Adventure stories; Cold War -- Fiction; Moon -- Fiction; Science fiction; Space flight to the moon -- Fiction; Spy stories
"Break out the pressure suits," he barked. "Lend him a hand, Larkwell."
Nagel's eyes opened. "Pressure suits?"
"Check. We may need them in a couple of minutes."
"But--"
"Get to it," Crag rasped. "It may be a matter of life or death." He
turned. Prochaska was still examining the wiring. No time to search the
rest of the cabin, he thought. It might be anywhere. It would have to be
the panels or nothing. Besides, that was the most logical place. He went
to the Chief's assistance, searching the panels on his side of the
board, pushing his fingers gently between the maze of wiring. Nothing
below the analog, the engine instruments, the radar altimeter. He
glanced at the chronometer and began to sweat. The hands on the dial
seemed to be racing. Prochaska finished his side of the console and
looked sideways at him. Better tell him, Crag thought.
He said calmly, "Time bomb. Burning Sands says, if we have one, it may
blow in--" he glanced hurriedly at the chronometer--"five minutes."
Prochaska looked hurriedly at the array of gear lining the bulkheads.
"Probably in the controls, if we have one." Crag finished the panels on
his side without any luck. Prochaska hastily started re-examining the
wiring. Crag followed after him. A moment later his fingers found it, a
smooth flat case deeply imbedded between the wiring. Prochaska had gone
over that panel a moment before! The thought struck him even as he moved
it out, handling it gingerly. Prochaska showed his surprise. Crag
glanced at Nagel and Larkwell. They had the suits free. He laid the
bomb on the console. Larkwell saw it. His face showed understanding. He
heaved one of the suits to Prochaska and a second one to Crag. They
hurriedly donned them. Space limitations made it an awkward task. Crag
kept his eyes on the chronometer. The hand seemed to whiz across the
dial. He began to sweat, conscious that he was breathing heavily.
"Short exposure," he rapped out. "Minimum pressure." He slipped on his
helmet, secured it to the neck ring and snapped on the face plate. He
turned the oxygen valve and felt the pressure build up within the suit
and helmet. The chronometer showed two minutes to go. He snapped a
glance around. Nagel peered at him through his thick face plate with a
worried expression. Larkwell's lips were compressed against his teeth.
His jaws worked spasmodically. Both were waiting, tense, watching him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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