I will explode the charge as
ordered, Lieutenant. We can see a pair of rocket exhausts, but no boats.
Is that you?"

"Yes. We're coming in on propulsion tubes."

Koa waited for a long moment, then asked, "Sir, what if you're not with
us by twenty-three-oh-five?"

"You know the answer," Rip retorted crisply.

Of course Koa knew. The nuclear blast would send Rip and Santos spinning
into outer space, perhaps crippled, burned, or completely irradiated.
But the lives of two men couldn't delay the blast that would save the
lives of eight others, not counting prisoners.

Rip estimated his speed and course and the distance to the asteroid. He
was increasingly sure that they wouldn't make it, and the knowledge was
like the cold of space in his stomach. It would be close but not close
enough. A minute would make all the difference.

For a few heartbeats he almost called Koa and told him to wait that extra
minute, to explode the nuclear charge at 23:06, at the very last second.
But even Planeteer chronometers could be off by a few seconds, and he
couldn't risk it. His men had to be given some leeway.

He surveyed the asteroid. The nuclear charge was on his left side, pretty
close to the sun line. At least he and Santos could angle to the right,
to get as far away as possible.

The edge of the asteroid's shadow was barely visible. That it was visible
at all was due to the minute particles of matter and gas that surrounded
the sun, even millions of miles out into space. He reduced helmet power
and told Santos, "Angle to the right. Get as close to the edge of shadow
as you can without being cooked."

As an afterthought, he asked, "How many tubes do you have?"

"One after this, sir. I had three."

"Save the one you have left."

Rip didn't know yet what use they would be, but it was always a good idea
to have some kind of reserve.

The Connie cruiser was sliding up to the crippled assault boat. Rip took
a quick look, then shifted his hands and angled toward the edge of
shadow. When he was within a few feet, he reversed the direction of the
tube to keep from shooting out into the sunlight. A second or two later
the tube burned out.

Santos was several yards away and slightly above him. Rip saw that the
Planeteer was all right and turned his attention back to the cruiser. It
was close enough to the assault boat to haul it in with grappling hooks.
The hooks emerged and engaged the torn metal of the boat, then drew it
int