Part 5 (1/2)

Rip did, and wondered what was coming next.

”We'll start to decelerate in about ten minutes,” O'Brine said. ”Eat while you can.” He signaled and a s.p.a.ceman brought Rip the day's ration in an individual plastic carton with thermo-lining. The Planeteer opened it and found a block of mixed vegetables, a slab of s.p.a.ce-meat, and two units of biscuit. He wrinkled his nose. s.p.a.ce-meat he didn't mind. It was chewy but tasty. The mixed vegetable ration was chosen for its food value and not for taste. A good mouthful of earth-gra.s.s would be a lot more palatable.

He sliced off pieces of the warm stuff and chewed thoughtfully, watching O'Brine's face for a clue as to why the commander had invited him to sit down.

It wasn't long in coming. ”Your orders are the strangest things I've ever read,” O'Brine stated. ”Do you know where we're going?”

Rip figured quickly. They had accelerated for six and a half hours. Now, ten minutes after brennschluss, they were going to start deceleration.

That meant they had really high-vacked it to get somewhere in a hurry. He calculated swiftly.

”I don't know exactly,” he admitted. ”But from the s.h.i.+p's actions, I'd say we were aiming for the far side of the asteroid belt. Anyway, we'll fall short of Jupiter.”

There was a glimmer of respect in O'Brine's glance. ”That's right. Know anything about asteroids, Foster?”

Rip considered. He knew what he had been taught in astronomy and astrogation. Between Mars and Jupiter lay a broad belt in which the asteroids swung. They ranged from Ceres, a tiny world only 480 miles in diameter, down to chunks of rock the size of a house. No accurate count of asteroids-or minor planets, as they were called-had been made, but the observatory on Mars had charted the orbits of over 100,000. Most of them were only a mile or two in diameter. Others, much smaller, had never been charted by anyone. One leading astronomer had estimated that as many as 50,000 asteroids filled the belt.

”I know the usual stuff about them,” he told O'Brine. ”I haven't any special knowledge.”

O'Brine blinked. ”Then why did they a.s.sign you? What's your specialty?”

”Astrophysics.”

”That might explain it. Second specialty?”

”Astrogation.” He couldn't resist adding, ”That's what scientists call s.p.a.ce navigation, Commander.”

O'Brine started to retort, then apparently thought better of it. ”I hope you'll be able to carry out your orders, Lieutenant,” he said stiffly. ”I hope, but not much. I don't think you can.”

Rip asked, ”What are my orders, sir?”

O'Brine waved in the general direction of the wall. ”Out there, somewhere in the asteroid belt, Foster, there is a little chunk of matter about one thousand yards in diameter. A very minor planet. We know its approximate coordinates as of two days ago, but we don't know much else. It happens to be a very important minor planet.”

Rip waited, intent on the commander's words.

”It's important,” O'Brine continued, ”because it happens to be pure thorium.”

Rip gasped. Thorium! The rare, radioactive element just below uranium in the periodic table of the elements, the element used to power this very s.h.i.+p! ”What a find!” he said in a hushed voice. No wonder the job was Federation priority A, with s.p.a.ce Council security! ”What do I do about it?” he asked.

O'Brine grinned. ”Ride it,” he said. ”Your orders say you're to capture this asteroid, blast it out of its...o...b..t, and drive it back to earth!”

CHAPTER FOUR - FIRST, FIND THE NEEDLE!

Rip walked into the squadroom with a copy of the orders in his hand. After one look at his face, the Planeteers cl.u.s.tered around him. Santos woke those who were sleeping, while Rip waited.

”We have our orders, men,” he announced. Suddenly he laughed. He couldn't help it. At first he had been completely overcome by the responsibility, and the magnitude of the job, but now he was getting used to the idea and he could see the adventure in it. Ten wild Planeteers riding an asteroid!

Sunny s.p.a.ce, what a great big thermo-nuclear stunt!

Koa remarked, ”It must be good. The lieutenant is getting a real atomic charge out of it.”