This time, however, there was a difference, he saw. The commander
would lose nothing by picking up the assault boat, and he would save a
few men. Rip supposed that manpower meant something, even to Consops.
His propulsion tube reached _Brennschluss_, and for a few moments he
watched, checking his speed and direction. Then, before he lit off
another tube, he checked his chronometer. The illuminated dial registered
23:01. They had just four minutes to get to the asteroid!
He spoke swiftly. "Waste no time in lighting off, Santos. That nuclear
charge goes in four minutes!"
Rip pulled a tube from his belt, held it overhead, and triggered it. His
flight through space speeded up, but he wasn't at all sure they would
make it. He turned up his helmet communicator to full power and called,
"Koa, can you hear me?"
The sergeant major's reply was faint in his helmet. "I hear you weakly.
Do you hear me?"
"Same way," Rip replied. "Get this, Koa. Don't fail to explode that
charge at twenty-three-oh-five. Can you see us?"
The reply was very slightly stronger. "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.
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