The answer rang in his helmet. "_Scorpius_ to Foster. Hold 'em,
Planeteers. We're on our way!"

"Here comes the Connie," Koa yelled.

Rip braced. The landing boat shot forward, then piled the Planeteers in a
heap on the bottom as Dowst accelerated upward.

There was a sudden wrenching crash that sent the Planeteers in a jumbled
mass into the front of the boat. It whirled crazily, then stopped.

Rip was not hurt. He shoved at someone whose bubble was in his stomach and
cleared the way. "Turn on belt lights," he called. "Quick!"

Lights flared on. He searched quickly, swinging his light. The Planeteers
were getting to their feet. His light focused on Private Bradshaw and he
gasped.

Bradshaw's face was scarlet, and his skin was flecked with drops of blood.
His eyes were closed, and bulging terribly.

Rip jumped forward, but big Koa was even faster. The Hawaiian jerked a
repair strip from a belt pouch, slapped it on the crack in Bradshaw's
bubble.

Rip wasted no time, either. By the time Koa had the strip in place he had
pulled the connections from his belt light. He ran the tips of the wires
over the edges of the strip. The current sealed the patch in place
instantly.

Koa grabbed the atmosphere control on Bradshaw's belt and turned it. The
suit puffed up. Rip watched the repair anxiously in the light from Koa's
belt. It held.

Rip reconnected his light as he asked swiftly, "Anyone else hurt? Answer
by name."

There were quick replies; No one else had been injured.

"Run for the cave," Rip commanded. "Follow Koa. Santos and Pederson drag
Bradshaw."

The Englishman's voice sounded bubbly. "I can make it."

"Good for you!" Rip exclaimed. "Call for help if you need it."

Koa was already out of the craft and leading the way. Rip went out through
a window and saw the cause of the trouble. Dowst had been a hair too close
to the asteroid. A particularly high crystal of thorium had snagged the
craft.

Rip looked for the Connie and saw it starting another turn. They had only
a moment or two before the next run. "Show an exhaust," he called. The
Connie must have blasted the opposite side of the asteroid while they were
hung up.

The cave was a quarter of the asteroid away. Rip stayed in the rear,
watching for stragglers. But even Bradshaw was moving rapidly. Koa reached
the cave well ahead of the rest, reached for a rack of rockets, and
slapped it into the launcher.

Rip urged the men on. The Connie was squ