"Find out anything, sir?"
"Nothing useful. A bunch of equipment came aboard, but it was in plain
crates. I couldn't tell what it was."
Acceleration pressed them against the chairs. Rip sighed, picked up an
audio-circuit set, and put it over his ears. Might as well listen to what
the circuit had to offer. There was nothing else to do. Music was
playing, and it was the kind he liked. He settled back to relax and
listen.
_Brennschluss_ came some time later. It woke Rip up from a sound sleep.
He blinked, glancing at his chronometer. Great Cosmos! With that length
of acceleration they must be high-vacking for Jupiter! He waited until
the ship went into the gravity spin, then got out of his chair and
stretched. He was hungry. Koa was still sleeping. He decided not to wake
him. The sergeant major would see that the men ate when they wanted to.
In the messroom only one table was occupied--by Commander O'Brine.
Rip gave him a civil hello and started to sit alone at another table. To
his surprise, O'Brine beckoned to him.
"Sit down," the spaceman invited gruffly.
Rip did and wondered what was coming next.
"We'll start to decelerate in about ten minutes," O'Brine said. "Eat
while you can.
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