And in
where? The Terra quarantine was Luna City on the Moon. But let them
signal for a set-down there--let them describe what had happened and they
might face death as a plague ship.
Wearily he climbed down to the mess cabin to discover Weeks and Ali there
before him. They did not look up as he entered.
"Old Man's got it," he reported.
"Rip?" was Ali's crossing question.
"Asleep. He passed out--"
"What!" Weeks swung around.
"Worn out," Dane amended. "Captain fed in a pilot tape before he gave
up."
"So--now we are three," was Ali's comment. "Where do we set down--Luna
City?"
"If they let us," Dane hinted at the worst.
"But they've got to let us!" Weeks exclaimed. "We can't just wander
around out here--"
"It's been done," Ali reminded them brutally and that silenced Weeks.
"Did the Old Man set Luna?" After a long pause Ali inquired.
"I didn't check," Dane confessed. "He was giving out and I had to get him
to his bunk."
"It might be well to know." The Engineer-apprentice got up, his movements
lacking much of the elastic spring which was normally his.
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