'That's it. You know, somehow-I just can't put my finger on it-but it looks kinda familiar.'

Their conversation was interrupted by the harsh sunlight of s.p.a.ce entering through the windows. They squinted and turned their eyes away from the bright light. 'Came the dawn!' Schultz frowned.

'Yeah,' Williams nodded. 'We've had any further observations for a bit.' He turned back to the mike. 'h.e.l.lo Snowcap Snowcap. h.e.l.lo Snowcap Snowcap. We are now in dawn. Over San Francisco. Can you get this object from where you are?'

'You are very faint. Put up the power output, please,' replied Barclay.

Williams leant forward and spoke almost directly into the mike. 'Can you get this object on your retinascope?'

'Can do,' replied Barclay's voice.

Williams' eyes suddenly became fixed on another dial close to the mike. 'Hey, Dan, look at this, will ya? That's odd ! '

'Yeah.' Schultz turned round and followed the line of Williams' pointing finger.

'Our fuel cells are showing a power loss. A pretty sharp drop.'

The two men looked at each other anxiously.

'What the h.e.l.l's happening here?'

3 The New Planet

The tracking station room was buzzing with anxious conversation. Some of the men were glued to the TV screen; others feverishly monitored the signals sent back to Earth.

Barclay and Cutler abruptly left the dias and strode over to the operator of the base telescope.

'Have you got it yet?' questioned Barclay.

The technician shook his head.

The telescope screen was clearly visible to the Doctor, Ben and Polly from the observation room.

Cutler nudged the technician: 'Hurry it up, fella.'

Ben suddenly became aware that the Doctor was indulging in another favourite habit. His head was tilted back, his eagle eyes were staring at the television screen, his right hand was nervously stroking his cheek. It meant only one thing: the Doctor had an idea.

s.n.a.t.c.hing out a little notebook and pencil, the Doctor hastily scribbled something.

He finished and turned to the Sergeant standing beside him: 'Sergeant, give this to your General, will you?'

'Me?' The Sergeant looked startled. 'If you think I'd interrupt him at this time-you're crazy!'

'It may be vital. If you'll take me to the General, I'm sure I'll be able to help him.'

Recognising the note of command in the Doctor's voice, the Sergeant nodded and led them out of the observation room, and across to General Cutler, who was gazing at the television screen.

The round outline of the planet which had been picked up by the base telescope, although badly out of focus, was clearly visible.