Actually the
asteroid was fair-sized, when compared with most of its kind.
The Planeteers hauled themselves into the boats by their safety lines.
Rip waited until all were in, then pulled himself along his own line
to the black square of the door. Koa was waiting to give him a hand into
the craft.
The Planeteers were standing, except for Dowst. Rip had never seen an
old-type railroad, or he might have likened the landing boat to a
railroad boxcar. It was about the same size and shape, but had huge
"windows" on both sides and in front of the pilot--windows that were
not enclosed. The space-suited men needed no protection.
"Blast," Rip ordered.
A pulse of fire spurted from the top of each boat, driving them bottom
first toward the asteroid.
"Land at will," Rip said.
The asteroid loomed large as he looked through an opening. It was rocky,
but there were plenty of smooth places.
Dowst picked one. He was an expert pilot, and Rip watched him with
pleasure. The exhaust from the top lessened, and fire spurted soundlessly
from the bottom. Dowst balanced the opposite thrusts of the top and
bottom blasts with the delicacy of a woman threading a needle. In a few
moments the boat was hovering a foot above the asteroid.
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